The Faculty of English & Drama

The focus this year was to increase the challenge and imagination in the curriculum by setting more creative tasks linked to real audiences. Much of the curriculum is delivered through literary texts to encourage reading and discussion of wider themes, along with developing imaginative responses.

At Key Stage 5 Literature is taken by approximately 40 students who study the traditional novels like ‘Jane Eyre’ and ‘Mrs Dalloway’ and more modern texts like ‘The Road’, ‘Enduring Love’ and ‘Closer’. Here there are opportunities for re-creative writing in the style of the original with a supporting detailed analysis. These produced excellent responses; while others chose to write a close analysis of a Ted Hughes poem from ‘Birthday Letters’. The Sixth Form organise the Literature Society, led by Katie Shanahan, who received the English prize this year. The presentations have been as diverse as ‘Dystopian Literature’, ‘A Brief History of Literature in 10 Texts’ and ‘Sci-fi: The meaning of Life’. Our Theatre Society continues to thrive stretching the imaginations of our members by exposing them to such delights as ‘Miss Julie’, Shunt’s promenade piece, ‘The Architects’, ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time’ and Rupert Everett’s magnificent portrayal of Oscar Wilde in ‘The Judas Kiss’.

Drama productions in school have now been firmly established as a highlight on the calendar with audiences growing. ‘Cabaret’ was our musical, double cast to challenge our performers and create more opportunities to shine. Student directed pieces are burgeoning with Fintan Calpin’s ‘The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui’ in the Michaelmas Term and in the Lent Term Jack Bradfield and Sam Luker-Brown’s ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’. Both were highly professional productions showcasing talent and superb organisational skills.

The National Theatre’s playwriting course allowed a small group of students to write their own 30 minute scripts, two of which were then performed in school. The group saw, ‘The Effect’ and ‘Port’ at the National Theatre and took part in workshops and feedback sessions with one of the theatre’s playwrights.

Drama and Theatre Studies assessed performances produced some of the most imaginative work. The Year 13s devised ‘Letters’ an ensemble piece drawing on different styles and genres of theatre that challenged their creativity and demonstrated their talent. Year 12 performed Enda Walsh’s ‘Chat Room’, while our first Year 11 cohort drew on ‘Waiting for Godot’, ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead’, ‘The Pillowman’ and ‘Every Good Boy Deserves Favour’. With several achieving full marks this proved a challenging evening for the students and the audience.

English and Drama Week in April saw three inter-house competitions: Year 7 took part in a Balloon Debate, Year 8 performed their own short stories and Year 9 their own monologues. Luke Smith went on to perform his monologue for our Open Morning in June and at the Lower School Celebration in July when he enthralled us all and created tension and drama at the horror of war. The week ends with a fancy dress day ‘Dressing Up as a Book Character Day’ in aid of a charity aimed at encouraging reading and improving literacy in London.

At KS3 we worked on cross-curricular projects with the Humanities Departments on a utopian vision of society in Year 7 and a mock trial of a suspect in the Jack the Ripper case in Year 8 and 9. Every boy in Year 7 was invited to The Globe for a production of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in March and there were further opportunities for them to see ‘Private Peaceful’ with years 9 and 10 invited to see ‘Liar, Liar’. We then tapped into their imaginations in Activity Week One inviting them to choose between trips to the National Theatre backstage tour, the British Museum and The Bank of England to give Year 7 a taste of the working world.

Our students were challenged to work on their speaking and listening skills, with two Year 9 boys, Luke Smith and Samson Woodley competing in the local finals and William Adams from Year 10 representing us in the Speak Out! Challenge in March.

The year ended with the new GCSE Drama students completing a workshop by an outside theatre company, Tender on unhealthy relationships. In summary, it was a challenging and rewarding year with our imaginations stretched in every direction. My thanks must go to all the staff and students involved.

Liz Goodman S___Head of English Faculty

School Productions 2012-13