All the world's a stage for Drama students - Crosfields School

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All the world’s a stage for Drama students

In our digitally-driven world, where all ideas and actions face the interrogation of social media, it can be more difficult than ever for young people to develop a sense of individuality, confidence, and creativity. Studying Drama can help students cultivate these qualities in a safe and supportive environment. 

As a subject that encourages imagination and exploration, the benefits of Drama are endless. It provides an almost unparalleled opportunity for children to bring their emotions and life experiences to the classroom, where they can use them as inspiration and process them practically. It can also strengthen a student’s capacity for empathy by asking students to consider the emotions of the characters they play. As one of our Year 8 students, Lucy said: “I can explore my personality through Drama and everyone brings something different to the subject.”

Performing on a stage is an act of vulnerability and risk-taking that can work wonders for boosting a child’s confidence. Year 10, Tahlia, shared that the subject has helped her to find her voice and speak up without the fear of scrutiny. She explains, “What I love about Drama is the freedom to express our opinions through a piece of drama. You can act and speak comfortably without people judging you since you are playing a certain character.”

One of the most joyful parts of Drama as a subject is that there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer; it is instead about playing and seeing what works. This can be extremely liberating for students and promotes creativity and problem-solving skills. Year 8, Sofia, said: “Drama is a really fun and free subject and you can be yourself. It’s cool to see how different people act characters in different ways. There is no wrong answer.” 

Theatre is completely dependent on collaboration and teamwork – without it, there would be no plays! By studying Drama, students must learn to work together and incorporate different ideas and often create strong friendships in the process. Year 10, Ethan, says: “I love the fact that our drama lessons feel like we are a family, no matter if we fight or not.” 

Beyond the school timetable, students can get involved in extra-curricular Drama activities through clubs and school productions. Recently, Crosfields has staged knock-out performances of Matilda JR. and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang JR. Year 10 student, Fabienne took part in both. She reflected: “Being involved in the cast is always great because of the support everyone gives each other. With multiple different students from multiple different years, you get to meet people that you have not spoken to before and overall make new friends from different year groups. It is also a great way to step out of your comfort zone and build confidence when acting or talking in front of people, something which is always useful in the future if you are faced with a speech or talk in front of an audience.”

Miss Jessica Jones, Head of Drama explained, “At Crosfields School we study Drama to enable students to gain a greater understanding of themselves in a practical setting. This will allow them to build real-world life skills which encourages them to develop into well-rounded human beings. Taking GCSE Drama allows you to explore the many different aspects of Drama and Theatre. Studying the subject at a higher level lets you develop your confidence and empathy with others, alongside your knowledge of several practitioners and acting styles. Drama teaches you to work as a part of a team. You will learn how to balance ideas, work with and listen to others, evaluate your work, and develop your organisational skills. Whilst it gives you the confidence to perform and present in front of others, it is important to know that Drama is not just about performing; there are many different roles throughout. You could be a costume designer, lighting designer, sound technician, stage manager and so much more.”

From confidence to creativity, team-work to empathy, there is an endless list of skills and qualities that Drama can develop. Read more about taking Drama as a GCSE subject here.

 

 

 

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