Modern Drama teaching is a holistic process and champions the need for students to develop strong communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. The Dramatic process requires to students to think creatively; form and express opinions while offering them a chance to develop leadership and group management skills.

Students study Drama from years 7- 9 and are taught in mixed ability tutor groups.
The Drama Department teaches a broad spectrum of methodologies through a topic based curriculum. These topics are separated into Cultural, Issue/PSHE based and Historical themes.

For the most part, the students engage in “Improvisation” - devising original pieces of work in small, mixed groups in response to a core stimulus or starting point. Improvisation, as the Edexcel syllabus says, “is the core to the whole subject”. At regular intervals the students will also have the opportunity to study published plays, including aspects of Shakespeare.

Each topic ensures a progression of skills throughout each key stage. We utilise formative, continuous assessment of the students, in line with the school assessment and reporting policy.

• KS4 (years 10-11). Students may choose to take GCSE Drama.
• KS5 (years 12-13). We offer AS and full A Level courses in Drama & Theatre Studies.

We follow the Edexcel syllabus in both subjects.

At present there are four members of the faculty who are Music and Drama specialist teachers. In addition there is a team of peripatetic music staff who provide instrumental tuition each week for our students in school.

The Performing Arts are considered to be an extremely valuable part of the curriculum. Students study Music and Drama from years 7- 9. Students are taught in mixed ability tutor groups. Our curriculum is arranged into units, each one ensuring progression of skills throughout each key stage. We regularly assess the students, in line with the school assessment and reporting policy and we use National Curriculum Levels in Music.

KS3 (years 7-9) Music: 1 x 65 minute lesson per week, Drama: 1 x 65 minute lesson per week. KS4 (years 10-11) Students may choose to take GCSE Drama or Music (4 x 65 minute lessons per week). We follow the Edexcel syllabus in both subjects. YEARS 12-13 We offer AS and full A Level courses in both Music and Drama (9 x 65 minute lessons per week). We follow the Edexcel syllabus in both subjects.

Instrumental tuition is offered to our students and is taught by a team of peripatetic staff from an outside agency. There is a charge for tuition. Students from years 7-13 take advantage of these lessons, which operate on a rotating timetable and take place during the school day. Tuition is available for piano, strings, flute, clarinet, saxophone, guitar and brass. Students may work towards practical and theoretical exams of the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music (ABRSM).

Please telephone Allegro School of Music on 03 4251 5780 or email: allegromusic@yahoo.com, or contact the Head of the Performing Arts Faculty for further details.

We have an Arts for All policy within the faculty, and both our lessons and activities programme aim to encourage active participation in the arts. Activities include:

• Senior Orchestra
• Senior Choir
• Various Instrumental groups
• Various bands
• Music technology
• Senior Drama club
• Senior Production
• Sound and Lighting workshop
  

Additional activities are added, depending on the calendar and forthcoming events. We also host lunchtime clubs for performance groups and ensembles and GCSE and the A Level Drama and Music students showcase their work each term. Trips to concerts and theatre productions are run on a regular basis and are very popular with our students. We are also members of FOBISSEA (Federation of British International Schools in South East Asia), which organises annual Music festivals in the region, ISTA (International Schools' Theatre Association), which organises Drama festivals all over the world for students. We have recently joined SEASAC (South East Asia Student Activities Conference), an organization for schools in south east Asia. Our students are regular participants in arts events hosted by these groups

The Performing Arts faculty is housed in two purpose-built areas, which adjoin the school hall. The Music department has two teaching rooms. There are also five practice rooms, recording studio and faculty offices. The department is fully equipped with keyboards, pianos, drum kits, electric guitars, plus a wide variety of percussion and orchestral instruments. Students also have the opportunities to work with MIDI instruments and Logic and Cubase VST, Sibelius recording, editing and notation software. The Drama department is situated in a separate area, which is also a fully equipped performance space. The Hall has a large stage with lighting room, full sound facilities, lighting rigs and presentation screen. The main Drama teaching area is a fully equipped studio with lighting rig and moveable sound equipment. In addition, there are two rehearsal spaces, an extensive wardrobe and a Drama office