Drama

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing” – George Bernard Shaw.

 As an art form that is both dependent on, and seeks to nurture, a child’s natural instinct for play, drama is an integral part of the school’s vision for high levels of creativity.

At Falcons School we give children the opportunity to use drama – exploration through play – in many areas of the curriculum as it is an extremely effective kinaesthetic means of communicating ideas – practical learning is a crucial part of understanding. It also enhances speaking and listening skills and encourages confidence, enabling pupils to express themselves creatively, imaginatively and to communicate with others effectively.

Drama is taught to pupils in Reception to Year 6 for one 45-minute session a week, and is primarily focused on the development of skills: body movement and coordination; basic voice work; simple textual analysis; improvisation and role-play; prop and costume work; individual and group work; empathetic, interpersonal and social skills; performance skills and self and peer assessment.

The drama programme also supports children throughout the year as they take part in small-scale performances within their class or during assemblies as well as in full-school events such as the Harvest Festival, Christmas Carol Concert and during Book-Week; it culminates in a full-scale production in a local professional theatre,

In recent years, Falcons pupils have performed at both Lantern Arts Centre in Raynes Park, and productions have included plays such as Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Nights’ Dream, musicals, including Shrek, Alice in Wonderland, The Jungle Book, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Annie and Peter Pan, and even a children’s opera from the 1930s, Brundibar.