Since becoming a Performing Arts School in September 2004 the drama department
as been allocated outreach hours to be able
to work with our feeder schools and
other agencies.

So far specialist drama teachers from Commonweal have worked with Even Swindon, Robert Le Kyng and St Luke's.

Even Swindon (HAB: Sept 2004-Feb 2005):
A large group of students are working on themes thrown up by the story of Anne Frank. Some year 10 GCSE drama students helped out with a workshop during the celebratory week in November 2004. Following the success of this we now have several year 10 students who are helping to peer educate year 6 pupils with their workshops.

Robert Le Kyng (RAB: Sept 2004- Feb 2005): Both year 6 classes at RLK have been working on the issue of bullying through a variety of different drama conventions. Pupils have used the script 'The Terrible Fate of Humpty Dumpty' as a stimulus and had experience in rehearsing extracts of the script in small groups. The students have looked at how to use their voices and body language to communicate different emotions and have used freeze frames and hot seating to develop their understanding of characters from the script further. They have worked in mixed groups and shown their drama to each other to help build their confidence when performing and also provided each other with feedback and constructive criticism.

St Lukes (DCB: Sept 2004- July 2005): Year 7: developing group work and cooperation through
a variety of warm up activities and practical tasks. Year 9: Developing group work and cooperation. Students have been working on a scheme of
work taught at Commonweal at year 9 called
'The Identification' based on the poem by
Roger McGough.

Landmarks Reach Workshop. Working with Liz, John and JJ from Partners Theatre Company. Beth Guilding and Ben Huggins, currently studying AS & A level, pupils from Year 7 and Year 9 at St. Lukes were treated to an especially created performance based on the theme of "Isolation".

Having participated in workshop activities connected with improvisation, St. Lukes pupils used the drama technique of Forum Theatre to explore the issues connected with Isolation, by suggesting alternative outcomes, taking on characters and performing their own suggested variations.

The workshop was a great success and provided St.Lukes pupils their first opportunity to work with a Theatre Company.