Drama

At Gayhurst, from Year 3, we use weekly Drama lessons to enrich the curriculum and enhance our children’s understanding of their world. By using a range of Workshop techniques we enable our pupils to put themselves in the shoes of others and to see things from another perspective. Relationships, so crucial in ‘real life’ can be examined through Drama, developing greater empathy. Most children in Senior School will list Drama among the most enjoyable and exciting lessons, demanding and building teamwork and self-discipline.

In Junior School the children do not have weekly Drama lessons but the teachers incorporate role play within the wider curriculum whenever possible, e.g. acting out the story of Rama & Sita in RS.

We do have ‘Enrichment weeks’ where we collapse the normal timetable, to create productions.  Christmas productions are Nativity-based in the lower years. In Year 2, we often put on a show focusing on more secular aspects. For example, Father Christmas and his travels around the world, would include looking at the diverse backgrounds of our children to include their countries within the production narrative.

Each Junior year group also delivers another performance during the year, usually linked to a theme being taught within class; Year 2 in the Spring and Nursery, Reception and Year 1 in the Summer.

Children will be involved in large-scale productions in Year 4 and Year 6. In the past, as part of their Leavers’ Programme Year 6 have performed shows such as Oliver, Bugsy Malone, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. More recently, under Covid restrictions preventing audiences attending we all learned new skills in making films, shooting on location in the school grounds and beyond. Year 4’s ‘Robin Hood’ was ideally suited to the woodland just outside our school gates!

Year 5 have similarly learned new skills in producing ‘radio-plays’ and ‘green-screen’ videos utilising our excellent IT resources.

We hold an annual “Prose and Verse” competition for Years 3-6 which develops the skills and confidence needed for addressing an audience. Around 150 children have taken advantage of the offer of LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) tuition on four days each week, enjoying Individual, Paired or Group lessons from a Visiting Specialist. The emphasis is on developing communication skills, confidence and inspiring a love of language.

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Contact Gayhurst

Gayhurst School
Bull Lane
Gerrards Cross
Buckinghamshire
SL9 8RJ

School Office
01753 882690

Email Address
enquiries@gayhurstschool.co.uk