Why do kids study drama and why does it get so many hours in the Curriculum

Roisin, that sounds a bit like the "Opening Minds" or "Integrated curriculum" that my local Comp has just started. I don't like the idea of it at all.

Allotment mum - I am really intrigued by your dd's timetable. If they are only doing 2 hrs each of Maths/English/Science/MFL and no humanities. What on earth are they doing with all the rest of the time?

I agree completely that 1 hr a week of MFL is a complete waste of time. You might as well not bother doing a language IMO.

ds1 is in yr8. He has 30 (50 min) lessons a week, which break down as follows:
4 English
4 Maths
4 Science
3 MFL
5 Humanities (2 history, 1 geog, 1 RE, 1 citizenship)
5 Arts (1 music, 1 art, 2 dance, 1 drama)
2 PE
1 IT
2 Tech (on a carousel)

I know our local Academy has a radical new curriculum, which I don't like at all. At the end of yr7 I wrote to ds1's school to say what a fantastic year ds1 had had, and how much he'd benefited from having traditional academic subjects taught by subject specialists. In your position I would write a letter to school to express your concerns, but only to possibly make a difference for future students. It won't make a difference to your dd.

In the Academy they have the following curriculum (25 1 hr lessons) in yr7:
2 English
2 Maths
2 Science
2 PE
1 PSHE
1 IT
5 Zone A (Humanities, MFL, English) - project-based learning, "competencies curriculum"
5 Zone B (Science, Maths, Tech)
5 Zone C (Art, Music, Drama, IT)

So many subjects are not delivered by subject specialists and the focus is on acquiring "skills for learning" rather than academic study.

think I've just found one and being used currently

sorry hijack - is there an allotment thread I've not yet found Allotmentmum?

I guess it depends how it's done
it could cover loads....sociology, history, psychology, english, speaking listening, body language, working together, analysis and so on and so on.

because everyone wants 'GCSE Showing Off'.

I did drama A level and a proper full on single honours drama degree at University.

It is an endlessly fascinating subject. Very literary. Fascinating in terms of history. Shakespeare is drama! Have never felt intellectually inferior because my degree was in Drama rather than English.

Is your DD not going to Geog or History at all this year then?

Drama has a great many benefits at KS3. There are the obvious things - confidence, team-work, problem solving, public speaking/performing to an audience, using imagination, learning in a different way to lots of other lessons - many of these are transferable skills which have a knock-on effect in other curriculum areas and are useful in out-of-school situations too. Also, Drama can be a good environment in which to explore trickier issues - in KS3 I have taught schemes of work based on bullying, relationships, drugs, conflict, "Being Me" and so on - students can and do find it easier to explore issues like this if they are able to be someone other than themselves. I really do think it's a great subject for students at KS3, and, if taught well, can be enormously beneficial. Once students get to KS4 and 5, things are more academic - Theatre Studies A Level is just as difficult as A Level Enlish Lit.

Many schools seem to do expressive arts on a "carousel" kind of basis. It seems that's what's going on here.

also very good for group skills
speaking and listening

Have only read the OP - but, I should think that drama being a core subject is really good. It lets students that aren't accedemically talented, or sporty have a release.
Also, improves vision of self, self awareness, expression and cause and effect.

Helps develop thought process and role play.

Don;t they still study playscripts as part of English?

DD chose Drama as an option so will be doing it at GSCE level. It is an academic subject at this level, acting isn't her strength and she doesn't have to do alot of it for the subject, the little she does helps with confidence, public speaking etc. Her strenghts lie in her director skills which strengthens leadership and team skills.

It's the study of scripts, plays that is particulary beneficial, she has been to see many plays as part of the syllabus which gives pupils an insite into culture that they may not get in everyday life. I love the theatre but rarely go nowadays and DD does also.

oh I see. In yr 7. I didn't read that properly

And re the dropping of foreign langusges in favour of drama - dumbing down.

I don't agree

I never agreed with DS doing 2 languages in Yr7. One language is enough in Yr7 unless you have won a place on aptitude for language. I would much rather they concentrate on one language ie doing the 3 lessons rather than 2 lessons on each. Once they have worked out who have the talent for languages ,then those can take another language if they want to , but there was no point in my DS doing 2, it just put him off languages for good. I would much rather DS spending more time on his english (he is dyslexic) or more technology/science as he won his place at school on aptitude for technology.

Much happier with DD is just learning french for now.

I wouldn't have been happy if they had dropped a humanities class for drama as one of our local schools did.

My DD's school has a performing arts specialism. They get one hour drama, one hour music per week (year 7). GCSE dance is an after-school option from year 9. It does sound as if your DD is at the BRIT School.

More class time than english, maths and science?

I'd complain.

And re the dropping of foreign langusges in favour of drama - dumbing down.

How much time? ds1 is at a performing arts college. Lessons are 50 mins each.
Yr7: 4 lessons each Maths, English and Science
3 lessons Languages
2 lessons music, 1 drama, 1 dance

Yr8: 4 lessons each Maths, English and Science
3 lessons languages
1 lesson music, 1 drama, 2 dance

In a lot of schools drama is taught either two weekly or for one term only.

I would be very surprised if it took more time than the other subjects (and I studied drama to degree level)

I do think that drama should be included in the curriculum as it gives loads of tranferable skills.

I think it also allows people to see and maybe understand other peoples viewpoints.
If you were asked to play a homeless person for example, it would make you think of all the problems etc they face day to day. Teens wouldn't necessarily put themselves in others shoes.

I think Drama is excellent for building self-confidence, presentation skills and teamwork among other things. But more classroom time than English, Maths, Science or MFL? Are you sure you haven't accidentally enrolled your DD in the Kids from Fame school?

My Dc only just starting primary so I don't know much but I guess drama can be good for literacy, diction, confidence, empathy, interpretation, analysis etc. Transferable skills?!