Drama

All students from Year 1 to 6 at South Perth Primary School attend Drama for one hour each week. Drama provides a safe environment for personal expression and creative risk, where students work together in an imaginative journey towards a common goal. In an increasingly digital world, drama encourages face-to-face communication and the exploration of language, facial expression, gesture and use of voice. It challenges student perceptions and allows them to walk in others’ shoes. Drama enhances presentation and performance skills and builds confidence through creativity. Most importantly, Drama is fun!

Students engage with topics from across the curriculum, such as the environment, Indigenous Australia and local history. Often work emerges from a picture book, a piece of literature or even the most unlikely item, such as a piece of fabric or a shell. Where was the shell found? The beach? A shelf? A pirate’s pocket? Students learn to seize upon creative opportunities in everyday objects and situations.

Years 1 and 2

Drama in Year 1 and 2 builds on students’ prior natural imaginative play experiences. They learn that they can use drama to share their experiences of the world and recognise that the purpose of drama is to share with others. Often teacher led, they begin to listen and respond as fictional characters, exploring roles with their voice and movement. They evaluate drama with simple responses.

Years 3 and 4

In Year 3 and 4, students become increasingly independent and work collaboratively with their peers. They offer, accept and extend their ideas through improvisation and vary their voice and movement to suit the role undertaken. They learn about focus, tension, space and time and make personal evaluations of their performances.

Students in Years 4-6 may perform in school productions

Years 5 and 6

In these years students make and respond to self-devised and scripted drama. They develop characters undertaken and consider mood and atmosphere in performance. Students reflect on the social, historical and cultural context of drama and consider the use of symbolism to communicate ideas. They think critically about their own and others’ work.

Since the Drama program was established at South Perth Primary School, children have participated in a variety of performance opportunities from class presentations and assemblies to eisteddfods and school musicals. Students often continue their drama journey at high school. A number our students have won selective entry places for Theatre and Musical Theatre at John Curtin College of the Arts.

Mrs Megan Bosch, Specialist Drama Teacher