Drama here at The Forest Academy is about creating confident, independent, empathetic, and creative individuals ready for whatever career path they want to take. In year 7, 8 and 9 our vision is to provide students with opportunities to develop lifelong skills that are transferable to all experiences and goals. To do this, students learn numerous skills, styles and techniques while looking at themes and topic relevant to them while still providing cross curricular links. The aim is not to necessarily to be an actor or performing artist, but to develop the skills that are needed for all educational and career prospects, focusing on social, emotional and employment skills such as communication, problem solving, public speaking, debate, empathy, analytical skills, time management, teamwork and confidence through creative means and exploration.
If continued into KS4 (Year 10 and 11), while those skills still are the underlying key aim and features to everything students will create, the focus becomes more on the acting and theoretical sides of theatre creation and acting while still providing and developing on employment skills, as well as creative writing and analytical skills needed within English also, while preparing them also for a career in the creative arts or further study if they so desire.
The subject covers a range of different topics, themes, and styles across the years, allowing students to complete and achieve with all different levels, including opportunities to work with degree level skills and styles while also developing a passion for performance and an understanding of how the skills overlap with other subjects and careers they may not have considered! Students will also get opportunities to work with the design elements of theatre including, costume, face paint, set design and lighting, understanding all areas of creative theatre and how these skills can also be transferable.
Across KS3 (Year 7-9) students will learn, performance skills, live theatre analysis, educational theatre, physical theatre, bullying, theatre design, epic theatre, script work and exploration and Shakespeare.
Moving into year 10 and 11, students focus on topics such as creative and collaborative theatre, text in practice, script exploration and analysis, theatre knowledge and understanding.
Design Technology Construction is a practical and valuable subject. At TFA, our vision is that DTC enables every pupil to actively contribute to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of themselves, their community and their nation. DTC teaches and encourages pupils how to take risks and so become more resourceful, resilient, innovative, enterprising and capable. TFA Students will develop a critical understanding of the impact design technology and construction can have on daily life and the wider world. Additionally, it provides excellent opportunities for students to develop and apply valued judgements of an aesthetic, economic, moral, social, and technical nature both in their own designing but also when evaluating the work of others. Our hope is that all students will enjoy the experience of this curriculum area through their entire learning journey at The Forest Academy.
All pupils in KS3 have the opportunity to study a range of projects. Each project in KS3 has a specific DT focus, which range from Resistant Materials to Graphics, with some incorporating key CAD/CAM SKILLS using 2D Design™. Each KS3 Project had been specifically chosen to develop and enhance the learning and understanding of a modern DT curriculum. Pupils work on individual projects as well as working in project teams to again develop their leadership and team building skills. KS4 provides learners with a broad introduction to the different trades involved in the sector, the importance of safety and security, and the types of career opportunities available within the construction industry. At Post 16 we offer a double diploma level 3 BTEC in Construction and the Built Environment. This double option offers the students the chance to continue their studies into post 16 education and equip them for university life and perhaps careers in building management, architecture or a range of opportunities the construction industry can offer. In addition we have developed working partnered links with the CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) and ASPEN Build which can allow pupils to progress onto full time apprenticeships upon competition of KS5. The department enjoys state of the art DT classrooms housing 3 multi-functional workshops; these workshops/classrooms include a range of cutting edge machinery, hand tools and CAD/CAM equipment.
