Drama

Drama at Fairfield High School has gone from strength to strength over the past two years. It is apparent that pupils are engaged in and enjoy Drama, particularly the performance element of the subject. The teaching of Drama has a strong influence upon the development of language and literacy, and the pupils' self-confidence. The subject often helps them towards a greater awareness and understanding of inter-personal skills and social relationships. Such skills are transferable across the curriculum and are evident in most subjects. Pupils are encouraged to stretch their abilities through the extra-curricular clubs available which are currently:

• Junior Drama Club
• Senior Drama Club
• Fairfield Flame Fighters
• Annual School productions
• Shakespeare Schools Festival

It is important that pupils experience live performance to enable them to develop an appreciation of live theatre. Fairfield is a venue for touring theatre companies offering pupils and members of the local community an opportunity to see live theatre on their doorstep! Most recently, pupils at Fairfield have had the opportunity to work with the following companies:

• The Royal Shakespeare Company
• Red Ladder Theatre Company
• The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
• Gripping Yarns Theatre Company
• Action Transport Theatre Company

I believe that pupils need to be encouraged to realise their full potential whether that be at school, local, regional or national level. Pupils regularly audition for a variety of outside agencies. Over the past two years three Fairfield pupils have been accepted into the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain with many pupils also becoming successful in joining the Manchester Youth Theatre and courses at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts. Drama at Fairfield will soon see the introduction of external speech and drama exams offered by the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and Trinity and Guildhall School of Speech and Drama. This is only the first phase of many new courses we intend to add to enhance the overall learning opportunities for our pupils.

Rachel Robinson Head of Performing Arts