On Wednesday 8th March, after all the successes of the Junior School on Tuesday, twenty pupils from year 7-13, took part in the Eskdale Festival of Arts Speech and Drama Competition.

Imagine our delight welcoming back one of our alumni to run workshops for year 9 and 10 drama students. With the end of this academic year fast approaching, it is a strange time for teachers as pupils graduate and leave the school. This can be especially difficult when a pupil has been in the school a long time and you have worked closely with them in a small class. To welcome a pupil back is a […]

When Mrs Jeeves, Head of Drama, said that we had five weeks to sort out a play, I was a bit worried because of how short a time that was. However, we worked hard and managed to put a play together.  The play was about what it’s like to be a teenager and the struggles that come with it. It was nice to work as a group and have everyone put in their ideas. We […]

Eskdale Festival is two weeks of competing in all aspects of music and drama. This festival is a wonderful opportunity for children to learn new skills and step outside the comfort zone of their school. The festival kicks off with verse speaking, poetry composition, contemporary monologues and Shakespeare before continuing into the musical categories. Drama in education has enormous benefits to pupils.There is a lot of established research about the positive influences from drama, theatre and […]

On Friday 1st October, Years 10-13 drama students took a trip to the Stephen Joseph Theatre to watch the performance of “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde”. Based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, this production adapted and directed by Nick Lane was thrilling from beginning to end. This gripping production was brilliantly executed, and it is safe to say that it was some of the best live acting I have […]

As we come to the end of term the temptation is to wind down, hang out on the tennis lawns and enjoy the sunshine. Not in the drama department! Year 9 and 10 were set a challenge to plan, film and star in their own mini film project entitled 24 hours at Fyling Hall. The resulting footage is hilarious and entertaining, thought provoking and moving. Year 10 produced a master piece shooting several sequences inspired […]

Sixth Form drama students were given an exciting opportunity. On Tuesday 6th July pupils joined a workshop day, organised by Royal Northern College of Music. The workshops available covered diverse areas such as learning to improvise, acting and dance auditions, routes in TV and film and dealing with nerves.  We were also thrilled to take part in panel discussions with industry leading choreographers, musical directors, lighting and costume designers and directors.  The workshops were all […]

Year 12 drama students, Liv and Ulyana, answer the question “why choose Fyling Hall Drama for 6th Form” . . . The Rock School drama course has really become my pleasure as everything that we do in lessons is so far from the everyday school routine. Despite the fact that I originally was concerned only with production and set making, I started to do some acting in terms of this course. And it came out to […]

Year 12 Drama student, Ulyana, tells us about her drama experiences and shares why drama is a subject unlike anything else she has studied before ….. Studying in England is something that I have never expected to happen with me. However, in August 2020 first time in my life I crossed British border. After spending in Fyling Hall School some time I’m happy to share my experience with you. At the time when Dr. Richardson […]

For Drama students, October means rehearsing for an examined performance in Drama GCSE. Under usual circumstances this would be an evening performance in our beloved barn. Over the years friends and family have enjoyed our live performances, but this year is a bit different due to Covid restrictions. Instead, we will perform during a lesson on Monday, 19th October. With much regret, Mrs Jeeves is also unable to allow parents onto site to be part of the […]

Are you missing your daily briefing? Fear not! Take a look at the version produced by GCSE student, Joe. His “daily briefing” is in response to Mrs Jeeves, Fyling Hall’s Head of Drama, Summer Drama Challenge. In this students were asked to work on accents, acting out and filming their performance. Enjoy!

The 3D drama challenge? Miss Johnson tasked Fyling Hall’s Years 7 & 8 with creating 3D set designs. In response Year 7 created a 3D design from one of the main sets in Aladdin (the cave, the marketplace, the palace). Year 8, created a 3D design from one of the main sets in either Aladdin or Treasure Island. Whilst all children did an amazing job, in Year 7 Sarah was the very clear winner. Miss […]

Fyling Hall’s Year 8 Drama students were asked to choose one scene from Treasure Island or Aladdin. From these two pieces which pupils recently watched, they were then asked to complete one of the following tasks on their chosen scene: Act out a live action version of this scene with your family or pets Act out the scene with cuddly toys with a speech from the scene Draw out your favourite set design and draw […]

If you were celebrating Shakespeare’s birthday, what form might it take? This was the assignment for Fyling Hall’s Year 7 & 8‘s. Take a look at their fantastic tributes! Who knew that celebrating Shakespeare‘s birthday could be so much fun?

In Fyling Hall’s Drama Department, Mrs Jeeves and her students have been exploring drama outside the classroom. Take a look at these examples of drama outside the classroom: The Task – to create a short performance based on the script using their own ideas. The Script – Teecher’s by John Godber. Often used at GCSE level, this script is extension work for Amber, who is currently in Year 9.. Matilda is also in Year 9. […]

In Fyling Hall’s Drama Department, Miss Johnson and her Y8 students have undertaken a musical spectacular. After watching Disney’s ‘Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular’ pupils were given a choice to either write a detailed review of the performance or to design a costume or set for the show (by hand, away from the computer, then send in as a photo). Children were asked to take 45 minutes to watch the performance and a minimum of […]

With events unfolding so rapidly, we are all learning to expect a dramatic twist.  Watching last week’s Y11 RockSchool Exam Concert, who could have imagined that tonight’s Y11 Drama Exam Performance will take place behind closed doors?  Mrs Jeeves, Fyling Hall’s Head of Drama, made this difficult decision in line with the exam board’s advice. That said, our drama students’ effort and commitment remain the same.  Take a look at their final preparations. . . […]

Fyling Hall’s drama students and musicians are seeing things in a new light. New lights have been installed in our Barn, just in time for our Rockschool concert and upcoming drama exams. Upgraded lights will allow GCSE and A level drama students to produce a professional looking performance and for those going through the GCSE as a designer to use. The lights we now have are industry standard. They will give the lighting design students […]

Performing in front of a live audience is no easy thing . . . even for drama students! Last week Fyling Hall’s Year 11 drama class performed their exam pieces in front of a live audience for the first time. The GCSE exam asks pupils to perform two extracts from a play of their choosing for a visiting examiner. This year we were lucky enough to have a visitor in our audience for our first […]

It may seem odd to be looking forward to March already, since we’ve only just started the Spring term, but that is just what is happening in the music and drama departments. Peripatetic music teachers fill their lessons with comments about judging and dynamics, students rummage around trying to find the perfect monologue or poem and teachers wander around wondering whether class 355 or 356 is the best choice for the Year 10 class band. […]

In preparation for the component 1 performance, Year 10 drama have been rehearsing this morning. The component 1 performance is part of the GCSE drama exam, and will take place on 22nd, May at 6pm. Tickets are available from the school office. On the night you will see three performances with content covering: refugees Nazi Germany people trapped in a bunker All performances have been created by the pupils themselves and are the result of a […]

The year 11 drama class performed this week with excellent pieces based on Bouncers by John Godber and 4.48 Pychosis by Sarah Kane. The actors were ably assisted by Flora, Anna and Kayleigh who took charge of directing, lighting and set. Thank you to our audience for their support.  We are now looking forward to the year 12 performance next week.

Year 13 Megan Emblin has received an unconditional offer to study Theatre and Professional Practise at Coventry University in September. It is incredibly rare to be offered an unconditional offer in drama, with such stiff competition for places. Megan is hoping to head onto a Drama PGCE after her undergraduate course. The whole drama department is incredibly proud of her achievements!

Miss Johnson takes a moment to look back at last term’s Drama lessons … The Year 8s  were fabulous last term, creating their own comedic Drama pieces based on Henry the 8th and the dissolution of the monasteries. They wrote their own monologues and devised their own scenes, that Mrs Jeeves and I turned into a scripted play. This fantastic piece was performed to the Year 5s and 6s in the Junior School to try […]

Kayleigh in year 11 has almost completed her Creative and Performing Arts qualification for Rock School Drama. She has become our resident Year 11 lighting expert and is preparing the lighting for our upcoming GCSE Drama exam performance. Here is her view from the lighting box where she can start to plan out where she wants the lights directed, what intensity and colour she wants and how best to enhance the scenes the groups are […]