Skip To Main Content

Drama and Theatre

Drama and Theatre

Curriculum Overview

Drama and Theatre at SJI International is a discovery process where students engage with practical drama skills to develop their confidence and ability to express and communicate their feelings and ideas about themselves and the world around them.

At SJI International, we take immense pride in being active members of the International Schools Theatre Association (ISTA). This affiliation signifies our commitment to fostering a vibrant and diverse theatre community within our school and beyond.

International School Theatre Association Logo

Grade 7

Grade 7 Drama introduces students to the essential skills of performance and collaboration. Through practical exploration of voice, movement, improvisation and ensemble work, students learn how to communicate ideas and emotions confidently on stage. They begin to create their own scenes, experiment with character and explore how performance can express meaning. As the year progresses, students expand their understanding of drama through film acting and design for the stage, discovering that creativity, teamwork and reflection are central to the making of effective drama.

Grade 8

In Grade 8 Drama, students deepen their creative practice as performers and collaborators. Building on their Grade 7 foundational skills, they explore a range of theatrical forms; developing original monologues, devising socially conscious performances, experimenting with improvisation and interpreting scripted work. Each unit challenges students to think critically, take artistic risks and use drama as a means of communication and social awareness. By the end of the course, students emerge as confident, reflective artists who understand how drama can educate and empower an audience.

Grades 9 and 10

The IGCSE Drama course aims to develop students’ understanding of Drama through practical and theoretical study, enabling students to realise the performance possibilities of text and other stimuli. It encourages using dramatic forms and structures to communicate feelings and ideas to an audience.

The IGCSE Drama curriculum fosters the acquisition and development of performance skills specific to the subject and transferable skills through individual and group work. The curriculum also aims to develop an understanding of the processes leading to performance and the elements involved in creating a performance. Students will develop their ability to reflect across the various stages of performance work, setting goals that enable them to achieve their intended impact.

As part of their studies, students will be invited to view live performances, engage with visiting practitioners through workshops and attend an International Schools Theatre Association (ISTA) Festival, an international festival for Drama and Theatre students.

Grade 10 Foundation Course

The aims of the Drama course at FC are to enable students to:

  • Explore drama in various contexts and from the different perspectives of actor, director and designer.
  • Understand and engage in the processes of transforming ideas into action.
  • Develop and apply drama production, presentation and performance skills independently and collaboratively.
  • Prepare for the IBDP Theatre course.

Grades 11 and 12 IBDP Theatre

IBDP Theatre is offered to our students as part of their choices for the Diploma Programme at both Higher Level and Standard Level. The course allows students to explore theatre in various contexts and understand how these contexts inform practice. Students will also learn how to understand and engage in transforming ideas into action and developing and applying theatre production, presentation and performance skills to their work, working both independently and collaboratively. Students studying the course at the High Level will also learn to understand and appreciate the relationship between theory and practice.

Continuing on from the extracurricular opportunities offered in IGCSE Drama, IBDP Theatre students further their engagement with the professional and international theatre community. They are invited to attend live performances, work with visiting practitioners and participate in global collaborations such as ISTA Festivals.