Drama activities are integrated within our curriculum and pastoral programme, with every child having the opportunity to appear on stage and to perform in front of others.  This begins in Year 2, with our youngest children presenting their Nativity play at the close of their very first term, always a highlight of the Kenton year!

 

During the course of the year every class presents an Assembly to an audience consisting of other pupils and sometimes parents.  This is focused on a particular theme and delivers a message connected to our Values and Wellbeing programme or a current topic of interest and concern.  Every child is involved in the creative process and either acting, dancing, singing or helping backstage.

 

​In alternate years there is a major Senior or Junior production which is presented on stage with full scenery, costumes, make-up, lighting and sound provision.  Recent Junior productions have included environmentally themed musicals such as ‘Ocean Commotion’ and ‘Big Momma.  Senior productions have included ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’, ‘Bugsy Malone’ and ‘Oliver!’.  Pupils who wish to explore backstage participation can spend time making props, working on scenery and being part of the backstage crew.

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The annual Arts Festival in the final term provides further opportunities for pupils to express themselves on stage.  All pupils can take part in the Verse-Speaking House Competition and will find themselves involved in either Drama, Dance, Music or Art activities during their afternoons, leading to a performance on stage in the final week of the academic year.

 

Kenton takes part in the IAPS Badminton Drama Trophy, an annual competition with other IAPS schools in Kenya, in which a small team of pupils from each school creates and performs a dramatic presentation around a specific theme. This provides an excellent opportunity for our gifted and talented drama pupils to showcase their abilities, perform in front of a new audience and learn from others.  There is the opportunity for especially gifted and talented actors to work towards a Drama Scholarship for entry to senior school in Year 9.

 

Drama is also used creatively across the curriculum at Kenton, particularly in English.  The Reading and Poetry Competitions provide pupils with the chance to learn and present appropriate texts to their peers.  Other examples include writing and performing scripts and using drama techniques to explore characterisation.  Drama also finds its way into many other parts of the curriculum in which learning can be explored and developed by role play and acting.  It is a delight to see pupils growing in confidence, courage and empathy as they develop and refine their performing and acting skills during their time at Kenton.