Overview

All of the pupils in the Prep school has a weekly drama lesson. The younger children are taught in a cross-curricular style with their lessons closely linked to the topics they are covering in English, History, RS, and PSHE. The older children cover the more mature drama skills and techniques including improvisation, hot seating and conscience debating. They learn to understand what it means to have modern British values, how to make appropriate moral decisions and how to grow into responsible young adults, all in the safety of the drama studio.

Every pupil at OBH has the opportunity to participate in an annual musical production or play. For the children in Pre-Prep this is the traditional Christmas Nativity play performed to parents at the end of term putting everyone into the festive mood. All the children in the Prep school get to appear on the large stage in the Britten Hall with a professional level of set, scenery, lighting, and costumes, the productions range from comedy to traditional, historical to sci-fi and mermaid versus pirates to tackling aliens on the planet Zarcon.

Drama is ideal for cross-curricular learning and is a valuable tool for use in many subject areas. In particular, drama develops literacy skills – supporting speaking and listening, extending vocabulary and encouraging pupils to understand and express different points of view. Drama gives children opportunities to explore, discuss and deal with difficult issues and to express their emotions in a supportive environment. It enables them to explore their own cultural values and those of others, past and present. It encourages them to think and act creatively, developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills that can be applied in all areas of learning. Through drama, children are encouraged to take responsible roles and make choices – to participate in and guide their own learning.