How can drama be used to improve achievement and engagement across a range of subjects?

The aim of this project was to see how drama could be used to contextualise understanding across a range of subjects. Dorothy Heathcote MBE created ‘Mantle of the Expert’ (2008) to develop teaching and learning through dramatic-inquiry-based approaches. This approach has been used successfully at primary level for many years, but I wanted to see whether it could be applied across a variety of subjects in an 11–16 setting. A secondary aim was to remove the barriers about using ‘the arts’ to teach across the curriculum. Adults often respond negatively to the notion of role play; this raised the question: If they would not participate themselves, could they actually be encouraged to apply it in their teaching? The experts I wanted there to be a clear focus on developing understanding of careers associated with the subjects that students learn; therefore, staff were asked to adapt their lessons and give students an industry-recognised job role. As ‘the experts’, students