Drama

Students are taught drama skills through a thematic approach in Key Stage 3 (Year 7, 8 and 9). There are 3 strands of skills; creating, performing and evaluating. Each scheme of learning allows students opportunity to develop the skills within each strand

Year 7

The topics followed are: Darkwood Manor, Silent Movies, Refugees, Ernie and his Incredible Illucinations
(Scripted), Superheroes.

Year 8

The topics followed are: Dilemmas, Aging in the Community, Let him have it, Our Day Out (Scripted),
Ben: Bullying and runaways.

Year 9

The topics followed are: The Stones, DNA (Scripted) and I don’t like Mondays

Years 10 and 11

KS4 students study either Edexcel Drama GCSE or BTEC First Award (Level 2) in Performing Arts

DRAMA GCSE

  • Component One: Devising 40% (60 marks)
  • Performance of this devised piece
  • Analyse and evaluate the devising process and performance.
  • Internally assessed, externally moderated
  • Component 2: Performance from Text 20% (48 marks)
  • Students perform two key extracts live to examiner.
  • Externally assessed
  • Component 3: Theatre Makers in Practice 40% (60 marks)
  • 1 hour written exam in two sections: Set text & Live theatre evaluation

Externally Assessed – Core skills taught:

  • The ability to recognise and understand the roles and responsibilities of performer, designer and director
  • The study and exploration of texts and extracts include the relevant social, historical and cultural contexts
  • The ability to analyse and evaluate their own work and the work of others
  • The ability to understand how performance texts can be interpreted and performed.
  • The Drama GCSE qualification is 70% written, it is an academic GCSE that hugely supports English Literature study. The Drama GCSE prepares students to study Theatre Studies at A Level and further study.

BTEC FIRST AWARD

The qualification provides students with a broad foundation which will help enable them to proceed into further training or education, or to consider employment in the performing arts world. The course aims to give a practical understanding of what a career in the performing arts world can entail, from business to performance, and it has a specific focus on acting.

Students study real-life, work-based case studies and complete projects and assessments, which contribute to achieving each unit studied. In order to complete each unit, students must achieve against a
set of outcomes. The assessment criteria address theory with practical exercises. The assessment process is on-going, so it allows the student to analyse and improve their own performance through their
course in much the same way as they would in a real workplace.

The projects that students undertake form the basis of their unit results which are graded as a Pass, a Merit, a Distinction or a Distinction *. In the externally assessed Unit, students prepare and perform in 2 performances and a written piece in controlled conditions, that is then marked by an external examiner.

  • Students will study the following units:
  • Individual Showcase: Performance and letter of application
  • Externally assessed
  • Preparation, Performance and Production:
  • Students produce and perform in their own production
  • Internally assessed
  • Acting Skills: Vocal and physical skill based workshops and performances
  • Internally assessed