Drama

Years 7-9

This exciting and interesting subject aims to develop your interest and passion for performing arts both as performers and as audience members giving you an enthusiasm for the subject. You will have the opportunity to experience a range of dramatic and theatrical skills developing them with your creativity and imagination. You will have an array of performance opportunities throughout the course including devising drama, scripted performance, dance technique, choreographing dance and musical theatre repertoire. Lessons will be highly practical and there will be a range of group and individual work to allow you to develop the skills and fulfil your potential within the subject. A challenging, creative and enjoyable course.

Topics include

Musical theatre
Jazz
Ballet
Rock and roll
Variety theatre
African performance
Pantomime

Assessment

Students will be assessed at the end of each scheme of work by your teachers, this will involve a practical performance. Throughout the term you will be given feedback in a variety of forms including; written, verbal, peer and self-assessment. This feedback will help you make improvements to your practical performance work throughout the course of key stage three.

Years 10 and 11

Awarding body
Pearson Edexcel

Course overview

This highly practical and creative GCSE course enables students to explore a wide range of dramatic techniques while developing key skills such as devising, performance, analysis, and evaluation. Through a balance of group and individual work, students will develop their confidence, creativity, and understanding of the performing arts. The course nurtures imagination and communication while preparing students for further study or careers in drama and theatre.

What will students study?

Component 1: Devising (40% of the qualification)
Students work in groups to create and develop an original piece of theatre from a given stimulus such as an image, poem, or article. Assessment is based on a live performance and a supporting portfolio that documents the development process, analysis, and evaluation. The portfolio may be written (750–1000 words), presented verbally (8–10 minutes), or a combination of both.

Component 2: Performance from text (20% of the qualification)
In this component, students rehearse and perform two extracts from a published play, selected by their teacher. The performance is assessed by a visiting examiner, with marks awarded for voice, movement, characterisation, and communication.

Component 3: Theatre makers in practice (40% of the qualification)
Students explore a full play text and attend a live theatre production, evaluating it from an audience perspective. The component is assessed through a 1 hour 30 minute written exam. Students answer questions on an extract from the set text and on the live theatre production they have seen. For the evaluation section, students are allowed to bring 500 words of notes into the exam.

Example play texts studied:
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Blood Brothers, Too Much Punch for Judy, Shrek, An Inspector Calls, and Be My Baby.

Assessment

GCSE Drama is graded from 1 to 9.

Component 1 is internally assessed and externally moderated.
Component 2 is externally assessed through a live performance.
Component 3 is assessed through a written exam, externally marked by Pearson Edexcel.

Recommended revision guides / course resources

GCSE Drama – BBC Bitesize
Live theatre visits
Rehearsal and performance workshops
Video recordings of professional performances