Sixth Form Subjects

Drama

 Course Overview

 This A Level course offers students an amazing opportunity to explore drama and theatre in significant depth and detail.  A Level Drama and Theatre focuses on a dynamic and exciting practical exploration of theatre whilst placing an emphasis upon the thorough academic study of key practitioners and writers who have shaped theatre in the past and continue to innovate theatre today.  Studying modern, relevant texts, students will be expected to challenge themselves in performance, take creative risks and choose to work as actors and directors, critics and theatre designers.  Often there will be problems to be solved creatively and deadlines to be met that mirror working in a vocational and professional theatre environment. Students successfully completing the course will gain a thorough understanding of drama and theatre and gain an extremely high academic understanding of theatre and its wider cultural importance.  

Course Content and Assessment

 In brief, students will be required to:

• Perform in a text-based performance
• Perform in a devised performance
• Explore the work of at least two theatre practitioners in detail and apply that knowledge practically
• Produce a portfolio that details the creation and development of your plays and evaluates the process and the final performance
• Answer a series of questions on three set texts in a written exam.

The course is assessed through a combination of coursework portfolios, practical workshops, group and individual performances and a written exam. There will be regular theatre visits throughout the course as well as the chance to work with professional theatre practitioners.

Component 1: Theatre Workshop (20% of qualification)
Students participate in the creation, development and performance of a piece of theatre based on a reinterpretation of an extract from a text. The piece must be developed using the techniques and working methods of either an influential theatre practitioner or a recognised theatre company. Students must produce a creative log as well as the performance itself.

Component 2: Text in Action (40% of qualification)
Students participate in the creation, development and performance of two (one devised; one scripted) pieces of theatre based on a stimulus. The performance is assessed by a visiting examiner and students must produce a process and evaluation report within one week of completion of the practical work.

Component 3: Text in Performance (40% of qualification)
This component is a 2 hour 30 minutes written exam which requires the study of three different set texts.

Learning Methods

 Group work is at the heart of this course, and you will enjoy working closely with others, responding to and giving supportive feedback.
We have an excellent learning environment; our classes take place in our dedicated and well-equipped drama studio and are taught by a well-qualified and experienced subject specialist.
Drama is a subject that requires commitment and dedication; you will be working individually, in pairs, small groups and with the whole group on assessment tasks and classwork. Your achievement in this subject is dependent upon excellent attendance, punctuality and effort. You will learn in a friendly and purposeful atmosphere, using a variety of assessment methods.

Future Pathways

The skills of research, analytical and reflective writing, presentation and personal communication skills that you will develop on this course are transferrable to all areas of further study and future career paths.
You will have the option of university to study a degree subject such as Drama or English, Media, Education and Humanities based subjects or a vocational route such as Drama School to study acting, musical theatre or design.

Entry Requirements

Ideally, you will have grade 5 in Drama GCSE and grade 5 in an English subject. If you haven’t studied Drama at GCSE level, there will be the option of an audition for acceptance onto the course, providing you have a grade 5 in English. An interest in all aspects of Drama – performance, directing, studying plays and design is essential. You should be prepared to commit to extra-curricular rehearsals and theatre visits.

Student Testimonial

Testimonial in the pipeline

Other courses of interest

• English
• Psychology
• Digital Media Production

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