Drama

Drama is a subject where you will gain the creative skills to create original drama as well those needed to perform a script to an audience. You will learn the skills need to write effectively about drama so that you are fully prepared to meet the demands of KS4 GCSE drama should you wish to take it as a GCSE option. To do this you will also be developing important skills vital for your readiness for the world of work and social skills such as communication, confidence, self-discipline, textual analysis, planning, reflection, independent decision making, teamwork and effective cooperation with others.

On this journey you will learn about key theatre genres and styles through history such as Greek Theatre, Shakespeare, Commedia dell’arte, Melodrama, the naturalistic acting of Stanislavski and stylised theatre forms such as Physical Theatre. You will also learn to analyse, evaluate, and write about drama performances produced by fellow students as well as professional productions such as the National Theatre’s Peter Pan.

Your Home Learning will involve research, writing about your drama, script writing, analysing scripts as actors do when preparing a performance, writing an analysis of a performance, or reflecting on your learning. The Home Learning is often needed to move the practical drama forward in the following lesson.

You will have one hour a week of drama and have the option to choose drama for GCSE. The learning and progress you have made at KS3 has been designed to prepare you to meet the demands of GCSE at KS4

Drama at GCSE builds on the skills and knowledge of drama gained during KS3. It develops your practical creativity, alongside research, textual analysis, and theoretical understanding, as well as your ability to write about drama. You learn through experience, from seeing theatre, studying theatre, and making theatre for yourself. You will follow the AQA Drama GCSE specification.

Component 1: Understanding Drama – 1hr 45 min written paper covering theatre knowledge, the study of a set text, and an evaluation of a live performance. (40% of the GCSE)

Component 2: Devised Drama project (performance 10%, devising log 30%) (40% of the GCSE)

Component 3: Texts in Practice – the performance of extracts of a script (20% of the GCSE)

You will have 5 hours of Drama per fortnight which will be a mix of practical learning and textual study where you develop the knowledge and written skills needed for you to meet the demands of the written exam paper. Visits to the theatre and participation in College productions will also enrich your knowledge and experience.