Drama

Overview

GCSE Drama offers students the opportunity to explore and perform scripts practically, create original performances, and understand how plays are created and performed within theatre. Students learn to collaborate with others, think analytically and critically, gain confidence to pursue their own ideas, to inspire and creatively develop their peer’s ideas and to refine their ability to believably perform and communicate in front of others. 


Students explore two scripts in detail, learning about themes, characters, stagecraft and effective performance through practical activities. Students will also devise and create their own performance work, to be shown to an audience, with an accompanying log where they analyse and evaluate the success of their creation; including just what impact theatre can have on an audience. 


Whatever the future holds, Drama GCSE students emerge with a toolkit of invaluable, transferable skills that will be applicable to both further studies and the workplace; having shown resilience, creativity and faced positive challenges and having been inspired to become creative in their communication with the world and people around them. 

Topics covered

Drama allows students to develop their emotional intelligence and to step into the shoes of others to understand what motivates people to behave in the way they do. Students are taught through a range or practical and theoretical lessons, which cover:


Assessments

Component 1: Understanding Drama – 40%: Final written exam in Year 11

Four Multiple choice questions on Theatre Roles & Responsibilities

Four questions on a studied set text – Blood Brothers

One question on the evaluation of the work of live theatre makers 


Component 2: Devising Drama – 40% 

Students are assessed on the process of creating devised drama, performance of a piece of devised drama (students may contribute as performer or designer) and their analysis and evaluation of their own devised work.


Component 3: Texts in Practice – 20% 

Two performance (monologue/duologue/group performance) extracts from one play, performed to an external examiner. The play performed must not be a similar style to the set text studied for the written exam.

FAQs

What do we study?


If I pick Drama, how will it help me if I don’t want to be an actor?

What have past students got to say about Drama GCSE?



Is Drama GCSE hard?


Do I have to write lots?


Is the written work like English work?


I am not very confident performing in front of others but I do like the subject, should I still take Drama? 


I love the thought of continuing Drama, but prefer to work alone. Do I have to work in a group?


How many written exams do we have to do?


What can I do with GCSE Drama? (In terms of A-levels, Careers etc)


Is Drama right for me?