drama

Course title: Eduqas GCSE Drama 

The Eduqas GCSE in Drama offers a broad and coherent course of study which enables you to:

• Apply knowledge and understanding when making, performing and responding to drama

• Explore performance texts, understanding their social, cultural and historical context including the theatrical conventions of the period in which they were created

• Develop a range of theatrical skills and apply them to create performances

• Work collaboratively to generate, develop and communicate ideas

• Develop an independent and reflective approach to allow you to make informed choices in process and performance

• Contribute to theatrical performances

• Reflect on and evaluate your own work and that of others

• Develop an awareness and understanding of the roles and processes undertaken in contemporary professional theatre practice. 

You will learn through a combination of practical and theoretical work, guided by specialist teaching.  You will be able to develop the skills learnt through KS3 drama, and shape your learning in the direction you wish.  There will be the opportunity to take part in workshops and trips that will extend and support the knowledge developed in the classroom.

This course is open to anyone who enjoys working as part of a team, and would like to build on their confidence through performing and/or theatre design.  It will help you to develop your understanding of how an actor, director and set designer approach theatrical performances and can really help alongside English Literature.  There are lighting, set, costume and makeup design pathways available through this course and not just performance related. 

Component 1: Devising Theatre: internally assessed, externally moderated 40% of qualification Learners will be assessed on either acting or design.

Learners must produce:

• a devised piece of theatre

• a portfolio of supporting evidence

• an evaluation of the final performance or design.

Component 2: Performing from a Text: externally assessed by a visiting examiner 20% of qualification. Learners will be assessed on either acting or design. Learners study two extracts from the same performance text.

Component 3: Interpreting Theatre - written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes 40% of qualification. Section A: Set Text A series of questions on one set text. Section B: Learners will also have to analyse and evaluate a piece of live theatre that they have seen during the course.

You will be assessed through performance and written work that is internally assessed and a performance assessed by a visiting examiner.  There is one 90-minute examination at the end of C11 that will assess your ability to analyse one set text and a piece of live theatre as an actor, designer and director.

GCSE Drama could lead onto a variety of career paths as it develops social, teamwork and confidence skills to a high level.  Specific courses at the next level could be in teaching, musical theatre, drama and performing arts.  However, studying GCSE Drama is not just for those interested in pursuing a career in theatre, acting or drama, it can open the door to a huge range of opportunities.  Studying drama will help to develop confidence and empathy which can be used in many careers such as law, medical and teaching. 

Mr Philpott, Subject Leader for Expressive Arts (rphilpott@honywoodschool.com)

Mrs Houghton, Subject Development Leader for Expressive Art (khoughton@honywoodschool.com)

For GCSE specification information, visit the Eduqas website.