As a curriculum subject, it gives students a practical knowledge of how drama works as an art form and allows them to work independently to create their own performances. Drama is linked closely to other arts subjects and to English through practical exploration of texts and stimuli. Drama is the perfect vehicle to develop the vital skills of independence, critical thinking and effective decision making.
As they begin their GCSE course, students will learn how to develop their performance or design skills through practical exploration of extracts from key texts. As well as focusing on performance or design skills, students will learn how to shape a meaningful published performance through skilled directing. Finally, students will begin to devise their own piece of theatre based on a stimulus.
Students will use knowledge built upon and developed through Year 10 in order to complete both practical and written exams. Students will use a key practitioner to influence their ideas for performance and design and keep a portfolio to demonstrate the rehearsal and development stages. As well as this, they will perform two extracts from a published play or create the designs to suit the performances. The final piece of work will be a practical exploration in preparation for the written exam, where students must demonstrate their ideas for performance from a design, acting and directorial perspective. Throughout the course students will be expected to evaluate their own work as well as the work of others.