Students can pursue their interests and develop their skills in a range of practical drama elements including acting, directing, costume, setting, mask and technical design. However, the requirements of the specification, with its written examination paper weighting, also enable students to gain an entry qualification for courses in higher education, whether in an area of drama and theatre studies or in a host of other subjects. The specification offers students the freedom to choose both the content and the form of their practical presentations. Drama & Theatre is a two year course during which you will complete three components. These components explore performing and directing texts, devising performance, discovering different practitioners and styles within theatre along with analysing productions.

We follow the AQA specification in Drama & Theatre .

Please refer to our Sixth Form prospectus for entry requirements.

Component 1: Drama and Theatre. (Written examination - 40% of the A-Level.) For this unit you will study two set plays and attend a number of live performances. You will explore a range of styles of theatre; develop an appreciation of performance and how to evaluate the success of it, as well as consider the contextual and historical aspects of the set plays to direct particular scenes.

Component 2: Creating Original Drama. (Practical examination with portfolio, 30% of the A-Level. You will explore a number of theatre styles and eventually choose one, in which you will devise a new piece of performance work. You are assessed on your performance along with documenting the process through portfolio.

Component 3: Making Theatre. (Practical examination and reflective report - 30% of the A-Level.) You will study a number of practitioners and work to present three extracts from published plays that sit within the chosen styles. You will develop skills and an understanding of different acting methods in preparation for the performance on which you are assessed, along with the rehearsal process and a working notebook.

We have a strong partnership with Cast and this enables our Year 12 students to spend an afternoon a week during the first half term working in their professional spaces. Various Dance, Drama and Music groups meet regularly at lunchtimes and after school. There are regular performances both within school and at professional venues around the region. There is a whole school production and all Performing Arts students are invited to showcase their work in the many concerts and other performance opportunities held each year. We attend national Dance / Drama exhibitions about future careers in Performing Arts along with attending workshops and performances. We have attended BPM and The Music Show - both national music exhibitions and work with many professional companies, practitioners, FE/HE providers and in professional venues as opportunities arise. We hold regular trips and visits  that are designed to broaden the experiences our students have within the Performing Arts world.

A Sixth Form Performing Arts course including Theatre Studies is a necessity for all those students who wish to study Performing Arts as all or part of a degree / diploma course. It is also desirable for those who wish to follow careers in stage work, dance, public relations, music retail, arts administration, music technology and technical theatre work. However, the greatest benefit for all students studying a Performing Arts course such as Theatre Studies is that it gives you the confidence to become yourself.