Staff                                   

Mr M Connor-Hemming - Head of Department                                       

  • Mrs H Smith - Coordinator of Performance & Learning
  • Mr A Kyle
  • Mrs J Garland
  • Mrs B Knott - Teaching Assistant
  • Mrs S Walker - Performing Arts Practitioner
  • Mr R Howell - Performing Arts Practitioner


Drama at Key Stage 3:
All students study drama at Key Stage 3. In years 7 & 8 students have one drama lesson per week with students in Year 9 taking part in one lesson per fortnight. All drama lessons are taught in mixed ability groups at Key Stage 3. 

 

At Key Stage 3, students are introduced to a wide range of drama techniques such as:

  • Mime
  • Tableaux
  • Improvisation
  • Forum Theatre
  • Role play

These techniques are used to explore themes, issues, stories and plays from a range of cultures.

 
In addition to the development of key drama skills, students also develop transferable skills at Key Stage 3. Drama is as much about developing skills such as:

  • Confidence
  • Co-operation
  • Speaking in front of an audience
  • Listening
  • Language
  • Literacy
  • Citizenship

Above all, drama at Key Stage 3 is about developing students’ imagination through fun, exciting, active and purposeful dramatic activities.

Drama at GCSE:

Drama is a popular optional subject at GCSE and is taught in mixed ability groups. Past students have been very successful in this subject with 100% pass rate every year since 2005, with 100% of students achieveing grades A*-C in 2007. 

Students who opt for drama want an exciting and challenging course which leads to a qualification enabling them to undertake further study in Drama, or build self-confidence. They understand that commitment to rehearsals and theatre visits in their own time, at lunch time and after school, and is an essential part of the course.

The course places strong emphasis on practical work and is designed to enable students to gain a practical understanding of various dramatic skills involved in creating and performing Drama, from initial themes and texts through to production.

Such skills could enable students to participate in amateur theatre or provide an introduction to careers in theatre, the media or other performing arts. 

Students also acquire skills in working with others, problem solving and communication. For students not planning a career in the arts, Drama can still help them to feel more self-confident and prepared to deal with a range of different situations and people.

Students’ Comments on GCSE Drama

GCSE Drama has helped me in many ways. It has developed my confidence and creativity.”
                                                                                                                -  Jason Seenan, 11H

I have learnt a variety of skills and feel I have developed as a performer”
                                                                                                             - Frances Pritchard, 11H

Drama is one of the best courses. You learn so many different styles of acting”
                                                                                                                - Rachel Parkin, 11N

GCSE Drama has given me the chance to develop creatively as a performer. Drama requires dedication, commitment and enthusiasm. Anything can happen…”
                                                                                                                - George Coles, 11S

 

From September 2006, students will follow the EDEXCEL syllabus. This syllabus contains the following elements:

Paper 1 Unit 1

DRAMA COURSEWORK  - 30%

This unit is teacher assessed and supported by a portfolio of documentary evidence.

This unit of coursework is concerned with the issue of drama to explore ideas and issues in response to stimulus material selected from different times and/or cultures.

Students have the opportunity to use drama forms to deepen their understanding of an idea or issue and to communicate this understanding through the medium of drama.

The assessment activities for this unit are set and marked by teaching staff within prescribed guidelines, as set down by the exam board.

 

Paper 1 Unit 2

DRAMA COURSEWORK  - 30%

This unit is teacher assessed and supported by a portfolio of documentary evidence.

This unit of coursework is concerned with the exploration of a complete and substantial play. 

The purpose of this unit is to give students knowledge and understanding of the ways in which playwrights, performers, directors and designers use the medium of drama to communicate their ideas to an audience.

The assessment activities for this unit are set and marked by teaching staff within prescribed guidelines, as set down by the exam board.

 

Paper 2

DRAMA PERFORMANCE - 40% 
This unit is assessed by a visiting examiner on ONE of the following options:

ACTING - Devised performance
PERFORMANCE SUPPORT
ACTING - Scripted performance

This paper is concerned with the skills required in drama to perform work to an audience.

Students have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills as a performer or in a theatre craft using any appropriate material as a stimulus for performance.

The assessment activities for this paper are set by teaching staff within prescribed guidelines as set down by the exam board and externally marked.

 

For more information: Link to Edexcel website

 

Drama at A-level:
Drama is a popular two year course at A-level and is taught in mixed ability groups. Past students have been very successful in this subject with 100% pass rate. 
(100% A-C A2 in 2008) 

 
Students’ Comments on A-level Drama & Theatre Studies

If you want to be surprised, shocked, delighted, disturbed and enthralled then this is the course for you!”

“I really enjoyed all the physical drama and the atmosphere we were able to create through it.”

“Before I did drama I was shy and quiet. Since I started this course I have become much more confident and outgoing.”

This is a challenging course which leads to a qualification that enabling students to undertake further study in Drama, Theatre Studies and the Performing Arts in Higher Education at degree or HND level. This course can also lead to work in the Performing Arts industries and many kinds of personnel work. It can be used to broaden students’ studies.

 
GCSE Drama is preferred but not essential. It is important that students are interested in gaining a greater understanding of how theatre and plays work and that they are keen to be involved with performances. In addition a strong commitment to rehearsing in outside of lesson time as well as attending live theatre events is essential. 


From September 2006, students will follow the EDEXCEL syllabus. This syllabus contains the following elements: 


Unit 1
DRAMA EXPLORATION- 15% 
Unit 1 is teacher assessed and introduces students to the Drama course. A study of two plays and, at least, two practitioners, whose theories have shaped contemporary theatre is undertaken in this unit. Students will learn through workshops, so that the majority of the work is practical.

Assessment takes place during the teacher-led workshops and through coursework notes.

 

The plays studied in this unit are:

The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Brecht)

Pericles  (Shakespeare)

 

UNIT 2

TEXT IN PERFORMANCE - 20%

This unit is assessed by an external examiner. In this unit, students work with teachers to select a play for study. Students have the opportunity to explore a wide variety of plays during the course, which help them to make this choice.

Students stage the play in front of a live audience, including an examiner from Edexcel. They are assessed according to their acting or technical ability and must create an effective theatrical experience for the audience.

This unit is 100% practical. However, during the rehearsal process students keep notes to take into the Unit 3 examination.

 

UNIT 3

TEXT IN CONTEXT - 15%

Unit 3 is an external exam to be taken in June of the first year of the course. In this unit students answer two questions in two hours.

SECTION A
Students answer a question about the performance in Unit 2. All students will have been making notes on the process and are able to take these into the examination.

SECTION B
Students will answer a question, analysing a live theatre production that they have seen during the course. Students have the opportunity to see a range of live theatre productions during the course.

 

UNIT 4

DEVISING - 20%
This unit is teacher assessed. In this unit, the teacher provides a theme or issue for the students to explore. Students have the opportunity to explore a wide variety of devising techniques to devise a piece of theatre around this given theme.

Students stage the play in front of a live audience, including the teacher as examiner. They are assessed according to their acting ability and must create an effective theatrical experience for the audience.

Each student keeps a ‘structured record’ that enables them to reflect upon and analyse the process.

 

UNIT 5

TEXT IN PERFORMANCE II - 15%

This unit is assessed by an external examiner. In this unit, students work focus on the in-depth study of a play studied from the point of view of a director, designer or performer. Students have the opportunity to explore a wide variety of plays during the course, which help them to make the choice of text.

Students stage the play in front of a live audience, including an examiner from Edexcel. They are assessed according to their acting or technical ability and must create an effective theatrical exploration of the text for the audience.

This unit is 100% practical and forms part of the synoptic assessment.

 

UNIT 6

TEXT IN CONTEXT II - 15%

Unit 6 is an external exam to be taken in June of the second year of the course. In this unit students answer three questions in two and a half hours.

 

SECTION A
Students study The Beggar’s Opera by John Gay and relate their ideas for the whole play to an extract set in the examination. In their answer, students must articulate their knowledge and understanding of the social, cultural and historical contexts of the play.

 

SECTION B
Students study a play written and performed between 1575 and 1720 and evaluate the ways in which directors, designers and performers have used the medium of drama to interpret this play.   The play is chosen by the teacher. Students compare to productions of the play that they have researched.

 

For more information: link to Edexcel website

 

BTEC Performing Arts (Acting)
This is a new full time course, to be started in September 2006. This qualification is the equivalent of three A-levels and is comprised of the following eighteen units:

 

Core Units:

Unit 1: Performance Workshop

Unit 3:The Performing Arts Business

Unit 4: The Historical Context of Performance

Unit 5: Rehearsing for Performance 

Unit 7: Performing to an audience (Double Award)

 

Other Units:

 

  •             Devising Plays
  •             Theatre in Education
  •             Contemporary Theatre Performance
  •             Performing with Music
  •             Developing Voice for the Actor
  •             Acting Auditions
  •             Drama Improvisation
  •             Applying Acting skills
  •             The Practice of Directing Theatre 
  •             Contact Improvisation
  •             Developing Movement Skills
  •             Principles of Acting


Past students have been very successful with 100% pass at distinction level - (3 'A' grades at A level each!)          

The course will be delivered by current Blue Coat teaching staff together with professionals and practitioners from the Performing Arts industries and Higher Education institutions. In addition students will have access to state of the art facilities due to be completed in 2007 in the form of a 500 seat theatre and performance venue which incorporates 2 extra drama studios and a variety of performance venues.

 

For more information: link to Edexcel website

 

Extra-Curricular Drama
Drama Club is held every Wednesday in the Drama Studio. Students are free to come along and join in at any time. The Club is open to students from all year groups. Students play drama games and take part in workshop activities from 3.30-4.30.

Productions take place throughout the year with a major school production in February. This can take the form of straight plays, musicals and pantomimes.   Students are always involved in all aspects of production from acting, lighting, stage management and even putting on their own productions. 

 

 Recent Productions:        

Caucasian Chalk Circle

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

The Insect Play

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Oedipus

A Man for All Seasons

An Inspector Calls

Oliver

Calamity Jane

As You Like

 

 




In 2007 a production of ‘Pericles’ at Stratford’s Swan Theatre was staged.

A production of 'Les Miserables' will be staged in February 2009 with 'The Snow Queen' in July 2009.

 

Theatre Visits & Workshops 
These take place throughout the year, mainly for students at GCSE, A-level and BTEC. In addition, Blue Coat annually hosts a production by Riding Lights Theatre Company accompanied by a workshop for Year 9 students. 

 

Recent theatre visits have included:                                                                
RSC, Stratford
National Theatre, London
Leicester Haymarket
Birmingham Repertory Theatre