Music

Drama Board: OCR Specification: J316

Entry requirements

Why study GCSE Drama?

Drama not only encourages mental versatility but also creativity, confidence and adventurous learning. It provides opportunities to examine drama, the work of others, and to explore it as a practical art form. It allows students to study drama in an academic setting, interrogating this art form and applying their knowledge and understanding of the process of creating and developing drama.

The course is designed to be as accessible and supportive as possible. This is a time to be as creative as your mind desires. You will be working in smaller groups and have drama tailored to your skills. You will also be required to attend theatre trips and workshops. This will enhance your learning and help you strengthen your creative process. You will notice that there is more emphasis on practitioners and set texts. This will help lead you into the A Level course and give you a strong understanding of the requirements of the ‘page-tostage' process.

Important information

Students have all studied Drama in school for many years. There are no other specific requirements except that they enjoy the subject, find it interesting and have had positive feedback and results in Drama assessments in Year 9.

Course Overview and Content

Students will study practitioners and theatrical styles through various workshops and practical explorations. From this they will then devise, create and perform their own theatre. Furthermore, students will study a selected play and perform extracts in a specific theatrical style.

As well as practical work, they will also have opportunities to discover the technical elements of theatre and visit theatres to see live productions. Students study a set text and complete a written examination explaining how they would act, direct or design the extracts, as well as completing a live theatre evaluation.

GCSE Assessment:

Practical exam - Devising Drama/Portfolio 30% Practical exam - Presenting and Performing Scripts/Pro forma 30% Written exam - Explore and answer questions on set text/ analyse and evaluate live theatre performance (1 hour 30 minutes) 40%

Pupils will enjoy opportunities to see productions and are strongly encouraged to experience as much live theatre as possible to broaden their horizons.

Future Pathways

The skills you learn in Drama are life skills needed in everyday encounters. A recent report discussed that these skills, developed within Drama, are desired within any employment or career, such as, using initiative and being self-motivated, organisation, working under pressure and to deadlines, ability to learn and adapt, communication and interpersonal skills, teamwork, negotiation, valuing diversity and differences, problem solving, numeracy and IT. https://www.stem.org.uk/system/files/elibraryresources/2017/09/A4%20employability%20fold%20out _ Interactive _ v4.pdf

The GCSE course naturally feeds into the A Level Drama and Theatre course which, combined with English, Music or Art and Design, provide a strong foundation for a wealth of degree courses and careers. The following are just a few: Theatre Studies, Directing, Drama and English Literature, Education, Teaching, Media Studies, Law, Film Studies, Performing Arts, Costume Design, Lighting Design. Due to the nature of the subject, it can also be paired with contrasting subjects to provide a broad platform with creativity and teamwork at its heart.