Drama & Theatre

Drama builds confidence, develops communication skills, and fosters creativity and critical thinking. We inspire excellence through trips to see live productions at local and national theatres and we host theatre workshops run by professionals, creating an environment where pupils can hone and refine their skills.

1st and 2nd Form

Drama is a weekly curriculum subject. The emphasis is on collaboration and creativity. Pupils develop their acting and presentation skills by creating and performing a wide range of roles and responding to stimuli. There is a biannual Lower School Drama Showcase where every single pupils performs in a production with their classmates on the Charter Hall stage in front of friends and family.

3rd Form

Pupils explore various theatre styles and they rehearse and perform scenes from published play texts, they also learn to work on texts as directors and designers. There is an annual trip to see a Shakespeare production in London before each class presents a 30 minute version of one of his plays as a class. There is the opportunity to perform or join the Tech Crew for the annual Middle School Drama production.

GCSE

The GCSE Drama course (Edexcel) is taught in a mixture of practical workshops and theory lessons. Pupils are assessed on their acting ability and their ability to express their ideas in writing. Pupils study a set text from the perspective of an actor, designer and director; create an original piece of theatre with a group and produce a portfolio of written work. Analysing and evaluating live performance is a requirement of the course so there are regular theatre trips. Audiences are regularly invited to see the pupil’s GCSE performances.

Sixth Form

International Baccalaureate (IB)

The IB Theatre course can be taken at Standard or Higher Level. The course is tailored to suit candidates specific interests and skills; it is possible to develop skills in design, direction and/or performance. Performance analysis and the study of play texts is an essential element of the course and pupils are assessed through their practical performances, written portfolios, presentations and essays. There are regular theatre trips and visits by industry professionals to lead masterclasses and workshops.