Drama & Theatre Studies

Key Stage 3: Drama is taught as follows:

• Year 7 & 8: Two lessons per fortnight
• Year 9: Three lessons per fortnight (as a chosen creative option)

Year 7
Students explore the origins and evolution of theatre, studying British playwrights such as Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, and Willy Russell. Topics include the bubonic plague, social issues, and the rise of musical theatre through Oliver Twist. Students develop vocabulary, scriptwriting, performance, and analytical skills, including news-style reporting and historical staging techniques.

Year 8
Students study Teechers by John Godber and Blood Brothers by Willy Russell, focusing on setting, characterisation, and audience impact. They explore Theatre in Education, annotate scripts, and create their own. This year builds knowledge of theatre practitioners and styles, laying a strong foundation for GCSE Drama.

Year 9
Students study DNA by Dennis Kelly and The Crucible by Arthur Miller, deepening their understanding of playwrights, historical context, and societal themes. They rehearse and perform scenes to build confidence and explore issue-based drama through speeches, presentations, and documentary-style performance.

All used to develop the key personal learning skills of teamwork, creative and reflective thinking, effective participation and independent learning. All of these are fundamental elements of King’s Learning Habits.

Assessment: Students are monitored and assessed every half-term in accordance with the Arts Council of England ‘levels of attainment’ structure. These incorporate three broad areas ‘Making’, ‘Performing’, ‘Responding’ within which all the ‘Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills’ are covered. There is also a clear overlap and integration of King’s Learning Habits: collaborating, being resilient, reasoning, questioning and reflecting.

Students can then opt to take GCSE Drama where they will further their knowledge of improvisation and script work through the practical creation of assessment performance pieces. They will also have the opportunity to choose technical options such as lighting, sound or costume design. 

The department is an extra-curricular ‘hotspot’, offering many opportunities in the shape of lunchtime drama clubs, Lower School theatre productions, as well as Main School productions. 

We are also an examining centre for LAMDA and have many students successfully completing a range of awards including in Verse and Prose, Acting, Public Speaking and in Musical Theatre. LAMDA provides an excellent opportunity for students to develop their communication and presentation skills, as well as their confidence.

We have an outstanding academic record at GCSE and A Level:

GCSE     9 - 7 = 30%   9 - 4 = 100% 

In the Sixth Form, we offer A Level Drama & Theatre, which give students analytical and performance skills, allowing them to explore a wide range of texts and the work of established practitioners, whilst considering how the history of theatre has shaped contemporary styles and form.

Students will take part in a variety of assessments and develop a wide range of skills in both performance and academic analysis, with theatre trips to support their study and immerse them in the industry.

As an examining centre for LAMDA, many students successfully complete a range of awards. In  Year 13, students have the opportunity to choose LAMDA as a Wednesday afternoon activity in which time they prepare for Bronze, Silver or Gold awards which can then be translated into valuable UCAS points.
 
We organise trips to a variety of theatres throughout the year. These include: The Royal Exchange, The Lowry and The New Victoria Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent as well as London's West End. 

Exam Board: AQA
The AQA A-level in Drama and Theatre is an exciting and inspiring course which prepares learners for further study in Higher Education and a range of careers. Skills such as performance, public speaking, confidence, cooperation and teamworking are vital in all careers.
This course will develop performance skills, give students opportunities to take part in theatre productions and learn about the industry and give them the first step to a career in the entertainment industry.

Course Structure
This highly practical specification provides learners with the opportunity to work as either performers and/or designers on three different performances. In Component 1, learners reinterpret a text to create a piece of theatre which is a combination of the selected text and original ideas.

In Component 2, learners engage with a stimulus to create two pieces of theatre; one an interpretation of a text of their own choice and the other a devised piece.

Assessment
A mixture of practical assessments, written assignments and examinations. A student can be assessed as a performer or a technician (Lighting, Set, Sound or Costume).

Component 1 – Theatre Workshop
Non-exam assessment: internally assessed, externally moderated, 20% of qualification.
Component 2 – Text in Action
Non-exam assessment: externally assessed by a visiting examiner, 40% of qualification.
Component 3 – Text in Performance
Written examination: 2 hours 30 minutes, 40% of qualification.

Entry requirements
We recommend a minimum of grade 6 at GCSE Drama. A Level Drama and Theatre studies can provide students with a foundation of knowledge and experience to successfully apply to drama schools or universities to study drama and related subjects.