Subject Head: Thomas Newman
Contact: tnewman@farmors.gloucs.sch.uk
During their first two years at Farmor’s all students will study Drama for two periods each week. In Year 9 they will make a choice to study two Creative Arts from four options, one of which includes continuing with Drama for a further two periods per week. During this Key Stage, We aim to nurture and develop the personality, creativity and talent of every student through Drama. As Confucius said, "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." Just as doing is at the heart of understanding, at the heart of Drama in education is participation. Participation in Drama helps with a student's development in many ways:
7
Sculpture
&
Still Image
Mime
& Movement
Creating Characters
Improvisation &
Devising
Exploring Text:
Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations
Ensemble Project: Superheroes
8
Ghost Stories
Commedia Dell’Arte
Masks
Puppetry
Exploring Text: Shakespeare
Creative Adaptation: Tim Burton
9
Devising: Fame
Exploring Text: Dracula
Film Project
Qualification: GCSE
Specification: AQA 8261
The GCSE course encourages and enables students to become confident performers and designers, providing them with the skills they need for a bright and successful future. Students are given as much opportunity as possible to do what they enjoy best – participating in performance and experiencing a wide range of stimulating live theatre.
What should students expect to do during the course?
All students devise drama, explore texts practically and work on two text-based performances. Students can choose to develop as a Performer, Designer (lighting, sound, set, costume, puppets) or as a Performer and Designer. Whichever option they choose, students can be sure to gather invaluable skills, both theatrical and transferrable, to expand their horizons.
Students learn to collaborate with others, think analytically and evaluate effectively. They gain the confidence to pursue their own ideas as well as to reflect and refine their efforts. Whatever their plans for the future, students of GCSE Drama emerge with a toolkit of transferrable skills, applicable in further studies and in the workplace.
Understanding Drama - 40% (Written exam: 1 hour and 45 minutes. Open book. 80 marks)
Devising Drama - 40% (Practical: Devising log (60 marks), devised performance, 20 marks)
Texts in practice - 20% (Practical performance of two extracts, 50 marks)
Our AQA GCSE Drama course ensures continuity for students progressing to our highly successful AQA A-level Drama and Theatre course. Students will have experience of studying whole set texts for the written papers and they will have built solid foundations in reviewing live theatre productions and interpreting key extracts.