Student Guide:
How can I achieve in Drama?
Course Overview:
Drama GCSE is offered in Year 10 and Year 11.
The course is broken down into 3 units which looks at your dramatic and thematic response to a theme, a
text and how you perform in a group piece.
The course is:
60% Practical
40% Written coursework
Unit 1 – 30% of Final Grade
You will practically explore a theme such as Conflict, Mental Illness or Outsiders. You take part in a 6 hour
practical workshop led by the class teacher, completing tasks based around your response to a variety of
stimuli. The stimulus could be a poem, some text, a song, a picture, an item, a phrase, a word, literally
anything! You will be marked on the practical skills demonstrated in these sessions as well as written
evidence about the completed tasks in the form of a 2000 word essay.
Unit 2 – 30% of Final Grade
In this unit you will practically explore a text. Again, you will take part in a 6 hour workshop where you will
be marked on your understanding of the text, the themes and issues presented, and the characters and
relationships developed throughout the play, and how you explore these things. You will support your
practical work with a piece of written supporting evidence (1000 words). Part of this unit requires you to
complete a live theatre review (2000 words) based up a production seen as part of a trip. This year we’re
seeing War Horse!
Unit 3 – 40% of Final Grade
Unit 3 is a live performance to an external examiner. You will spend many lessons preparing your piece of
theatre, whether scripted or devised, which requires great focus, motivation, team work skills and extracurricular commitment. There is also a technical option for this unit where you could design costume, set,
sound or light for a performing group.
What skills do I need to be a good Drama student?








Dedication
Team work
A good level of skill
Focus
Motivation
Ability to work with different types of people
Good at sharing and developing ideas
Good attendance and punctuality
Revision resources:
Useful websites:







www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
www.franticassembly.co.uk
www.digitaltheatre.com/partners/details/frantic-assembly
www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zbckjxs
www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/
www.quizlet.com – Simple free learning tools for students.
It is advantageous to see as many live theatre productions as possible. Not just at the theatre but on
youtube and through National Theatre Live. Any performance will help inspire and develop the skills
of a GCSE student. Digital Theatre is an excellent tool, although you have to subscribe you have the
opportunity to watch pre-recorded pieces of theatre.
Useful Apps:


National Theatre Backstage App
Digital Theatre
Useful texts:
Any play text – classical, modern, naturalistic or surreal.
All of these will help in developing and deepening knowledge.