Academic: Drama

Updated: Wed 14 Mar 2012  

The study of Drama helps promote self-confidence, control and discipline in practical situations. It also helps instil good practice in terms of group work and producing an outcome as a member of a team. These ideas form the core of the programme of study in the Lower School, and boys from the Lower First to the Lower Third will be involved with one Drama lesson a fortnight exploring the fundamentals of theatre and Drama, with a focus on acting and performance. It is also important, at this stage, that pupils are taught to evaluate and analyse their own and others' work. As boys move through the School the course takes on a much more academic feel, with theatre vocabulary being taught in abundance, but will also build on the theatrical fundamentals taught in previous years.

Drama in the Upper School follows the EDEXCEL specification for GCSE, and the AQA course for A Level, with pupils being taught by two specialist members of staff. The breadth and balance of the curriculum ensures that students are taught how to create, perform and respond to drama by working with a variety of stimuli from different sources and traditions. Courses in 'Theatre' and 'Literature in Performance' are currently offered for the International Baccalaureate.

The department takes frequent advantage of the many theatrical opportunities presented in London and surrounding areas. Trips to the theatre are always based around responding critically to what has been seen and this is then translated into focusing on what is required for different examination elements. For practical elements of the examination, pupils are encouraged to make text choices themselves; it is important that pupils feel comfortable with their choices and go on to flourish in their practical assessments.