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The Howard Partnership Trust (THPT) is a Surrey based Multi-Academy Trust, comprising four secondary, six primary and two special schools with two further under development. We are proud of our ethos of collaboration and inclusion, "Bringing out the best" in students of all abilities and backgrounds. Visit website

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Drama

Level

GCSE

Exam Board

OCR

Website

www.ocr.org.uk

Students study a number of different elements of drama at GCSE and use a wide range of challenging themes and issues to explore. Students also explore a number of plays as performers, directors and as members of an audience and work with others to devise and perform their own original dramas. The elements of drama studied are: 

  • Improvisation: Acting that takes place without the use of a formal script including role-play, building characters and exploring a wide range of imaginative situations
  • Text: Exploring, in a practical way, a whole variety of texts including play scripts, extracts from novels, students own original work, poems and even newspaper articles, making links to social, cultural and historical contexts
  • Devising: Students study how to work effectively with others to create original pieces of drama by learning how to experiment with different forms of drama, space, sound, light and costume to communicate meaning and ideas to an audience
  • Performance: Students develop their performance skills acting in their own productions and in a variety of play extracts and other texts. Most performances will be to students in the class but some will be to invited audiences. Students will gain experience of performing in a wide variety of different types of drama 

Road Map

Show list Show Grid

Process 

Component 1: Devising Drama (60 marks)
Students will create a devised performance in groups. They will be able to select a starting point from a range of stimuli provided by the exam board. Performances will be between 5 and 15 minutes, depending on the size of the group. All performances will be supported by a portfolio which is evidence of the students’ devising process and can be a made up of a combination of writing, images, observation notes and artefacts. (40 marks for the evidence in the portfolio and 20 marks for the final performance). 

Component 2: Text Performance (60 marks)
Students will study a text chosen by the centre. Students will take a part in two performances of two extracts from the text. Performance lengths will vary according to the size of the group. In this unit students can work individually, or in a group of up to 6. The time range is between 2 and 15 minutes, depending on the size of the group. Students must present at least one performance as part of a group. Students will be required to produce an accompanying concept document which outlines their intentions for the performance. (20 marks - interpretation of the text and creating an intention for performance and 40 marks - for the demonstration of the chosen theatrical skill in the final performances).

Written Examination 40%
The exam component will be assessed at the end of the qualification and will be 1 hour and 30 minutes in length. Students will have to complete two compulsory sections, one section on a set text and the other which reviews a performance they have seen on their course.

 

Post-16 Choices
This course is an excellent preparation for AS and A2 Drama and Theatre Studies.

 

 

 

Staff Contact
Mrs L Newman - lucy.newman@oxted.thpt.org.uk