Drama

We believe Drama is where you find the right voice for yourself. Public speaking is one of those things that runs into us all at some point, but it’s not just about spotlight and applause; it’s about building the toolkit you’ll use for the rest of your life.

The "Off-Stage" Benefits

While you're learning lines, you're actually hard at work building "soft skills" that universities and employers are desperate for:

Confidence: If you can perform a monologue in front of a crowd, you can handle an interview, delivering a lesson or a presentation with ease.
Teamwork: Theatre is the original collaborative sport. You learn to trust others, solve problems in real-time, and build something bigger than yourself.
Empathy: Stepping into someone else’s shoes - literally, helps you understand perspectives different from your own. It makes you a better friend, leader, and human.
Creative Problem Solving: When a prop breaks or a line is forgotten, the show must go on. Drama teaches you to think on your feet and stay calm under pressure.

Whether you love the spotlight, are a tech wizard or a budding playwright, drama provides the safe space to experiment and be a bit silly, whilst offering a huge platform to learn about yourself and grow!

GCSE Drama

Component 1: Understanding Drama

This is the written exam portion of the course. It tests your knowledge of how drama works and your ability to analyse live performance.

Assessment: Written exam (1 hour 45 minutes).
Weighting: 40% of your total GCSE.
Section A: Multiple choice questions on theatre terminology and roles. Section B: Questions on a "set play" you’ll study - Blood Brothers. Section C: A review of a Live Theatre production you’ve seen during the course.

Component 2: Devising Drama (Practical)

This is where you get to be the creator. You work in a group to create an original piece of theatre from scratch based on a stimulus (like a photo, a quote, or a song).

Assessment: A practical performance plus a written devising log.
Weighting: 40% of your total GCSE.
You’ll be marked on how you developed your ideas and the final performance itself.

Component 3: Texts in Practice (Practical)

This component focuses on your ability to interpret a published play script. You will perform two key extracts from a play.

Assessment: A final performance in front of a visiting examiner.
Weighting: 20% of your total GCSE.
This is pure performance. There is no written coursework for this section; it's all about your skills on the day!

Outside of the classroom…

At the Dixie, drama is a budding part of the co-curricular programme with opportunities for being part of school productions and to work with visiting professionals from the industry.