Drama and Theatre Studies

Members of the Department

The department is fully staffed by two full time drama teachers and a full time theatre technician and trainer of students in technical theatre.

Angela Thorpe   (Head of Drama and Theatre Studies)
Peter Jackson   (Theatre Technician and Arts Award Co-ordinator)


Resources

Trinity has a very flexible studio theatre space in which public performances take place and where a majority of drama lessons are delivered. There is a purpose built control room housing a computerised lighting desk with 24-channels of dimming, a 24-channel sound mixing desk, and multi-media playback facilities.
The theatre has a cyclorama, rear projection screen, a flown projection position, gauze curtain and raked seating for public performances.

Courses

In key stage 3 Drama lessons are taught on a carousel with Music. The students are taught for one period a week in Year 9, in Year 7 and Year 8 students experience Drama within English and through extra curricular activities, for example the Gospel Drama Club.

The focus of drama lessons and assessment in year 9 is:

To encourage the development of citizenship through exploring wider issues through drama

GCSE Drama
Edexcel Specification

At GCSE level students develop improvisation skills and also look at scripted plays in much more detail, experimenting with different ways of bringing a script to life on stage, rehearsal techniques and approaches to developing a character for performance. Students interested in the technical aspects of drama (for example set design, sound or lighting) can focus on one of these areas in the final performance examination in year 11.

GCSE DRAMA RESULTS 2011
A* A
A*-C
20%
83%


A Level Drama and Theatre Studies
AQA Specification

At AS and A’ Level we encourage students to develop into independent learners

Students are encouraged to develop their own ideas in order to be successful in both practical and theoretical aspects of the course and therefore the teachers aim to coach and mentor students on their journey, working alongside students in their learning about theatre.

Theatre Studies students are expected to commit to curriculum and after school activities. Students need to be self-motivated, self-disciplined and reliable in order to be successful.

AS RESULTS 2011
A-B
A-E
56%
100%

A LEVEL  RESULTS 2011
A-B
A-E
55%
100%



LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art)
Acting Examinations

In year 12 and 13, students can opt to take an additional examination course in Acting. The course provides students with the opportunity to learn and gain skills in:

The examinations are accredited by the QCA and students can claim between 20 - 60 UCAS points for university, depending on the level pass that they achieve at either:

Grade 6 Bronze Medal level
Grade 7 Silver Medal level

Arts Award

Arts Award is a national qualification established by the Arts Council and Trinity Guildhall. The award supports~young people to develop as artists and arts leaders. All members of the drama and theatre studies department are trained Arts Award advisors. Arts Award is delivered through extra curricular activities within drama.

Extra Curricular Drama

We offer students numerous opportunities throughout the academic year to see a complete range of live performance. Examination students use their experience of theatre visits to gain essential knowledge and understanding to help them on every unit of assessment on their course and no other experience can match this.

Students who frequently visit the theatre are able to draw influence from new and innovative work of world leaders in theatre practice, and therefore the work that students produce for practical devised and scripted assessments is influenced by the most up to date trends in theatre practice.

In order to ensure that students are prepared for examinations in years 10, 11, 12 and 13 additional classes are run after school throughout the year.

In addition to timetabled extended school events the following activities also take place within the department: