The Wood Green Drama curriculum aims to:
At Key Stage four the genre we focus on for practical work is physical theatre. Therefore, in Year 7 we do a scheme of work focused on the poem The Jaberwocky. This process of devising through Physical Theatre is then extended in Year 8 through the story of The Merchant’s Tale (original story to Beauty and the Beast). Then, in Year 9 they explore the topic of knife crime and 9/11 through physical theatre. This means by the time they get to Year 10 they are highly independent, creative and adept at negotiating group work which allows us as teachers to truly facilitate this component so that students take true ownership of their work. It’s taken a few years to develop but it has allowed us to develop a department style really means we get consistently high marks in this component, and one of the elements of the department we are most proud of.
At Key Stage 4 and 5 students must be able to produce practical work from a script. We develop this in skill in Year 7 through The Anansi scripts, Year 8 through The Terrible Fate of Humpty Dumpty and Year 9 in the Page to Stage unit. All three of these units, but specifically the Year 9 unit focusses specifically on breaking a script down into chunks, developing and building a character, and how to convey the director’s vision.
At Key Stage four and five students must be able to write about drama through coursework and the written exam. At key stage 3 we promote literacy through emphasising key terminology and oracy which is clear to see in any drama lesson. We are developing the written work skills at KS4 in particular by changing the course structure to allow for a deeper understanding of the theory and re-visiting this element more often.
The KS3 WGS Baccalaureate activities for the Drama subject Award
Topics Covered
The course is arranged into 6 modules although the order may vary:
Term 1: Introduction to Component 3 (Text based)
Term 2: Introduction to devising and physical theatre (Component 1)
Term 3: Component 1 Devising and Portfolio (40% of the GCSE)
Term 4: Component 1 Performance of Component 1 and completion of written coursework
Terms 5 & 6: Component 3 (Written Exam)
Topics Covered
Component 1: Devising Theatre (40%)
Component 2: Performing from text (20%)
This unit introduces students to the content of plays written for the theatre. They will student two key extract and will then participate in a performance of a key extract.
Component 3: Interpreting Theatre (40%)
Section A: Explore one set text as an Actor, Designer and Director then answer serous of question on the text
Section B: Live Theatre Review. 1 extended question on a performance that students have seen live.
This is an externally assessed unit. All students will present their work as either performers or performance support students in a single performance to an examiner appointed by Edexcel.
The aims of the Edexcel A Level Drama and Theatre are to encourage students to:
Integrate theory and practice through their understanding of critical concepts and the discriminating use of specialist terminology.
The course is taught in 3 Components units:
Component 1: Devising 40% 80 Marks
In this unit students devise an original performance piece using one key extract and a theatre practitioner as a stimulus. Students can take a performance or a design route. Students will then complete a 3000-word portfolio
Component 2: Text in Performance 20% 60 marks
This unit offers students the chance to demonstrate skills in a performance environment. Students perform a realisation of one key extract from a performance text and a monologue of duologue from a separate text.
Component 3: Theatre Makers in Practice 40% 80 marks
Section A: Live Theatre Evaluation 20 marks
Students answer one extended response question from a choice of two requiring them to analyse and evaluate a live performance they have seen.
Section B: Page to Stage: Realising a Performance Text 36 marks
Students answer two extended response questions based on an unseen extract from one of the set texts. This section allows students to demonstrate how they, as theatre makers, intend to realise the extract in performance. They will answer from the perspective of a performer and a designer.
Section C: Interpreting a Performance Text 24 marks
Students will answer one extended response question from a choice of two based on an unseen named section from the selected set text. Students are asked to demonstrate how their re-imagined production concept will communicate to a contemporary audience. They are also asked to outline how the work of the chosen practitioner has influenced their overall concept and demonstrate an awareness of the performance text in it original conditions.
Assessment
Component 1: Devising. This internally assessed unit
Component 2: Text in Performance 20% 60 marks
This is an externally assessed unit. The first section requires students to offer either a monologue or duologue. The second section requires students to contribute to a performance of a professionally published play by a known writer. Students may offer either acting or a design form and must also provide a concept of the interpretation of their chosen roles or designs.
Component 3: Theatre Makers in Practice 80 marks2hour 30 minutes written exam
Section A: Live Theatre Evaluation 20 mark question
Section B: Page to Stage: Realising a Performance Text 36 marks
Section C: Interpreting a Performance Text 24 marks
A level Drama and Theatre Studies specification
Drama and Theatre Studies A level revision resources
Updated September 2025
