With some of the finest theatre facilities in the country and experienced industry professionals to inspire and support, it is no surprise that drama is a vital part of Warwick School life.
DRAMA AT WARWICK
Our dynamic and popular curriculum throughout the School is extended by a dynamic programme of workshops, excursions and performance opportunities ensuring the performing arts are experienced, enjoyed and celebrated by all. From their earliest days in the school our pupils develop their core skills, developing creativity, fostering collaboration and building positive self-esteem. Performance and presentational techniques are taught alongside this, ensuring the pupils become sensitive, disciplined and confident communicators with ideas they wish to express about the world around them, empowered with creative ways to do so.
We take pride in our extensive Co-Curricular programme. With support from our Director in Residence, we offer a wide range of participatory activities and opportunities. Productions which run throughout the year provide an outstanding vehicle for the pupils to work supportively and creatively together.
Many enjoy developing production skills, providing technical, set design, crew or costume/make-up roles which play a vital part of any project. Furthermore, pupils can extend their drama even further by following LAMDA examinations and gain ingvaluable qualifications in acting, verse and prose. Some choose to be a part of the Bridge House Young Company which further enriches and broadens our programme of theatrical development and performance.
Unsurprisingly, many Warwickians go onto the creative industries as actors,theatre-makers or technical specialists, but all learn to enjoy lifelong benefits including a deep appreciation of the arts brought about by the formative and positive first-hand experiences we provide.
A Level Drama and Theatre would suit candidates who:
• Wish to develop skills in making, performing, interpreting and understanding drama and theatre
• Enjoy performing or taking production roles and who wish to deepen and extend their knowledge and experience
• Enjoy working in collaborative groups, whilst researching and developing their individual skills
• Would like to follow a creative or a communication-based career path
• Are keen to understand and experience the collaborative relationship between various roles within theatre
• Wish to develop the creativity and independence to become effective theatre makers
Component 1 (40%) candidates undertake exploration of one key extract from a performance text where they interpret, create and develop ideas with the aim of devising an original piece for performance. For this component the assessment is through performance and written portfolio.
Component 2 (20%) the emphasis is on the development of a group performance of a performance text and duologue chosen by the school. Candidates are assessed by an external examiner who attends the performances.
Component 3 (40%) is a written exam requiring pupils to consider, analyse and evaluate how different theatre makers create impact. Pupils critically analyse and evaluate their experience of live performance. They will also consider the methodologies of practitioners and interpret texts in order to justify their own ideas for a production.
Many of our A Level pupils go on to pursue careers in the creative industries, but the course is equally beneficial to many other areas such as law, communications and journalism. The skills are genuinely transferable and enable a young person to be a creative, supportive and disciplined team member in a wide-range of contexts.
