Drama is a creatively fulfilling and intellectually demanding subject that is highly valued at Westminster. The course develops practical, creative and communication skills and offers the pupils the opportunity to extend and refine their performance skills. Ensemble work is essential, as it hones and develops their understanding of what it takes to work with others and become a team player. Drama is both challenging and immensely rewarding, and it allows pupils to extend their ability to create drama, in both performing and production roles. Former Westminster pupils who have entered the world of Drama include Helena Bonham Carter, Peter Brook, Alfred Enoch, Sir John Gielgud, Stephen Poliakoff, Imogen Stubbs and Sir Peter Ustinov. We begin Fifth Form (Year 9) Drama, with some basic questions: what is Drama; what can it do? Why is theatre so important? How can it benefit them, and what skills does one need to be effective in it? These questions are ongoing and encourage pupils to respect the craft and consider the position of Drama in society. During their first term, pupils are introduced to various theatrical skills including storytelling, illusionary mime and character work. These skills in movement, voice and character encourage them to present their ideas theatrically and thoughtfully. Pupils evaluate the effectiveness of their work and that of others, showing a heightened awareness of what is being communicated either intentionally or not. A highlight of the term is the Elizabethan Festival, a week in which pupils rehearse a piece of Shakespeare with a professional director and perform to an audience on the final night. These performances have proved a terrific experience for pupils, boosting their confidence, teamwork and performance skills. During the remainder of the year, pupils are introduced to elements of the GCSE specification, including text work and devising their pieces. Pupils who choose to take Drama GCSE build a practical understanding of drama throughout the course and apply this knowledge to their performances. GCSE Drama pupils can elect to be a performer or to take on the role of a designer in lighting, sound, set or costume. The AQA GCSE has three modules: Understanding Drama (40%), Devising Drama (40%) and Texts in Practice (20%). In these modules pupils study one set play: they develop ideas of how they would approach it in a realisation for the stage, in a live performance as an actor, a director, or a designer. They also write an evaluation of a piece of live theatre. These written elements of the course constitute the written exam. Pupils also create a piece of devised Drama for an audience, accompanied by a written portfolio in which they analyse how their piece has grown and developed throughout the process. At the end of the course, they will perform two extracts from a published play to a visiting examiner and an audience. Level Drama pupils take three modules: Drama and Theatre (40%), Creating Original Drama (30%) and Making Theatre (30%). During the two-year course, pupils learn to collaborate with others, to think analytically, and to evaluate effectively their creative processes and the work of theatre makers. They gain the confidence to pursue their ideas by creating an original theatre piece inspired by the methodologies of a theatre practitioner, to evaluate live theatre, and to approach two set texts from the perspective of an actor, designer, and director, developing a strong understanding of the playwrights’ original intentions and the social, historical and cultural contexts of the plays. Additionally, they explore and workshop extracts from three contrasting plays, performing one of these extracts for an external examiner and writing coursework chronicling their practical processes for all three extracts. Pupils also practically study the techniques of many theatrical practitioners, and they attend many live performances in both the West End and on the fringe to develop their understanding of the different genres of theatre.
Offers of places will be sent out in December. Some candidates will be placed on a waiting list, and these candidates will be contacted if they are going to be offered a place. The offer of a place is conditional on a candidate achieving a minimum of eight (I)GCSE passes at A / 7 grade, of which at least four are at A* / 8-9 in the subjects to be studied at A Level. Pupils should have taken the (I)GCSE in Drama and be on track to receive a grade 8 or 9. That said, pupils who do not have the (I)GCSE will still be considered. In this respect, the main requirement is a real interest in and passion for all aspects of theatre and a willingness to work as a team player, to take direction and to invest in taking risks with performance.
Prospective pupils will be asked to write a live theatre evaluation addressing performance or design skills. The performance can be one in which they were involved, either on stage or backstage. Successful candidates will be asked to attend an interview, to discuss their ideas and thoughts on Drama as well as sight read from a play.
About Education Provider
| Region | London |
| Local Authority | Westminster |
| Ofsted Rating | |
| Gender Type | Co-Educational |
| ISI Report | View Report |
| Boarding Fee | £49,518 |
| Sixth Form Fee | £34,299 - £37,485; |
| Address | Little Dean's Yard, London, SW1P 3PF |
Drama is a creatively fulfilling and intellectually demanding subject that is highly valued at Westminster. The course develops practical, creative and communication skills and offers the pupils the opportunity to extend and refine their performance skills. Ensemble work is essential, as it hones and develops their understanding of what it takes to work with others and become a team player. Drama is both challenging and immensely rewarding, and it allows pupils to extend their ability to create drama, in both performing and production roles. Former Westminster pupils who have entered the world of Drama include Helena Bonham Carter, Peter Brook, Alfred Enoch, Sir John Gielgud, Stephen Poliakoff, Imogen Stubbs and Sir Peter Ustinov. We begin Fifth Form (Year 9) Drama, with some basic questions: what is Drama; what can it do? Why is theatre so important? How can it benefit them, and what skills does one need to be effective in it? These questions are ongoing and encourage pupils to respect the craft and consider the position of Drama in society. During their first term, pupils are introduced to various theatrical skills including storytelling, illusionary mime and character work. These skills in movement, voice and character encourage them to present their ideas theatrically and thoughtfully. Pupils evaluate the effectiveness of their work and that of others, showing a heightened awareness of what is being communicated either intentionally or not. A highlight of the term is the Elizabethan Festival, a week in which pupils rehearse a piece of Shakespeare with a professional director and perform to an audience on the final night. These performances have proved a terrific experience for pupils, boosting their confidence, teamwork and performance skills. During the remainder of the year, pupils are introduced to elements of the GCSE specification, including text work and devising their pieces. Pupils who choose to take Drama GCSE build a practical understanding of drama throughout the course and apply this knowledge to their performances. GCSE Drama pupils can elect to be a performer or to take on the role of a designer in lighting, sound, set or costume. The AQA GCSE has three modules: Understanding Drama (40%), Devising Drama (40%) and Texts in Practice (20%). In these modules pupils study one set play: they develop ideas of how they would approach it in a realisation for the stage, in a live performance as an actor, a director, or a designer. They also write an evaluation of a piece of live theatre. These written elements of the course constitute the written exam. Pupils also create a piece of devised Drama for an audience, accompanied by a written portfolio in which they analyse how their piece has grown and developed throughout the process. At the end of the course, they will perform two extracts from a published play to a visiting examiner and an audience. Level Drama pupils take three modules: Drama and Theatre (40%), Creating Original Drama (30%) and Making Theatre (30%). During the two-year course, pupils learn to collaborate with others, to think analytically, and to evaluate effectively their creative processes and the work of theatre makers. They gain the confidence to pursue their ideas by creating an original theatre piece inspired by the methodologies of a theatre practitioner, to evaluate live theatre, and to approach two set texts from the perspective of an actor, designer, and director, developing a strong understanding of the playwrights’ original intentions and the social, historical and cultural contexts of the plays. Additionally, they explore and workshop extracts from three contrasting plays, performing one of these extracts for an external examiner and writing coursework chronicling their practical processes for all three extracts. Pupils also practically study the techniques of many theatrical practitioners, and they attend many live performances in both the West End and on the fringe to develop their understanding of the different genres of theatre.
Offers of places will be sent out in December. Some candidates will be placed on a waiting list, and these candidates will be contacted if they are going to be offered a place. The offer of a place is conditional on a candidate achieving a minimum of eight (I)GCSE passes at A / 7 grade, of which at least four are at A* / 8-9 in the subjects to be studied at A Level. Pupils should have taken the (I)GCSE in Drama and be on track to receive a grade 8 or 9. That said, pupils who do not have the (I)GCSE will still be considered. In this respect, the main requirement is a real interest in and passion for all aspects of theatre and a willingness to work as a team player, to take direction and to invest in taking risks with performance.
Prospective pupils will be asked to write a live theatre evaluation addressing performance or design skills. The performance can be one in which they were involved, either on stage or backstage. Successful candidates will be asked to attend an interview, to discuss their ideas and thoughts on Drama as well as sight read from a play.