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Bringing stories to life through performance and imagination
Bringing stories to life through performance and imagination
Qualification: A Level
Exam Board: AQA
Duration: 2 years
Entry Requirements: Minimum Grade 5 in English Literature or Language and Grade 5 in Drama (if studied at GCSE)
Level: 3 (Advanced Level)
Drama and Theatre Studies at Carterton Community College inspires students to become confident, independent theatre makers with the creativity and analytical skills needed for further study or professional performance. The AQA specification emphasises both practical creativity and theoretical understanding, allowing students to learn through experience — seeing theatre and making theatre for themselves.
You will explore a wide range of theatrical styles, contexts, and practitioners, developing the ability to communicate meaning and emotion through performance, direction, and design. Lessons balance practical workshops, rehearsal and performance with written analysis, helping you understand how the social, historical, and cultural contexts of theatre shape production and interpretation.
This course is ideal for students who enjoy creative collaboration and intellectual challenge. You will gain confidence, teamwork, and presentation skills while exploring what it means to tell stories that move and inspire an audience.
“Drama is about imagination, expression, and understanding. We help students discover their creative potential and the confidence to share it.”
What Will I learn?
What Will I learn?
You will study drama as a practical art form, learning how ideas are communicated through form, style, and convention. You will create and perform original drama, applying the methods of leading practitioners such as Stanislavski, Brecht, and Artaud to your own devised work. You will also perform key extracts from published plays, deepening your understanding of how text, movement, and design work together to engage audiences.
Through research and analysis of professional productions, you will explore how theatre evolves within its cultural and political context. Your written work will demonstrate how theory informs practice and how creative choices bring a performance to life. This blend of critical reflection and hands-on experience prepares you for a wide range of creative, academic, and professional futures.
Careers & Progression
Careers & Progression
A Level Drama and Theatre Studies develops a unique combination of creative, analytical, and interpersonal skills. Many students progress to degrees in Drama, Theatre, Performing Arts, or English, while others pursue careers in law, teaching, marketing, or the media.
The ability to communicate effectively, work as part of a team, and think critically makes this subject highly valued by universities and employers alike. Potential career routes include acting, directing, playwriting, theatre production, stage management, and arts administration.
How You'll be assessed
How You'll be assessed
This course follows the AQA 7262 specification and is assessed through a combination of written examination and practical performance.
Component 1, Drama and Theatre, is a written exam worth 40 per cent of the qualification. It tests knowledge and understanding of two set texts and the analysis and evaluation of live theatre.
Component 2, Creating Original Drama, is a devised performance accompanied by a written analysis of the creative process. It accounts for 30 per cent of the qualification.
Component 3, Making Theatre, requires you to perform an extract from a play informed by a chosen practitioner and complete a reflective report on the development process. This is also worth 30 per cent.
This balance of creative expression and academic rigour ensures students gain both artistic experience and critical insight.
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