Mrs Rachel Ashe (Teacher in Charge)
Miss Cassandra Willis
Mrs Alison Graham
Mrs Rachel Power
GCSE Performing Arts – AQA
GCSE Performing Arts is an applied GCSE which means that you learn by actually doing the skills, rather than just reading about them. There are two units called Skills Development and Showcase Performance. All of year 11 and half of year 12 are spent doing the skills unit and this is completed by performing a series of briefs. Each brief has a theme, a specific audience and certain requirements for success. The class must work as a production company and develop ideas for performance, decide who is performing, who is doing the administration, the lighting, the sound, the costumes, the make up, the set etc and then actually do the performance. Performance work is recorded on camera for evaluation and evidence purposes. Notes of all meetings are kept and put together at the end in a portfolio for assessment. In November the showcase title is released and the pupils begin working on the title sent to them. This performance is examined by a visiting moderator between February and May.
GCE Performing Arts – Edexcel
AS Performing Arts is made up of three units – Unit 1 Developing Skills for Performance, Unit 2 Planning for a Creative Event and Unit 3 Performing to a Commission.
Unit 1 involves writing an initial skills base which sets out your previous performance experience and skills, and gives a starting point from which to progress. Pupils then set 5 targets which they feel will best enhance their skills development and keep a working notebook (or diary record) of skills as they develop. At the end of this unit they evaluate their progress, reflecting, as a professional performer would, on their ability and progress.
Unit 2 involves the class deciding where, to whom and when they would like to produce their creative event. They must draw up an action plan, devise teams for administration, production and performing, record minutes and evaluate their actual event.
Unit 3 involves choosing one of three titles sent by the exam board, and putting together a performance for assessment by an external moderator. They must keep a working log of how the performance was developed and rehearsal progress.
A2 Performing Arts is made up of three units – Unit 4 Employment Opportunities in the Performing Arts, Unit 5 Advanced Performance Practice or Unit 6 Advanced Production Practice and Unit 7 Production Delivery.
Unit 4 involves the pupils taking on a role they have not previously explored. In the past I have encouraged them to become sound engineers, but this year they are being trained as apprentice lighting engineers. They research employment routes and qualifications or training needed, then write up their training and finally evaluate the process.
Unit 5 or 6 involves pupils developing their chosen skill to a higher standard. Performers in music, dance or drama choose unit 5 and sound, lighting, costume, set or stage managers choose unit 6. They must complete a performance which is videoed and assessed, and evaluated.
Unit 7 involves the pupils taking a piece of existing repertoire and changing it in some way, in order to have a new and innovative approach. In the past we have done, “Fame,” but set in Belfast rather than New York or “Hairspray”, but used hiphop dancers versus contemporary dancers as the two opposing groups.
Results
Results at both GCSE and A Level are always excellent, and almost 95 – 100% of pupils achieve grades A – C.
