Oundle School
Drama
Head of Department: Mr M. Burlington
The teaching of Drama and Theatre Studies centres on The Stahl Theatre, a fabulous resource in which the School productions take place - see the Stahl Theatre web page for further information. There are three studio/teaching rooms at the back of the Stahl and a further teaching space at the top of the Theatre where lessons take place.
There are currently four full time Drama teachers, but in addition to this the Stahl management and technical staff are also involved in curriculum work and the teaching of technical skills both in lessons and in extra-curricular activities. The many School productions are a major resource for the teaching of all aspects of drama, not just for those involved but all those who see them.
All pupils in Forms 1 - 3 take Drama, during which they are taught the basic skills of communication and teamwork through drama games and activities. This includes some playwriting, improvisation skills, text based work and devised work. Lessons are usually practical with the key emphasis being on encouraging participation and the growth of confidence of each individual child.
Drama Scholarships are awarded at 13+.
The department is staffed by:
Mr A.J.H. Boag BA
Mr M. Burlington BA MA
Ms. K.A. Francis BA
Mr. A.D. Martens BA
Course content
GCSE
We currently teach the Welsh Board specification which provides as strong base in practical drama with an emphasis on production and performance. Pupils learn the process of taking a play or script of some kind and transferring this into a performance on stage. Although most pupils take the course from the point of view of an actor, it is also possible to consider such design skills as lighting, costume and sound production. Two specific texts are studied and pupils are also encouraged to write their own pieces of drama.
AS
We teach the AQA specification. For further details of course content, and pattern of assessment, follow this link.
A focus is placed on Stanislavski and the school of Realism, which emphasises character driven drama. Two major texts, usually a Shakespeare and a modern play, are studied from a director, actor or designer's point of view. Many theatre trips are taken in order to develop a critical awareness of how theatre is put together. Pupils also have to prepare and present their own devised piece of theatre for the practical exam.
A2
Here the emphasis shifts to Brecht and the study of more political theatre. A further two texts are studied, one 19th century and one modern play, again from the director, actor and designer's point of view. The practical exam requires the production of an extract from a published play. There is also a synoptic exam in which candidates have to comment on an unseen piece of text, using all the knowledge they have gained on theatre over the previous years.