Drama is a curriculum subject for all students from Years 5 to 9.  Specialist teaching in Key Stage 2 lays the foundations of performance related skills and confidence building.  From Year 7, students study a wide range of topics, including an introduction to key vocal and physical skills, mask and mime, historical theatre and techniques from Ancient Greek theatre to Commedia dell’Arte, from Shakespeare to silent movies to the 21^st century, stage-craft and dramatic exploration of themes such as homelessness or youth offending. Lessons are taught in purpose-built Drama studios, where students have access to professional lighting, sound and projection equipment in order to aid their learning.  Students are resourced with iPads for research and electronic or hard copies of scripts and study guides.

Drama is available as an option choice at GCSE and A Level. We follow the Eduqas GCSE Drama course, and the AQA A Level Drama & Theatre course.  Students can be assessed in performance or design elements such costume, lighting, sound and set design, set design. We ensure that all students have an effective grounding in the work of a variety of practitioners, including Stanislavski, Brecht, Berkoff and Artaud. Students also experience a wide range of styles, including working with techniques used by Frantic Assembly and Complicité, Stafford-Clarke and Kneehigh Theatre.  We host performances and specialist workshops with experts such as Complicité, Splendid Productions and Quirky Bird.

Students from New Hall have gone on to further studies in performance or other aspects of theatre-making, media and film production, stage management and design.  Places students are currently at or have recently graduated from include Guildhall, Italia Conti, Guildford School of Acting and the Royal Welsh Conservatoire. Alumni of New Hall include actors Theo Stevenson and Nathan Collins, the director Rose Glass and playwright/director, Alecky Blythe.

Head of Drama: Mr A. Williams [email protected]

Twitter: @newhalldrama