Drama

Drama is a subject that aims to help pupils develop their skills in acting and directing, as well as a range of theatre arts such as lighting, sound, scenery and costume design.

When studying Drama, pupils will engage in a wide range of activities, including:

• Creating dramas of their own using a range of different resources.
• Working as part of a group to develop ideas for dramas.
• Acting in dramas that they and other pupils have created.
• Directing other pupils in dramas they work on together.
• Using a range of different theatre arts, such as lighting, sound, set design, costume, etc.
• Evaluating dramas that they and others have produced.

Given the wide range of activities pupils engage with in a Drama classroom, the subject provides excellent opportunities to develop many valuable skills and qualities, such as:

• Confidence
• Empathy
• Presentation skills
• Working in groups
• Organisational skills
• Managing time and other resources

Careers in Drama

Drama is an important subject for anyone interested in a career in film, television or theatre, with links to many obvious careers, such as actor, director, set designer, stage manager, playwright, camera operator and voiceover artist. However, given the wide range of transferrable skills developed in drama, a qualification in the subject can be extremely useful for a range of other careers, such as TV presenter, doctor, lawyer, managing director, social worker, teacher, journalist and many more.

Qualifications in Drama

At Uddingston Grammar School we currently offer two opportunities for pupils to study Drama:

• Across S3 and S4, pupils can choose to study the National 5 Drama course.
• In either S5 or S6, pupils can choose to study the National 6 (Higher) Drama course.

National 5 Drama

The National 5 Drama course is an excellent opportunity for pupils who are new to drama, or who have had some experience of drama out of school or as part of extra-curricular groups. Pupils will engage in the activities described above to develop their skills through S3 and S4, and will be assessed for their N5 Drama qualification at the end of S4. These assessments are as follows:

Written Exam

Pupils will answer a series of questions about a performance they have created and performed during their time studying Drama. They will then go on to generate a new idea for a drama, and answer a series of questions on what that drama would be like.

Performance Exam

Pupils will perform an extract from a play. This will be watched by an audience and an examiner from the exam board, who will assess the performance.

Higher Drama

The Higher Drama course is well-suited to pupils who have studied Drama at National 5 Level, or who wish to experience Drama as a “crash” Higher subject. Pupils will develop many of the skills that are explored in the N5 programme, through participation in two units of coursework, which focus on Drama Skills and Production Skills. The course assessment consists of two exams:

Written Exam

The written exam consists of two papers, which require pupils to demonstrate knowledge of a written drama text they have studied, followed by a written analysis of a drama performance that they have attended.

Performance Exam

The performance exam requires pupils to perform two contrasting roles from two different texts in front of an audience, as well as submit a written outline of preparation they have undertaken for these performances.

Extra-Curricular Drama – School Show

At Uddingston Grammar School we have an annual school show, which takes at the end of every school year. This opportunity is available to pupils from all year groups, who have either had some experience of acting, singing or dancing, or who are simply keen to try something new. Being involved in the show can be a great way to build confidence, make friends and have lots of fun, as well as being an excellent way of finding out more about what it would be like to study Drama as a subject.

Further Information

Drama is part of the school’s English and Drama Faculty, the Faculty Head of which is Mr A. Harvey, who can be reached at AHarvey@uddingston.s-lanark.sch.uk