Students must meet the minimum entry requirements for the Vocational or Combination study pathway. In addition, students must have GCSE Grade 4 in Drama / Performing Arts (or equivalent at BTEC Level 2). An audition may be required.

This course is based on skills development across the three Performing Arts disciplines (Dance, Music and Drama). Students that have experience in theatre or performance groups outside of school tend to suit the course well.

At Bourne Academy the course is taught by Drama specialists and run with a strong emphasis on acting skills, musical theatre and physical theatre. Students that wish to use strengths in Music and Dance will have the opportunity to do so, however it is Drama that is the main driver behind this course.

It is felt strongly by both students and staff that this course provides you with the best possible start to a career in the Performing Arts as well as necessary life skills for teamwork and collaboration towards achieving shared goals.

YEAR ONE

Unit 2 – Developing Skills for Live Performance

• You explore technical performance skills with a focus on developing skills and techniques in at least two performance styles.

Unit 1 – Investigating Practitioners’ Work

• For the assessment, you will investigate and critically analyse the work of two practitioners in response to the task set. You will investigate and critically analyse the contextual influences on your selected practitioners and performance work with a focus on how these relate to the theme identified in the set task. Before the supervised period you will have four weeks to carry out research in response to a published source, you will then have three hours in supervised conditions to produce a written response

YEAR TWO

Year two will be a teacher guided option with Unit 19 – Acting Styles or Unit 3 – Group Performance Workshop

Unit 19 – Acting Styles

• You develop acting methods by exploring different acting styles. You will apply techniques to the development, rehearsal and performance of your practical work.

Unit 3 – Group Performance Workshop

• Before the assessment period, you will have the opportunity to prepare for the development and completion of the group performance and their digital process log. For assessment, you will be given a stimulus to create performance material. In groups that consist of a minimum of three and a maximum of seven members, you will respond to the stimulus and develop the performance workshop for an invited audience.

Students will work to a brief and be given clear assessment criteria so they can be confident on what is expected to achieve a Distinction* / Distinction / Merit / Pass. Your final grade will be calculated from a culmination of the points collected across all units. Throughout the course, students will be well supported by teachers who will give feedback on progress against the key assessment criteria.

Across the course students will complete units that are assessed in a variety of ways. There are three different types of assessment: coursework (internally assessed), tasks and written examination (both externally assessed).

YEAR ONE

Unit 2 – Developing Skills for Live Performance

• Assessed through assignments and tasks in coursework

Unit 1 – Investigating Practitioners’ Work

• Externally assessed task

YEAR TWO

Unit 19 – Acting Styles

• Assessed through assignments and tasks in coursework

Unit 3 – Group Performance Workshop

• Externally assessed task

The BTEC National Extended Certificate is a Level 3 qualification which is the equivalent to one A-level and widely recognised by universities and employers.

Students that study A-level Performing Arts have progressed onto higher education courses across the country. These include reputable London and Birmingham based higher education performance specialist institutions such as Rose Bruford in West London, Birmingham School of Acting as well as Drama education based courses at Lincoln University or Film and Media related courses across the East Midlands.

Some students have decided to specialise in Musical Theatre or Technical Theatre as a result of the course and have continued to forge successful links within the industry through doing so.

Many students also find that it has boosted their confidence to pursue a career in law or teaching.