Why Study IGCSE Drama?

Cambridge IGCSE (9–1) Drama provides opportunities for learners to develop practical skills in performance, both as an individual and within a group. Learners will understand the artistic choices made by actors, directors and designers in presenting performances for an audience. They will also learn about theatrical styles and genres. Learners will explore how to develop their own ideas in creating original drama. 

Through practical and theoretical study, the Cambridge IGCSE Drama syllabus encourages students to understand and enjoy drama by: 

• developing their performance skills, both individually and in groups 
• understanding the role of actor, director and designer in creating a piece of theatre 
• considering ways in which ideas and feelings can be communicated to an audience 
• discovering the performance possibilities of plays and other dramatic stimuli 
• devising dramatic material of their own. 

Our programmes balance a thorough knowledge and understanding of a subject and help to develop the skills learners need for their next steps in education or employment. Our approach encourages learners to be engaged, confident, responsible, innovative and reflective.

The IGCSE Drama Course at BISC aims to: 

• Develop candidates’ understanding of drama through practical and theoretical study
• Enable candidates to understand the role of actor, director and designer in creating a piece of theatre
• Develop candidates’ acting skills, both individually and in group
• Enable candidates to develop their skills in devising original drama
• Help candidates communicate feelings and ideas to an audience
• Foster understanding of the performance process and enable candidates to evaluate the various stages of that process
• Encourage enjoyment of drama

Content Overview
Learners develop an understanding and enjoyment of drama through practical and theoretical study. Candidates will study: 

• The elements of practical drama 
• How to work with extracts from published plays as an actor, director and designer
• How to devise, develop and structure their own original dramatic material from stimuli such as short titles, poems, pictures, songs, historical events and stories
• How to evaluate their contribution to the devising process and the success of the final piece 
• How to use staging and design as part of a dramatic performance
• Individual and group performance skills and how they are applied to create character and communicate meaning to an audience.

Assessment Overview 

All candidates take two components.

Course entry requirements

A Grade 5 or above in Year 9 Drama and English. There is a significant portion of writing involved.

The Student Perspective

"Growing up, I’ve always love acting, which is why choosing drama was one of the easiest decisions I made in Year 9. During drama lessons, I get to express myself around the comfort of my friends while also getting work done. Drama gave me the opportunity to explore my creativity through writing scripts and making them come to life. Additionally, I have become more confident and expressive since choosing drama. In drama we receive feedback from our peers, to help us better develop our performances, and we also witness other people’s performances which gives us the inspiration to assess our own show through writing.

Although drama isn’t completely practical, writing answers on lighting, staging and costume techniques has given me a deeper understanding on how to create the biggest impact on the audience during a show. Drama does require a lot of commitment and effort, however I believe it’s worth it for all the benefits of developing stronger communication, expressing our emotions, exploring our creative side, learning what makes a performance dramatic and how to create a performance ourselves."

Mathilda Smith