Year 7 and 8 

We assess students termly, or half termly, on their devising, performing and evaluation (written and verbal) skills. We use the GCSE criteria to give the students feedback on their progress; working towards, working at and working above. 

The teacher and students use a bank of statements to choose a target as their focus for the next half term. These can range from voice development, taking on bigger roles, giving more ideas and managing their distractions. 

We use the school Character Compass for students to evaluate their progress in areas such as listening to others, developing confidence and leading the group. 

Years 9/10/ 11

The GCSE criteria is used for all assessments, written and practical. 

Devising 30%

Performing 20% written 10%

Written 40%

Students are encouraged to assess themselves and their peers and to always be evaluating and discussing what went well and what still needs development. 

Year 7 and 8 

Knowledge organisers and drama skills and strategies

Line learning

Play reading

Introduction to drama practitioners

Year 9

Focus on all elements of the GCSE course. 

• Research into practitioners
• Script writing
• Portfolio writing
• Set text essays 
• Theatre reviews

Year 10

Devising portfolio completed at home and in school throughout the year. 30%

Exam questions re set text and theatre review in preparation for written prelim, 40%

Preparation for performance exam. Script reading, character development and line learning. 30%

Year 11

• Line learning and development for performance
• Pro forma written and sent to examiner
• Ongoing preparation for written exam
• Finishing portfolio

St Peter’s prides itself on providing all students with the opportunity to see a play every year and to be involved in school productions. Sometimes we go out to see plays and musicals but we also have companies in, especially for GCSE students.

Shows we have seen recently

Matilda at Plymouth Theatre Royal

Year 10 and 11 went to see this amazing musical. They need a theatre review for their Drama GCSE. It was great to see the amazing lights, set and costumes. 

Humbug by Four of Swords at St Nichols's Priory

Year 9 went to see a promenade performance of Humbug by theatre company Four of Swords. This was in the amazing St Nicholas’s Priory on Fore Street. The audience were taken around Scrouge’s house by one of the spirit’s. They even had a party in his kitchen.

Theatre Groups working with St Peter's
 

The Border theatre Centre

In October Theatre Centre Theatre Company came to St Peter’s to perform their production of The Border by Afsaneh Gray. 

It was a “high energy, outrageous Brechtian parable that explores the lines we draw between ourselves and other people and the absurdities of borders. The Border features original songs and a live break-out debate where one girl and her dog, and the audience, find their voice

They will be back with their new show Birds and Bees on 2020/2021

Recent Student Productions

A group of students, mostly year 9, put on their own production of this play at the Cygnet Theatre. It has a very important message and the audience were very moved by the plight of the characters. It was great to show all their hard work in a professional theatre. 

Fugee by Abi Morgan

Fugee: Slang for refugee of political oppression or natural disaster.
Fugeed: Something that has been lived in, soiled, stained or damaged.

Kojo is 14 but no one believes him; he's just one of the unaccompanied minors arriving in London, abandoned on the streets of the UK. Ara's from Baghdad and still hears the bombs at night. Cheung can do back flips and is from village in China that is more than a thousand years old. Orphans in London, they are the only family they have now.                                             

Together they tell Kojo's story: a story of lost childhood, tall trees and a murder in motion; a murder by a child that everyone says is a man.
 

We Will Rock You!

This was a very ambitious undertaking as we knew this would be very technical show. The large cast were very dedicated and the actors playing the main characters sung their hearts out.

All the students were amazing, as were the lights. The audience joined in all the songs and clapped along, and everyone had a brilliant time

Grease

This was our first production since covid, and students were very keen to get involved. We had a cast of 140 plus tech crew which was our biggest cast ever.

We performed to 300 hundred people over 4 nights plus a performance for all of year 7.

Bugsy Malone
Our big production in 2020 was Bugsy Malone. Over 80 students were involved either on stage or backstage to make this an amazing production. Take a look at the photos in our gallery pages. 

The Adams Family
In 2019 we staged a production of the Addams family. This dark, black comedy allowed our students to get into full costume and didn't disappoint in terms of showcasing the amazing hidden talents of some of our students.

The Monstrum

Fiddler on the Roof