Drama

Lights, camera, action: Purbeck! Taught in large purpose built state of the art studio spaces, Drama is a thriving and exciting subject. Studios are flexible performance spaces where the only limits for performance are the bounds of the mind and imagination. Our studios are fully equipped with professional lighting and sound equipment; media suites also offer students the opportunity to incorporate multimedia into their performance work.

Delivered by specialist teachers, it is our aim that all students will share Purbeck’s passion for performance.  Energy, challenge and creativity are at the heart of the subject.  Students work alongside their teachers developing confidence, performance skills and a whole host of invaluable communication and life skills, such as leadership and time management. Drama helps every student to develop a range of life long skills.

Students in Drama will explore various aspects of performance including the following:  scripted acting; devised work from stimuli; improvisation; physical theatre; mask work and technical theatre. Many students select Drama at GCSE, enjoying the subject’s mixture of theory and practical work and often excelling in both. In addition, Drama and Theatre Studies is taught at Post 16 and looked upon favourably by universities and employers from the performing arts, law, the police and teaching to name but a few.

There are numerous extra -curricular opportunities: a Drama Club is offered specifically for KS3 students; we are proud to run a regular programme of theatre visits; opportunities to work with visiting specialist practitioners; involvement in one of the many performances, be it a small cast production or the school musical.

Music

The Purbeck School boasts a vibrant, popular and well-equipped music department. With five dedicated rehearsal rooms, an array of musical instruments, recording facilities and PC workstations for sequencing and producing music, students with musical interests from all styles are welcome to enjoy reaching their creative potential in this fun and progressive department.

Students who succeed and enjoy music at The Purbeck School do not need to be accomplished musicians when they join. It is the intention of the department to provide students with a wide understanding and appreciation of a range of musical genres and world cultures, from Blues to Beethoven and from Chopin to Coldplay.

GCSE (AQA)
The music GCSE course is available to any music enthusiast who is able and willing to play an instrument or sing to a reasonable level.

The course units include Performing, Composing and Listening to and Appraising Music. To ensure that all types of musicians are catered for, the performance unit makes up 40% of the total GCSE mark, giving pupils the opportunity to use their live playing skills to make the most of their music GCSE.

A Level (OCR)
The A Level Music course also covers composing and performing, but with extra focus on high standard performance skills, and with a greater range of opportunity for students to harness their compositional techniques through focused composition assignments in different musical styles.

To help students to reach their full potential, the school pays for all those studying GCSE and A Level to receive one private lesson per week on their instrument or voice from one of the outstanding private teachers that work in partnership with us.