You don’t need GCSE Drama to take Drama and Theatre Studies at Bilborough Sixth Form College. What you will need, though, are a strong level of performance or design, a creative approach to productions and the ability to evaluate a performance. We follow the new Edexcel specification and work in classes of no more than 21 students – usually fewer. You’ll learn in a purpose-built studio theatre with stage lighting and sound, and flexible raked seating to create a variety of performance spaces. We also have an open-air amphitheatre and a specialist technical assistant. You can combine this subject with Performance Studies and / or Dance if you wish. (Drama & Theatre Studies is concerned with the whole area of theatre – including production and performance – whereas Performance Studies is concerned with contemporary dance, music and drama.)

Our department has strong links with higher education institutions that include the Central School of Speech & Drama, Loughborough University, Rose Bruford College, East 15 Acting School and Lakeside Theatre. Several of these institutions have led practical theatre workshops for our students; many of our alumni have gone on to study with them. We are starting a gap year theatre project in association with successful alumni Yvez McKenzie (currently Understudy Director at Crucible Theatre, Sheffield and a former Commonwealth Ambassador) and Edward Boott (founder of Nonsuch Theatre Company).

To study Drama and Theatre Studies at Bilborough you need a grade 4 or above in English GCSE as well as in Drama if you studied it at GCSE. An interest in the theatre is essential!