Drama

At The Langton, Drama is a dynamic and integral part of our school, nurturing creativity and communication while developing intellectual rigour and critical thinking skills. Across all key stages, our drama programme empowers students to explore complex ideas, engage with diverse texts and express themselves with confidence and flair – skills that extend far beyond the stage.

From the moment students join the Langton, Drama plays a vital role in their academic and personal development. Our Key Stage 3 curriculum is delivered through one lesson a week in smaller groups of 20 by specialist drama teachers. Our KS3 curriculum introduces pupils to the fundamental principles of performance, storytelling, and stage craft, while encouraging them to think critically about theatre as a cultural and historical art form.

Students work collaboratively to create original pieces, explore contemporary and classical texts and develop vocal and physical skills with freedom to use their imaginations while creating close working relationships with their peers. Drama Clubs run at lunchtime for each year group where we prepare a play for presentation to family and friends in the summer term.

Live theatre experiences this year include a whole year 9 theatre visit to the Marlowe to see The National Theatre production, Dear England.

At Key Stage 4, GCSE Drama offers students greater time in the drama studio to develop their performance and technical theatre skills and gain a deeper understanding of theatre both as an art and an academic discipline. Theatre design students can opt to focus on lighting, set, costume, sound and puppetry.  Students are given opportunities to perform to an audience each term and visit professional productions locally and in London. This Autumn we visited Shakespeare’s Globe to see a fabulous production of Twelfth Night alongside the A level students. Students study influential practitioners and develop a toolkit of skills to create effective drama pieces of their own to which parents are invited to watch and celebrate achievements. They analyse significant works of drama, and explore the social, political and historical contexts that shape theatrical movements.

The course combines rigorous practical work with thoughtful written analysis, encouraging students to become independent thinkers and articulate communicators. Performance assessments, devised theatre projects and set text explorations challenge students to demonstrate creativity and intellectual curiosity, preparing them for future academic study and professional pathways.

This course develops creative thinking and communication skills, personal confidence and presentation skills, all invaluable and transferable skills. GCSE Drama is an excellent foundation for A Level Drama as well as the study of other humanities and demonstrates a student’s range of skills for future university applications.

At Key Stage 5, the A level Drama and Theatre course builds on earlier foundations and pushes students to engage with theatre in sophisticated and nuanced ways.

Our students devise original productions, interpret challenging texts and experienced live theatre deepening their appreciation of drama as a collaborative living art form. The course demands creativity, discipline and intellectual rigour, qualities that serve students well in higher education and beyond. Our current texts include Jerusalem by Jez Butterworth, Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker, The Seagull by Anton Chekhov and a guided choice of late 20^th century and 21^st theatre scripts for the student-directed Texts in Practice unit. Yearly visits to the V&A museum enable students to see recorded productions of both set texts.

We are proud of our students’ successes including those who have a place with The National Youth Theatre, are currently studying at Drama Schools or on Arts based degrees as well with top universities including Cambridge. We have a 100% pass rate including A* achievements at A level.

Drama at The Langton extends far beyond the curriculum.  Students can take part in a wide range of wider curricular opportunities from whole school productions and theatre trips to workshops with professional companies. We have popular LAMDA Public Speaking and Acting courses run by Mrs Andrea Dengate during lunchtimes. These sessions are delivered in groups and there is a cost for joining this programme. The LANGTON YOUTH THEATRE runs on a Monday evening after school in A1 land this year is led by Mrs Strickland. It is open to students from year 8 to 12 and will again be taking part in the National Connections Project, which will culminate in a performance of a new play commissioned by The National Theatre at the Trinity Theatre in Tonbridge.

These experiences enhance their learning, broaden their cultural horizons and strengthen our vibrant community of young theatre makers.

Drama at the Langton is more than a subject – it is an inclusive space where imagination meets scholarship, where creativity drives academic excellence, and where every student has has a chance to shine.