The study of drama and the performing arts at St Peter’s Collegiate Academy allows students to develop skills and experiences in a range of different areas, from performance work to singing and choreography, and group devising work to independent monologue delivery. Study of drama or the performing arts prepares our students not only for further study in the arts but also gives students the skills of creativity, collaboration, confidence, problem-solving, diplomacy, time management, planning and research.

The Drama and Performing Arts Department at St. Peter’s prides itself on providing a broad and balanced curriculum which consistently embeds the essential skills and knowledge required for students to enjoy and achieve well in the subject.

The aim of the department is to provide a safe, creative and engaging learning environment which fosters the idea of inclusivity, regardless of need, ability or experience. The curriculum has been designed and developed to reflect the diversity of our students and to ensure that their learning is delivered through topics which are stimulating, socially relevant, challenging and culturally reflective.

Year 7 lessons build upon students' primary education, focusing on developing their knowledge, understanding, and application of skills and techniques through the fundamental elements of the subject: creating, performing, and responding.

In Year 8, we continue to expand this knowledge, emphasising a more independent application of skills and techniques by exploring the social and cultural aspects of performance work. This approach helps students understand how performances, texts, and practitioners can raise awareness of relevant societal issues.

In Year 9, we consolidate this knowledge and understanding through formal assessments designed to emulate the GCSE and Level 2 curriculum, effectively preparing students for the next step in their drama education. By developing these foundational skills, we aim to foster a positive, vibrant, creative, expressive, and encouraging learning environment where students' work is shared and valued, and their contributions are valid and respected.

With two courses offered in Key Stage 4, GCSE Drama and BTEC Level 2 Tech Award in Performing Arts, our curriculum builds on the fundamental skills students developed in Key Stage 3 while leveraging their strengths and interests. This enables us to teach various styles and repertoires, exploring a range of practitioners for a diverse and challenging curriculum.

To effectively prepare students for the assessment process, we focus on response to stimuli, idea development, script research, character development and interpretation, performance research and evaluation, set text study, and live performance review. This approach helps students develop further skills in examination techniques and, above all, a love for the subject.

At Key Stage 5, we offer the BTEC Level 3 in Performing Arts or Performance (Musical Theatre) based on the cohort's skills and interests. The variety of BTEC courses allows us to tailor our curriculum annually, resulting in varied Key Stage 5 delivery. Each course includes mandatory and optional units.

For the BTEC Level 3 Performing Arts course, mandatory units are: Developing Skills and Techniques, focusing on a specific practitioner, text, or style; Investigating Practitioners' Work, an externally marked research exam; and Group Performance Workshop, based on an exam board set stimulus. Optional units include Acting Styles, Improvisation, and Classical Text in Performance, selected based on student attributes, all aimed at enhancing specific performance skills and techniques.

The BTEC Level 3 Performance (Musical Theatre) qualification includes mandatory units like: Developing Skills and Techniques, Musical Theatre Techniques, and Group Performance Workshop. Optional units, such as Choreography, Singing, and Acting Styles, focus on developing and applying skills in specific specialisms.

This range of options allows us to showcase students' work in formal assessments to audiences of parents, staff, and students, giving their efforts recognition and inspiring peers and younger students. 

Extra-curricular opportunities are offered to all years and include activities like theatre trips, workshops with professional companies and practitioners (National Theatre, Vamos etc), Key Stage 3 Drama Club, and whole school productions.

The Academy has put on a number of musicals involving students from all years in acting, singing, dancing, set design and sound and lighting.

In recent years, musicals have included: The Addams Family, Six, Sister Act, Les Miserables and Hairspray.

There are numerous careers in the performing arts (performer, director, designer, technician, etc) and careers supported by attributes developed in performing arts studies (lawyer, broadcaster, journalist, researcher, etc). These careers are frequently discussed with students in class and through our schemes of work, such as Theatre in Education. We also advocate working with professional performers, companies, and practitioners who speak openly with our students about available pathways and their own routes. We hope this inspires our students and enhances their understanding of how drama and performing arts can be a vehicle for achieving their aspirations.