Drama

The Antony Barnard Theatre (ABT) is a central asset of the Drama Department and a flagship performing arts venue at Eltham College. Seating up to 230, it provides an immersive and professional-standard environment for students, performers and audiences. 

The theatre is equipped with industry-standard sound and lighting, a sprung floor and flexible performance and rehearsal spaces, alongside dedicated teaching areas, a green room and extensive workshop and storage facilities. These resources enable students to experience theatre-making at a professional level, from rehearsals and lessons to performance. 

The Antony Barnard Theatre reflects Eltham College’s commitment to excellence in the arts, offering students an inspiring space in which creativity, collaboration and performance can thrive. 

Eltham Drama’s Scholarship Programme nurtures the next generation of performers and theatre-makers. Open to students entering Year 7 or Year 12, the programme offers a range of bespoke opportunities, including: 

• Specialist workshops with industry professionals, including directors, choreographers, designers and theatre-makers 

• Individual and small-group mentoring with senior Drama staff, supporting artistic development, auditions and future pathways 

• Priority casting and creative roles in co-curricular productions, including a dedicated Scholar production 

• Exclusive theatre trips and enrichment experiences, such as scholar-only outings, residentials and workshops with leading theatre companies 

• Opportunities to perform beyond school, including festivals and external venues 

• Scholar-led creative projects, including contributions to an annual Drama Journal celebrating achievement and practice 

Drama Scholars thrive in a collaborative and inspiring environment, gaining first-hand experience across the full spectrum of theatre-making. 

For more information on how to apply for a Drama Scholarship, please click here.

Eltham’s Co-Curricular Drama Programme enriches academic study, offering students exceptional opportunities for performance, creativity and collaboration. With the continued appointment of a Director in Residence on-site, students also have the opportunity to work with an industry professional in co-curricular rehearsals, after-school Drama clubs and creative support during practical lessons; even the chance to develop and explore new writing in connection with current playwrights [see The Tinderbox and Other Tales by Toby Hulse, Summer 2026].

Drama is an asset to the curriculum at Eltham College, with opportunities for all students to explore theatre-making from Year 7 through to Sixth Form, developing reflective and presentation skills, confidence, teamwork and creativity. 

Lower School (Years 7–9) 

All students in Years 7–8 receive dedicated Drama lessons, building strong foundations in performance, devising and stagecraft. Drama can then be taken as an Option in Year 9. Lessons focus on key theatrical skills including characterisation, vocal and physical expression and collaborative rehearsal processes. 

The curriculum balances text-based study with practical exploration, introducing students to the process of moving from page to stage through plays such as The Wardrobe, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Othello. alongside devised and skills-based units including: 

• Physical Theatre 

• Intro to vocal and physical skills 

• Political Theatre 

• Puppetry 

• Greek Theatre 

• Naturalism 

• Live Theatre Evaluation 

Students also participate in workshops led by professional theatre practitioners and companies, such as Frantic Assembly, ensuring exposure to a range of contemporary performance styles and working practices. 

At GCSE, students follow the AQA Drama specification, which combines practical performance with the study of drama and theatre in context. Assessment is structured across three components: 

• Devising Drama (40%) – students create and perform original work inspired by a practitioner or genre, supported by a written portfolio 

• Performing from a Text (20%) – students perform scripted extracts in groups or pairs 

• Understanding Drama (40%) – a written examination exploring the set text The Crucible by Arthur Miller and live theatre evaluation of a recent production. 

Students engage with influential practitioners, developing their ability to analyse, evaluate and apply theatrical ideas in performance.  

Our A Level Drama and Theatre course follows the AQA specification, encouraging students to work as informed, independent theatre-makers. The course includes: 

• Devised Performance (40%) – students create an original performance influenced by a chosen practitioner or company, such as DV8, Artaud or Emma Rice, supported by a reflective working notebook 

• Text in Performance (20%) – students perform scripted extracts to a visiting examiner 

• Drama and Theatre (40%) – a written examination exploring two set texts, Hedda Gabler by Ibsen and Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker and the evaluation of a live theatre performance 

Historically, we have had students participate in the Shakespeare Schools Festival, the Camden Fringe and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in productions ranging from The Tempest to Merrily We Roll Along. 

We strongly support our local community and junior schools, who are invited to attend a matinee performance of each of our main house productions every year.

We run a thriving LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) programme which enables students to pursue internationally recognised examinations. Students are able to study subjects including Acting (group, duo and solo), Speaking in Public and Speaking Verse and Prose.  LAMDA examinations are an excellent way for students to gain confidence and develop communication skills. In 2025, 182 students from Year 7–13 took LAMDA examinations with 82% achieving a Distinction. 

We have two tech clubs running every week, one for the Lower School and one for Year 9–13. These consist of workshops with our in-house Theatre Manager and Theatre Technician, teaching lighting and sound design skills, stage management and set-building/dressing. Pupils can sign up to be on the tech-team or crew for our main-house productions, in which they are coached by the technicians to fully operate the lighting and sound on the shows and are prepared to manage props, backstage-crew and facilitate transitions behind the scenes. This is an excellent offering which also nurtures the practical skills honed by students who opt for the technical and design pathways at GCSE and A Level.