Reviews:
This is a course book, that is to say, a course in drama laid out on paper in a user-friendly manner for both student and teacher, but most particularly the student. It is an excellent addition to the ever-growing cannon of practical drama books... it is complete in itself with play extracts, sources for drama – such as poems or pictures – and sketches to illustrate various aspects of stagecraft.
...It is a course (and a book) very much about ‘doing’. It even goes so far as to point out where the holder of a GCSE in drama might expect to function well in the job market! In the introduction for the student there is a heading, ‘Will I Enjoy This Course?’ After reading (and enjoying) this book I say that the answer is a resounding ‘yes’! ...
...few teachers would not be glad of the thought and expertise shared in GCSE Drama for Edexcel. For teachers working outside of the GCSE requirements there are lots of good ideas to choose from, and all the material is laid out for easy access. The expectations and outcomes for each unit are appropriate and do-able and every page is designed for easy reading. Best of all, for ease of learning, further thought is encouraged through regular sections entitled ‘Discuss and reflect’...
All things considered GCSE Drama for Edexcel is great value for money... It should be in every drama student-teacher’s collection of teaching materials and ... it should be a required text for every grade 11-12 student in secondary school drama.
Rosa Donald, Drama Contact
I wish I'd had 'GCSE Drama for Edexcel' last year. It's great. It explains the course requirements in Year 10 speak. It lays out exactly what a student needs to do, with examples. It doesn't pretend to be a "how to teach GCSE Drama...", but acknowledges the subject's spontaneity and puts itself forward as a support to teacher and student.
Times Educational Supplement
Language and layout is clear with icons to help students, with reference to the units and assessment criteria. The exam syllabus section is designed in a way that is easy to understand and there are handy hints for each section of the exam to help students. The students are helped even further by the book being divided into separate papers, with activities for students to accomplish, or for teachers to use as discussion of starting point for schemes of work...The support material connected with Key Skills and Citizenship is excellent, and is matched to activities and lesson plans. This is a good reference book for students and an excellent starting point for teachers to understand the new exam criteria...
Encore!