BTEC
Course Overview
BTEC Extended Certificate in Performing Arts: Acting is a practical and inspiring course designed for students who are passionate about performance and want to develop real acting skills for stage and screen. Through a mix of workshops, rehearsals, and live performances, you’ll explore a wide range of acting styles, including both classical and contemporary theatre.
You’ll work with practitioner techniques from industry icons such as Stanislavski, Artaud, Frantic Assembly, and Berkoff, helping you build believable characters and grow in confidence. The course also covers acting for camera, voice work, movement, and ensemble performance, giving you a strong foundation for further study or a future in the performing arts industry. Whether you dream of drama school, a career on stage, or performing on screen, this course will help you develop your creativity, confidence, and professionalism.
ASSESSMENT
- Controlled Assessment: 33%
- Course Work: 33.5%
- Practical Assessment: 33.5%
- Awarding Body: Pearson Edexcel
Qualifications Available
BTEC Extended Certificate (equivalent to 1 A-Level)
COURSE CONTENT
- Investigating Practitioners’ Work
- Developing Skills and Techniques for Live Performance
- Group Performance Workshop
- Acting Styles
- Acting for Screen
- Physical Theatre Techniques
BEGIN – IS THIS COURSE RIGHT FOR ME?
If you have a genuine passion for acting, performing, or storytelling, then this course could be the perfect fit for you. It’s designed for students who enjoy working creatively, whether that means devising performances, improvising scenes, or bringing scripts to life. Acting is also about collaboration, so you should be comfortable working as part of a team and open to experimenting with different styles, genres, and techniques.
You don’t need to be an expert already — enthusiasm, commitment, and a willingness to learn are the most important qualities. Many students join us after school plays, drama clubs, or local theatre groups, while others bring experience from singing or dancing. If you’re excited by the idea of stepping on stage, performing on camera, and building your skills under the guidance of industry professionals, you’ll fit right in.
BELONG – WHY STUDY THIS WITH US?
Studying Acting with us means immersing yourself in performance, not just learning lines. You’ll train in our professional-standard black box theatre and film/TV studios, gaining confidence both on stage and on camera. Learning extends beyond the classroom with theatre trips, industry-led workshops, and partnerships with organisations like the National Youth Theatre. You’ll perform in two major productions each year at established venues, with opportunities to explore stage management, lighting, and sound. Plus, our ASPIRE Musical Theatre Society stages a full-scale musical annually—perfect for dancers, singers, and actors alike.
BEYOND – WHERE CAN THIS COURSE TAKE ME?
By the end of the course, you’ll have developed the skills, confidence, and experience to pursue a wide variety of progression routes. Many of our students go on to train at some of the UK’s most prestigious drama schools and universities, including East 15, LIPA, and Italia Conti. Others progress into careers in acting, musical theatre, directing, stage management, or technical theatre, while some move into related fields such as event management, arts marketing, and teaching.
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