Acting Level 3


  • Start Date: 01/09/2025
  • Course is for: School Leaver
  • Course Length: 1 Year
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Today’s entertainment industry is exciting and diverse, with this region quickly making a name for itself in both television and theatre.

On this course, you will have the chance to specialise in areas which suit your interests, passions and career plans. Alongside core subjects like Acting Techniques, Voice, Movement and Work Experience you will have the choice of specialising in either Acting for Screen or Acting for Stage.

Whether you aspire to act for camera, in musical theatre, creating voice-overs, presenting or entertaining this course will provide you with the skills and techniques to help you realise your goals.

The Level 3 course is designed to give you the opportunity to perform as much as possible, in a wide range of venues, styles and disciplines. You will develop skills and techniques, gain real industry experience and start you off on a successful career in an exciting and rewarding profession.

Whilst everyone will study a range of core skills and techniques, those who choose the Acting for Screen pathway can look forward to working on short films, multi-camera projects, voice characterisation for animation and digital platforms, presenting and vlogging. Those who choose an Acting for Stage pathway will experience musical theatre, contemporary drama, classical theatre, singing, movement and dance. All students will learn and gain valuable experience in a range of performance techniques to suit a variety of industry demands.

You will be supported in applying to university and auditioning for drama schools and students get to engage with visiting lecturers, as well as go on trips and visits to venues, both regionally and nationally.

If you want to make a positive step to realising your true potential in this exciting industry, then this course is for you.

Reasons to apply:

  • We’ll support you through applications to Higher Education, Drama Schools and into industry.
  • We’ll introduce you to regional arts organisations and lead practitioners.
  • You’ll be introduced to a wide range of techniques and genres of work in this field.
  • You’ll gain genuine real-world work experience.
     

The course is a two-year, full-time vocational course, equivalent to 3 A-Levels. Core topics include:

  • Live Theatre Work Experience
  • Termly Masterclasses
  • Self-Tape/Showreel/Auditions
  • Voice and Movement
  • Acting Techniques

We’ll also support you with your UCAS application.

Examples of previous work include:

  • Industry Placements and Work Experience including Live Theatre and Northern Stage
  • National Theatre Connections Festival
  • Shakespeare Schools Festival
  • Metro Radio ‘Walk of Fear’ Halloween event in support of ‘Cash for Kids’
  • Regional touring of children’s theatre
  • In-house plays and musicals
  • Flash mobs and charity benefit performances
  • Site-specific work

Assessment

You’ll be continuously assessed using class based assignments and a portfolio of evidence.

The standard entry requirements for this course are 5 GCSE grade 4 or above (grade A*-C), including English and Maths. You’ll also be asked to do an audition.

Applicants who do not meet all the course entry requirements, may still be considered. If not able to continue with their application to this course, an alternative course will be explored and further advice and guidance offered.

This course is run in partnership with Live theatre, based on the Quayside, Newcastle. Each year, students fulfil a minimum of 30 hours work experience at this professional venue, working with professional actors, directors, producers and facilitators, creating original work which will look impressive on any actor’s CV.

We also take on regular commissions including Metro Radio’s Halloween ‘Walk of Fear,’ benefit concerts for regional charities, children’s theatre tours and drama facilitation for local community organisations.

This course is also central to ‘COLAB’, where all students work collaboratively with other areas and courses of the college in a professional environment in order to gain vital experience of working as a specialist within a multidiscipline project. Students on this course have worked with Media, Productions Arts, Music, Media-Make-up and Dance students on a range of projects under the COLAB banner.

School Leaver Course Guide 2025/2026

View or download our course guide for 16-18 year olds.

Gateshead College School Leavers guide for 2025 - 2026