At Key Stage 5, students study the EDUQAS Drama and Theatre Studies A Level, which leads on from the EDUQAS GCSE. The students have the opportunity to delve deeper into the history of theatre and the social historical context of a number of plays. They can also develop a further understanding of the Playwrights from a range of different times and socioeconomic backgrounds. The students will again work holistically working both independently, and as part of a group to create, devise, and perform their work and the work of established playwrights.
Component 1: Theatre Workshop
Non-exam assessment: internally assessed, externally moderated. 20% of qualification.
Students will be assessed on either acting or design.
Students participate in the creation, development and performance of a piece of theatre based on a reinterpretation of an extract from a text chosen from a list supplied by WJEC. The piece must be developed using the techniques and working methods of either an influential theatre practitioner or a recognised theatre company.
Students must produce:
- a realisation of the performance or
- design a creative log
Component 2: Text in Action
Non-exam assessment: externally assessed by a visiting examiner. 40% of qualification.
Learners will be assessed on either acting or design.
Learners participate in the creation, development and performance of two pieces of theatre based on a stimulus supplied by WJEC:
- a devised piece using the techniques and working methods of either an influential theatre practitioner or a recognised theatre company (a different practitioner or company to that chosen for Component 1)
- an extract from a text in a different style chosen by the learner. Learners must realise their performance live for the visiting examiner. Learners choosing design must also give a 5-10 minute presentation of their design to the examiner. Learners produce a process and evaluation report within one week of completion of the practical work
Component 3: Text in Performance
Written examination - 2 hours 30 minutes. 40% of qualification
Sections A and B Open book:
Clean copies (no annotation) of the two complete texts chosen must be taken into the examination. Two questions, based on two different texts, one written pre-1956 and one written post-1956.
Pre-1956
- The Trojan Women by Euripides
- As You Like It by William Shakespeare
- Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen
- Machinal by Sophie Treadwell
- Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams
Post-1956:
- Saved by Edward Bond
- Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo
- Racing Demon by David Hare
- Love and Information by Caryl Churchill
- Chimerica by Lucy Kirkwood
Section C Closed book:
The extract of text required for answering the questions will be printed on the examination paper. A question based on a specified extract from:
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, adapted by Simon Stephens.
Details of the 10-15 minute extract will be released during the first week of March, in the year in which the examination is to be taken.
Year 12
Term 1 |
Term 2 |
Term 3 |
Introduction to Component 3: Text In performance: Cat on A Hot Tin Roof and Saved. Introduction to Steven Berkoff and Total Theatre.
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Choosing a text and creating Component 1: Theatre Workshop performance.
Continuation of Component 3 text revision
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Amending and refinement of performance element of Component 1
Continuation of Component 3
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Term 4 |
Term 5 |
Term 6 |
Amending and refinement of performance element of Component 1
Continuation of Component 3
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Performance and written evaluation of Component 1. Introduction to Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time.
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Introduction to Component 2: Text in Action.
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Year 13
Term 1 |
Term 2 |
Term 3 |
Research EDUQAS Stimulus for the creation of the Devised and Scripted pieces for Component 2.
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Creation and development of Devised and Scripted pieces Component 2.
Continuation of Component 3 practice questions.
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Creation and development of Devised and Scripted pieces Component 2.
Continuation of Component 3 practice questions.
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Term 4 |
Term 5 |
Term 6 |
Refinement and performance of Scripted and Devised pieces. Written Evaluation Continuation of Component 3 practice questions.â
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Continuation of Component 3 practice questions.
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Example of skill progression
During the A Level course, the students will refine the skills that they learnt in KS3 and KS4. Students will study their five different plays from a range of eras and playwrights to give them a broad knowledge of a range of Playwrights and of the factors that influence their writing; they explore these in both a practical and written way. Again, they will be creating their own work from a stimulus, both devised and scripted, and they will create their own reinterpretation of a text in the style of an influential theatre practitioner’s during Component 1 and 2. Component 3 allows the students to analyse three plays. They will demonstrate their sound knowledge of the social/historical factors that influenced the writing of these plays and will put them into context for a contemporary audience. Knowledge of technical skills are also refined through this course, as the students have to integrate the technical conventions of an influential Theatre Practitioner or Theatre Company both through their performance and written work.