Higher

Drama

This course is optional

What will you study in this course?

The course has an integrated approach to learning, giving candidates the opportunity to develop practical and evaluative skills, as well as knowledge and understanding of drama and its influences.

Candidates explore and develop a range of complex drama skills and approaches to communicating thoughts and ideas to an audience. They explore acting skills by developing and portraying a range of characters. They learn how to respond to stimuli, including text, and develop knowledge, understanding and practical experience of form, structure, genre and style when creating and presenting drama. Candidates generate ideas for presenting text using production areas. They explore and develop practical skills in a range of complex production areas. They apply these skills to enhance the presentation of text.

Candidates develop knowledge and understanding of historical, social, cultural and theatrical influences on drama. They learn how to evaluate their own progress and the progress of others. Candidates also consider the influence that cultural values, identities and ideas have on drama.

What do I need to progress into this course?

It is advised that pupils will have taken Nat 5 Drama before entering this course. Occasionally this may be waived if pupils can demonstrate extensive performing/production experience via extracurricular commitments.

Pupils will need to have gained a grade C and above at Nat 5 English to be able to enter this programme of study.

Successful completion of Higher Drama can allow progression to NPA Acting & Performance Level 6 or NPA Musical Theatre Level 6.

Course methodology

Performance - The performance allows candidates to draw on, extend and apply the skills, knowledge and understanding they have learned during the course. The performance assesses candidates’ preparation and performance of a textual extract from a full-length play. Candidates are assessed in an acting or directing or design role. The performance has a total mark allocation of 60 marks. This is 60% of the overall marks for the course assessment.

Question paper (50 marks) - Candidates apply a sample of all the skills, knowledge and understanding listed for the question paper in the ‘Skills, knowledge and understanding for the course assessment’ section of this document. The question paper has three sections:

- Section 1: theatre production: text in context (extended-response questions)
- Section 2: theatre production: application (structured questions)
- Section 3: performance analysis (extended-response questions)

Section 1 — theatre production: text in context 20 marks. Candidates answer from the perspective of an actor or director or designer in preparation for an intended production. Candidates analyse the selected text in the context of theatre production. They demonstrate knowledge of the selected text they have studied in terms of content and context and show an understanding of how the text could be communicated to an audience through performance.

Section 2 — theatre production: application 10 marks. Candidates answer structured questions on their understanding and application of two production roles for the selected text they have studied. Candidates respond on the ways in which two of the following production roles could be applied to their selected text:

- actor
- director
- designer.

Section 3 — performance analysis 20 marks. Candidates answer one extended-response question from a choice of two on a performance they have seen. The focus of the questions require candidates to respond on two of the following production areas:

- choice and use of the performance space
- director’s intentions and effectiveness
- acting and development of characters
- design concepts and their effectiveness.

Assessment in this course

Performance/design role – Externally assessed by an examiner who visits the school.

Written exam – 2hrs 30 mins.

Additional Information

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