A Level Drama and Theatre

1 A Level Drama and TheatreSpecificationPearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Drama and Theatre (9DR0)First teaching from September 2016 First certification from 2018 Issue 4 Summary of Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Drama and Theatre Issue 4 c hanges Summary of changes made between previous is sue and this current issue Page number Live performance statement The information relating to the online form has been updated to reflect the change to submitting this information. The statement will now be submitted via the online form centres use to submit text choices done at the beginning of the year of certification. 8 Component 1: Devising A new section headed Meeting the performance timings has been added. There is no longer a requirement to award 0 marks for performances under the minimum time requirement. The information has been amended to read: Students ( performance and design) who do not meet the regulatory minimum performance requirement of 6 minutes will be assessed by teachers against the assessment criteria on pages 26, 28, 30 and 31; however students will not be able to achieve beyond Level 2.

2 The assessment criteria for performers and designers has been amended to include the Level 2 cap for any performances/design realisations that are under the minimum time requirement. 12 27, 29, 31, 32 Component 2: Text in performance A new section headed Meeting the performance timings has been added. There is no longer a requirement to award 0 marks for performances under the minimum time requirement. The information has been amended to read: For students ( performance and design) who do not meet the regulatory minimum performance requirement of 2, 5 and/or 6 minutes, the examiner will use their professional judgement against the AO2 assessment criteria based on what the student has achieved and then the total mark will be reduced proportionally according to how many seconds the work is under length (please see Appendix 5). 37 Appendix 5: Mark penalty tables for performances/design realisations not meeting the minimum assessment time Component 2 has been added. 79 80 If you need further information on these changes or what they mean, contact us via our website at: qualifi Contents 1 Introduction 2 Why choose Edexcel A Level Drama and Theatre ?

3 2 Supporting you in planning and implementing this qualification 3 qualification at a glance 4 Prescribed texts at a glance 6 2 Subject content and assessment information 9 Component 1: Devising 10 Component 2: Text in performance 35 Component 3: Theatre Makers in Practice 55 Assessment Objectives 64 3 Administration and general information 65 Entries 65 Access arrangements, reasonable adjustments, special consideration and malpractice 65 Student recruitment and progression 68 Appendix 1: Non-examination (NEA) assessment authentication sheet (Component 1) 73 Appendix 2: Live Theatre evaluation notes form (Component 3) 74 Appendix 3: Design roles minimum resource guidance for centres 75 Appendix 4: Best practice when recording performance 77 Appendix 5: Mark penalty tables for performances/design realisations not meeting the minimum assessment time Component 2 79 Appendix 6: The context for the development of this qualification 81 Appendix 7: Transferable skills 83 Appendix 8: Level 3 Extended Project qualification 84 Appendix 9: Codes 86 Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Drama and Theatre Specification Issue 4 June 2019 Pearson Education Limited 2019 2 1 Introduction Why choose Edexcel A Level Drama and Theatre ?

4 We have listened to feedback from all parts of the Drama community, including higher education, teachers and subject groups. We have used this opportunity of curriculum change to redesign a qualification that will engage students through encouraging creativity, focusing on practical work which reflects 21st-century Theatre practice and developing skills that will support progression to further study of Drama and a wide range of other subjects. Clear and coherent structure our qualification has a straightforward structure with three components, one that focuses on devising, one that focuses on performing or designing skills and one that focuses on practical exploration of texts to interpret them for performance . Practical focus the new specification focuses on the practical exploration of performance texts, including exploring them in light of the work of Theatre practitioners. The performance texts that will be studied for the exam will require students to articulate how they would perform in certain roles, design for certain scenes and interpret a text for performance , putting practical work at the heart of the specification.

5 Engaging performance texts we have picked a list of texts that will engage students and inspire teachers and students. We have avoided the most popular performance texts to ensure that students can still perform them in the non-examination assessment components. Free choice of performance texts the new specification will continue to allow you the freedom to choose performance texts that will best suit your students, their ability to access the work, their interests and their performance skills. Clear and straightforward question papers we have focused on ensuring that our question papers are clear and accessible for students and that mark schemes are straightforward in making the requirements clear. performance and design skills we will continue to assess student s performance and design skills through visiting examiners ensuring students skills are assessed in a live context. Supports progression from Key stage 4 we have developed this A Level qualification at the same time as our GCSE and AS Level qualifications.

6 This ensures sensible progression of knowledge, understanding and skills from GCSE to AS to A Level and similar approaches to assessment, so that students will have a coherent experience of Drama if they take Edexcel GCSE in Drama , AS Level in Drama and Theatre and A Level in Drama and Theatre . Develops transferable skills for progression from A Level students will develop a multitude of skills, including collaboration, communication and an understanding of how to amend and refine work in order to make a smooth transition to their next Level of study or employment. AS and A Level qualifications that are co-teachable co-teaching AS and A Level provides flexibility for you and your students. Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Drama and Theatre Specification Issue 4 June 2019 Pearson Education Limited 2019 3 Supporting you in planning and implementing this qualification Planning Our Getting Started Guide gives you an overview of the new GCE qualification to help you to get to grips with the changes to content and assessment and to help you understand what these changes mean for you and your students.

7 We will give you an editable course planner and scheme of work that you can adapt to suit your department. Our mapping documents highlight key differences between the new and 2009 qualifications. Teaching and learning There will be lots of free teaching and learning support to help you deliver the new qualifications, including: a guide to devising work for performance a guide to interpreting texts for performance . Preparing for exams We will also provide a range of resources to help you prepare your students for the assessments, including: additional assessment materials to support formative assessments and mock exams marked exemplars of student work with examiner commentaries. Results Plus Results Plus provides the most detailed analysis available of your students exam performance . It can help you identify the topics and skills where further learning would benefit your students. Get help and support Our subject advisor service and our online community will ensure you receive help and guidance from us and that you can share ideas and information with other teachers.

8 You can sign up to receive e-newsletters by emailing for qualification updates, product and service news. Learn more at Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Drama and Theatre Specification Issue 4 June 2019 Pearson Education Limited 2019 4 qualification at a glance Content and assessment overview The Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Drama and Theatre consists of two non-examination assessment components and one externally examined paper. Students must complete all assessment by May/June in any single year. Details of the Assessment Objectives (AO) are on page 56. Component 1: Devising (*Component Code: 9DR0/01) Non-examination assessment 40% of the qualification 80 marks Content overview Devise an original performance piece. Use one key extract from a performance text and a Theatre practitioner as stimuli. Centre choice of text and practitioner. Performer or designer routes available. Assessment overview AO1, AO2 and AO4 are assessed. Internally assessed and externally moderated.

9 There are two parts to the assessment: 1) a portfolio (60 marks, 40 marks assessing AO1 and 20 marks assessing AO4) O the portfolio submission recommendations are: - can be handwritten/typed evidence between 2500 3000 words or recorded/verbal evidence between 12 14 minutes or - can be a combination of handwritten/typed evidence (between 1250 1500 words) and recorded/verbal evidence (between 6 7 minutes). 2) the devised performance /design realisation (20 marks, assessing AO2). Component 2: Text in performance (*Component Code: 9DR0/02) Non-examination assessment 20% of the qualification 60 marks Content overview A group performance /design realisation of one key extract from a performance text. A monologue or duologue performance /design realisation from one key extract from a different performance text. Centre choice of performance texts. Assessment overview AO2 is assessed. Externally assessed by a visiting examiner. Group performance /design realisation: worth 36 marks.

10 Monologue or duologue/design realisation: worth 24 marks. Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Drama and Theatre Specification Issue 4 June 2019 Pearson Education Limited 2019 5 Component 3: Theatre Makers in Practice (*Paper Code: 9DR0/03) Written examination: 2 hours 30 minutes 40% of the qualification 80 marks Content overview Live Theatre evaluation choice of performance . Practical exploration and study of a complete performance text focusing on how this can be realised for performance . Practical exploration and interpretation of another complete performance text, in light of a chosen Theatre practitioner focusing on how this text could be reimagined for a contemporary audience. Centre choice of 15 performance texts from two lists on the next page. Choice of eight practitioners. Assessment overview Section A: Live Theatre Evaluation 20 marks, assessing AO4. Students answer one extended response question from a choice of two requiring them to analyse and evaluate a live Theatre performance they have seen in light of a given statement.