Why study A level drama?
This course fosters creativity and self-expression and will give you the opportunity to explore acting, directing and scriptwriting.
A level drama encourages critical thinking by analysing texts, performances, and the socio-cultural context of plays, as well as the importance of teamwork and communication on collaborative projects and assessment.
The core components of this course include developing an understanding of drama and theatre, devising new drama, and exploration and interpretation of key texts.
Students choose to develop as a:
- performer
- designer (lighting, sound, set, costume, puppets)
- director
- combination of the above
Whichever option they choose, students will gain many invaluable skills — both theatrical and transferable — to expand their horizons.
Course type: A level
Board: AQA
Entry requirement: Five grade 5s or above at GCSE including English language and maths
Merit/grade 6 or above in music, dance or drama
How is A level drama delivered and assessed?
| Component | Content | Assessment | Overall % |
| Drama and theatre | Knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre | Written exam (3 hours) | |
| Study of two set plays | Open book | ||
| Analysis of live theatre makers | 80 marks | 40% | |
| Creating original drama | Create and perform a devised drama | Working notebook (40 marks) | |
| Students contribute as performer, designer or director | Devised performance (20 marks) | ||
| 60 marks in total | 30% | ||
| Making theatre | Explore and interpret three extracts from different plays | Performance of Extract 3 (40 marks) | |
| Apply a prescribed practitioner’s methodology to extract 3 | Reflective report (20 marks) | ||
| Final performance assessed | 60 marks in total | 30% |
Progression
Students of drama and theatre develop skills that are not just essential for drama but applicable to a wide range of higher education subjects and in the workplace. This specification refines students’ collaborative skills, their analytical thinking and their approach to research. Students grow in confidence and maturity as they successfully realise their own ideas. They learn to evaluate objectively and develop a sound appreciation of the influences that cultural and social contexts can have on decision making. Whatever the future holds, students of A level drama and theatre emerge with a toolkit of transferable skills preparing them for their next steps.
