Latest update for A level and GCSE Drama teachers | Pearson qualifications

August 2026 Drama update

Sat Aug 01 13:45:00 UTC 2026

Welcome to your August 2026 Results Day update.

As Results Days approach, this update is designed to provide you with everything you need to feel confident, informed and well prepared. Whether you're supporting students, reviewing outcomes, responding to questions or planning next steps, you'll find key information, guidance and resources to help you navigate the period successfully.

As always, please do get in touch if there is anything further you need. We're here to support you throughout the results period and beyond.

In this update you will find information on:

Read more

pearson-calendar2-icon-rgb-pearson-purple

{{ gatDoctitle }}

{{invalidUserName}}
{{invalidUserMail}}
{{errorMessage}}

   
2026 Assessment Survey


Help us improve the assessment experience for your students

Have your say: Share your views on the 2026 assessments

{{ image.gatingTitle }}

{{invalidUserName}}
{{invalidUserMail}}
{{errorMessage}}


Have your say on our 2026 Drama and Theatre assessments!

If your students took our qualifications in the May/June 2026 series, we'd love to hear about your experience. Share your views on assessment themes, internal assessment processes, moderation, external assessments, and the support and resources available.

Your feedback goes directly to our senior moderators, examiners and subject teams, helping to inform future developments.


Component 3 Assessment Material release dates

The examiner reports for the May Component 3 exams will be released as follows:

C3 Examiner Report GCSE Drama 18 Aug 26
C3 Examiner Report A Level Drama and Theatre 18 Aug 26

pearson-calendar2-icon-rgb-pearson-purple

{{ gatDoctitle }}

{{invalidUserName}}
{{invalidUserMail}}
{{errorMessage}}

   
Preparing for Results Days


Results Dates

 

Qualification

Date released to centre

Date released to student

A Levels

12 August 2026

13 August 2026

GCSE

19 August 2026

20 August 2026



Understanding your students' results - a guide to post-results services


Getting ready for results day?

Our post-results support guide can help you:

  • navigate students’ results
  • understand the available data
  • find the right support if you have queries about grading or marking.
Understanding your students' results - a guide to post-results services

{{ image.gatingTitle }}

{{invalidUserName}}
{{invalidUserMail}}
{{errorMessage}}


Support for students ahead of results day


Waiting for exam results can be nerve-wracking for many students. Our guide for students, parents and carers on Understanding results and grades contains helpful information about what to expect on results day and where to find further support.

The guide includes information on:

  • dates for results days
  • receiving and understanding results
  • grades and grade boundaries
  • what steps to take if they are not happy with their results
  • university applications
  • certificates
  • where to find further support.

Please pass this information on to your students.

Understanding  results and grades:  a guide for students,  parents and carers

{{ image.gatingTitle }}

{{invalidUserName}}
{{invalidUserMail}}
{{errorMessage}}

Useful Information

You can access Summer 2026 grade boundaries on our website from results day. In addition to the official grade boundaries that are produced at subject level, we will also be providing notional grade boundaries at paper level. These can help you mark and assess future mocks.

View grade boundaries
View guidance on setting grade boundaries
 

ResultsPlus is our free online results analysis tool, that gives you a detailed breakdown of your students’ performance in Pearson Edexcel exams.

It provides you with the most detailed analysis available of your students’ performance. ResultsPlus will help you to identify topics and skills where your students could benefit from further learning – helping them gain a deeper understanding of their subject.
Teachers can sign into ResultsPlus using their Edexcel Online username and password if their account profile has ResultsPlus access granted by the Exams Officer.

Take a closer look at ResultsPlus

Examiner Reports can be obtained from ResultsPlus on results day by following the steps below:
• Log into Results Plus using your Edexcel Online details
• Once you are logged in under your centre, select 'ResultsPlus Analysis'.
• Then select 'Whole cohort results' followed by 'Cohort paper analysis'.
• Select the relevant qualification and series, eg 'GCE' and 'June 2026', followed by the relevant subject and 'View paper analysis'.
• Select 'Exam docs' and you will find the Examiner Report for that component.
 

You can also use our free Access to Scripts service to view your candidates’ marked exam scripts online or download as a PDF. It is available from results day until the 11th December 2026.

Providing a rich source of information, you can use this service to help make decisions about requesting a review of marking, but it can also help inform future teaching and learning and gives insights and visibility that performance data alone cannot provide.

Note, you will need 'Exam viewer' in your Edexcel Online profile if you want to download candidate scripts from results day. Please ask your Exams Officer if you need this adding to your profile.

Discover more about Access to Scripts, along with FAQs and a step-by-step User Guide.

View our Access to Scripts guide

 

If you're not happy with your students' results this summer, you should take the following steps:

• View the grade boundaries, question papers, mark schemes and examiner reports for the paper/qualification concerned.
• View your students’ scripts using our free access to scripts service.
• Log in to ResultsPlus to see how your students have performed on every question and compare their performance to the national average.
• If you are still unhappy with your students' results, you may apply for a review of marking via our post-results services.

Full details of all our post-results services are available on our website.

Access teacher post-results support

The deadline for requesting a Review of marking and moderation (ROMM) is 24 September 2026 for GCSE, A level and International GCSE (Service 1, 2 and 3).

View our guide to post-results services

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of a review of marking, you may wish to appeal against the decision. We will allow the head of centre (or designated member of the centre’s senior management team or examinations manager) 30 calendar days from the receipt of the outcome of the review of marking, during which an appeal may be lodged using the webform. There is further guidance on appeals on our website.

Appeals guidance

Applications for appeals may only be accepted from a head of centre (on behalf of a candidate or a group of candidates) or private candidates. 


GCSE and A Level Drama training events in the autumn term

We have some free online training events happening in the autumn term for both GCSE and A Level, including All Set for 2026-2027 events in September. As your Subject Advisor, I'll be running these  free online events.
In these sessions, we will:

  • reflect on the summer 2026 exam series
  • look at the key events and up-to-date information for this new academic year
  • share ideas, resources and approaches to teaching the three components
    have the opportunity to ask questions.
GCSE Drama: All Set for 26-27 15 Sept 2026 1600-1700
BST   
Register now
A Level Drama and Theatre:  All Set for 26-27 22 Sept 2026 16:00-17:00 BST Register now
A Level Drama and Theatre: Sharing Best Practice in Pedagogy 29 Sept 2026 16:00-17:00 BST Register now
GCSE Drama: Supporting Students on Design Routes 6 October 2026 16:00 – 18:00 BST Register now
A Level Drama and Theatre: Exam Insights Summer 2026 4 Nov 2026 16:30 – 18:30 GMT Register now
GCSE Drama: Coursework Marking Training – Component 1 11 Nov 2026 16:30 – 18:30 GMT Register now
GCSE Drama: Exam Insights Summer 2026 16 Nov 2026 16:30 – 18:30 GMT Register now
A Level Drama and Theatre: Preparing for Component 2 17 Nov 2026 16:30 – 18:30 GMT Register now
GCSE Drama: Preparing for Component 2 19 Nov 2026 16:00 – 18:00 GMT Register now
A Level Drama and Theatre: Engaging with Purpose – Preparing Students for Component 3 Success 24 November 2026 16:00 – 17:30 GMT Register now
GCSE Drama: Engaging with Purpose – Preparing Students for Component 3 Success 1 December 2026 16:00 – 17:30 GMT Register now

Pearson Edexcel Drama and Theatre Facebook Group

screenshot of poll on Facebook group

{{ image.gatingTitle }}

{{invalidUserName}}
{{invalidUserMail}}
{{errorMessage}}

Do you teach GCSE Drama or A level Drama and Theatre?
Then this group was made for you. It’s a friendly, professional space where you can share ideas, swap tips, and ask those everyday teaching questions.
Whether you're after inspiration or support, this is a great place to collaborate with others and get the latest news.


Support and contact

Please feel free to get in touch, if you require any help or support in your teaching and assessment of the qualifications.

 

×

Are you sure you want to exit this session?