January 2025 Drama update

• New Exemplar Library for GCSE Drama
• New Facebook Drama group
• Kneehigh legacy project
• Admin Support Guides
• Component 2 assessment window and Examiner allocations update
• A Level Component 1 Practitioners list
  
• GCSE and A Level Component 2 text lists 
• Component 3 Live Theatre reminder
• GCSE Components 1, 2 and 3 support materials
• A Level Components 1, 2 and 3 support materials
• Support and contact

New Exemplar Library for GCSE Drama

We have a new Exemplar Library for GCSE Drama Components 1 and 2. It's a collection of our student exemplars organised by performance level.

Designed with teachers and access in mind, it is a great way to assess and standardise internally.

You can access the Exemplar Library on the GCSE Drama qualification page using the top right hand tab (circled in green)

GCSE Drama page

You can access the examples by level. We will continue to add to the library with new examples of performance and design students.

Each example will be clearly labelled and be accompanied with a detailed moderator commentary.

New Facebook Drama group

This week we are launching a brand new Facebook Drama community group for teachers. It'll be a private, professional group, created to support teacher in delivering our Drama and Theatre qualifications. Teachers can use this group to field teaching and learning ideas, ask general questions and connection with other Drama and Theatre teachers. I will be available to respond to queries on the group every week day between 9 and 5pm.

Kneehigh Legacy Project

The Kneehigh Legacy Project is an Arts Council funded project in which they are preserving, celebrating and broadening the influence of Kneehigh’s work and ensuring that the best learning resources are available for students and teachers who wish to explore the company’s work. Although Kneehigh closed as a company in 2022, the work and influence of the company remains vital and is a superb tool for inspiring the next generation of young theatre makers. 
Their education strategy is a core component of their activity. With this in mind, they'd love to hear your views and ideas about what learning materials and CPD would be most helpful and effective. They are therefore inviting you to share your views via an online survey, which also gives you and your students the chance to enter a draw to win a one hour Zoom call with founder and former artistic director of Kneehigh, Mike Shepherd!
The survey is open from 6th January to 17th  February 2025. 

Kneehigh Legacy Project survey

Component 2 Assessment Window and examiner allocations update

The Component 2 assessment window opened on 6th January and runs to 25th April 2025.
Component 2 live visits will take place from 1st February.
Any assessment taking place in January will require digital submission via the Learner Work Transfer platform.
The online Text Submission Form should be completed no later than 6 weeks before planned examination date.
Exam entries must be made at least 7 days before planned examination dates.

Please see the Admin Support Guides above for further guidance and links.

Teaching colleagues are advised to inform their exams officer as examiners will contact centres using the contact details registered on Edexcel Online.

If you haven't heard from an examiner by Wednesday 15th January, please contact us by emailing drama.assessment@pearson.com

 A Level Component 1 Practitioners list

To help you with planning A Level Component 1, we've released a list of approved practitioners.

If your chosen practitioner is not on the list of suitable practitioners, please request
approval via email to drama.assessment@pearson.com with details of your chosen
practitioner for Component 3 and the name of your preferred practitioner for Component 1. 

GCSE and A Level Component 2 text lists

If you want to know what pre-approved Component 2 plays are available, you can now access up to date lists for both GCSE and A Level.

If your preferred play is not on these pre-approved lists, please contact us by emailing drama.assessment@pearson.com with the details of your Component 3 set text (GCSE) or Component 3 set texts (A Level).

Component 3 Live Theatre reminder

All Centres are reminded that it is a requirement of the specification for all students to attend a live theatre production, and refer to a live theatre production for which they were a member of the audience for the Component 3: Live Theatre Evaluation

All Centres are required to complete and submit the Live Theatre Statement to confirm appropriate arrangements have been made. 

For any centres with exceptional extenuating circumstances that prevent students from attending a live theatre production, permission must be sought from drama.assessment@pearson.com to use a digital recording of a live theatre production. 

This applies to both UK and International centres.

Live Theatre confirmation

A Level Components 1, 3 and support materials

You can access a range of support materials for all three Components, including:

• Component 1 Coursework marking training pack and recording of the November 24 online event
  
• Component 2 Preparing for assessment training pack and recording of the November 24 online event
• Component 3 Insights into the 2024 Component 3 written paper for A Level Drama and Theatre
• Component 3 new exemplars which include a range of responses to A level Drama and Theatre Component 3 examination in Summer 2024, with a range of student responses, examiner commentaries and marks. 

Support and contact

Please feel free to get in touch, if you require any help or support in your delivery.