Builth Wells High School - English Literature

Drama - GCSE

Course outline

Year 10	Year 11
Autumn Term Introduction to Drama Drama Skills The Language of Evaluation	Autumn Term Exploration of a Social Issue (Unit 1) Completion of Written Coursework
Spring Term Exploration of a Social Issue (Unit 1) Practice run.	Spring Term Exploration of a Play Script (Unit 2) Completion of Written Coursework Choosing play scripts for unit 3
Summer Term Exploration of a Play Script (Unit 2) Practice run.	Summer Term Exam Preparation/Rehearsals

Homework frequency

Year 10	Year 11
Homework is set when it is appropriate and beneficial to do so.	Homework is set when it is appropriate and beneficial to do so.

Likely forms that homework will take

Year 10	Year 11
Preparatory reading of texts and note making Research and background or wider reading Learning lines	Preparatory reading of texts and note making Drafting and re-drafting of coursework assignments Research and background or wider reading Learning lines After school rehearsals

Stdent grouping

Year 10	Year 11
Mixed Ability Grouping	Mixed Ability Grouping

Assessment pattern

Year 10	Year 11
During the course, students are informally assessed on a half-termly basis and given feedback from the teacher. They are also assessed on their practical exploration of a given issue/play script and on their level of response to the issue/play script. The exam board sets down the criterion for this assessment. The coursework and their practical exploration skills form 60% of their final GCSE.	Students complete their coursework in Year 11. The work is assessed by the Drama teacher and moderated by keeping close links with partner schools and sharing marked work. Students are assessed by an external examiner on the performance of a play script. This is worth 40% of their final GCSE mark.

Marking and grading of work

Year 10

Year 11

The coursework is marked by the teacher in line with Edexcel marking guidelines. Each piece is marked out of 20.

A* 18-20
A 16-17
B 14-15
C 12-13
D 10-11
E 8-9
F 6-7
G 4-5
U 1-3

Exam performances are marked according to the mark scheme for that particular paper.

Educational Visits

Students are required attend educational visits to the theatre to see performances.

Coursework requirements

Six pieces of coursework are completed throughout the students course.

Unit 1 Drama Exploration
1) Pupils’ personal response to a given issue
2) Pupils’ develop a piece of theatre on the given issue
3) Pupils’ evaluate their knowledge of the given issue

Unit 2 Exploring a Play Script
1) Pupils’ personal response to a play script
2) Pupils’ develop a section of the play script
3) Pupils’ evaluate/review a piece of theatre

Useful resources for the students to own, bring to school or have access to

Year 10	Year 11
GCSE Bitesize Dictionary and Thesaurus revision/study guides	GCSE Bitesize Dictionary and Thesaurus revision/study guides

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