Complete AQA GCSE Drama Past Papers
We’re confident that you’ll approve of our new specification. We’ve worked closely with teachers across the country to develop a specification that will inspire, challenge and motivate you and your students.
We’ve kept as much emphasis as possible on the practical, so your students have every opportunity to take part in a performance. Students can study as a performer, or a designer, or both. For design, they can specialise in lighting, sound, set, costume and puppets.
Our specification is diverse, practical and accessible to students of all abilities, and provides opportunities for teachers and students who may have studied Performing Arts rather than Drama in the past.
Why choose AQA for GCSE Drama
Our specification engages and encourages students to become confident performers and designers with the skills they need for a bright and successful future.
Because performance is paramount
We’ve built in as much opportunity as possible for students to do what they like best – participate in performance.
All students devise drama.
All students explore texts practically and work on two text-based performances.
Students can choose to develop as a:
- performer
- designer (lighting, sound, set, costume, puppets)
- performer and designer.
Whichever option they choose, students can be sure to gather many invaluable skills, both theatrical and transferable, to expand their horizons.
Aiming for success
Our written exam paper is designed to help all students realise their full potential.
We use a variety of question styles and ask students to combine what they’ve learned about how drama is performed with their practical experience and imagination.
When setting the paper, quality of marking is at the forefront of our minds. We know how important it is that your students get results that reflect their achievements.
Clear progression to AS and A-level
This specification ensures continuity for students progressing from GCSE Drama to AS and A-level Drama and Theatre.
Students who go on to AS or A-level are already familiar with studying a whole set text for the written paper. They have built solid foundations in reviewing a live theatre production and in interpreting key extracts.
All of these aspects feature in the AS and A-level as well as the GCSE.
Transferable skills
Students learn to collaborate with others, think analytically and evaluate effectively. They gain the confidence to pursue their own ideas, reflect and refine their efforts. Whatever the future holds, students of GCSE Drama emerge with a toolkit of transferable skills, applicable both in further studies and in the workplace.
You can find out about all our Drama qualifications at aqa.org.uk/drama
Support and resources to help you teach
We’ve worked with experienced teachers to provide you with a range of resources that will help you confidently plan, teach and prepare for exams.
Teaching resources
Visit aqa.org.uk/8261 to see all our teaching resources. They include:
- schemes of work: ideas to help you plan your course with confidence
- good practice guides: helping you inspire and challenge students to think creatively
- exemplification materials: marked student work supported by examiner commentaries and guidance
- suggested plays: to help you choose appropriate material for practical study. We have developed a broad list of suggested plays that you might like to consider for your students and will keep this updated to ensure it reflects the best of contemporary theatre.
Support service
- Training courses: helping you deliver AQA drama qualifications
- Subject expertise courses: for newly-qualified teachers to experienced teachers looking for fresh inspiration
- Drama advisory service: each school/college is allocated a non-exam assessment (NEA) Adviser. You can contact them for one-to-one advice on any aspect of the NEA and/or support with planning and delivery of course content.
- Subject community: access free resources and services offered by drama organisations and universities
- Support meetings: helping you with course delivery; offering practical teaching strategies and approaches that really work
- Teacher network group: contact colleagues at other schools/colleges to share ideas about resources and teaching strategies for the AQA specification
To find out more about our support service visit aqa.org.uk/drama
Preparing for exams
Visit aqa.org.uk/8261 for everything you need to prepare for our exams, including:
- past papers, mark schemes and examiners’ reports
- specimen papers and mark schemes for new courses
- exemplar student answers with examiner commentaries.
Analyse your students’ results with Enhanced Results Analysis (ERA)
Find out which questions were the most challenging, how the results compare to previous years and where your students need to improve. ERA, our free online results analysis tool, will help you see where to focus your teaching. Register at aqa.org.uk/era
For information about results, including maintaining standards over time, grade boundaries and our post-results services, visit aqa.org.uk/results
Keep your skills up-to-date with professional development
Wherever you are in your career, there’s always something new to learn. As well as subject-specific training, we offer a range of courses to help boost your skills.
- Improve your teaching skills in areas including differentiation, teaching literacy and meeting Ofsted requirements.
- Prepare for a new role with our leadership and management courses.
You can attend a course at venues around the country, in your school or online – whatever suits your needs and availability. Find out more at coursesandevents.aqa.org.uk
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