S4-6 Senior Phase
Drama courses for National 4, National 5 and Higher are in place for those who wish to extend their studies. Young people are assessed and given feedback throughout the year and are prepared thoroughly for the SQA exams.
National 4/5
In the National 4/5 course we explore the following areas:
-Responding to a stimuli
-Characterisation techniques/Rehearsal Activities
-Character Relationships/Status of a Character
-Purpose of a drama and Purpose of a Character
-Performance concepts (Voice and Movement)
-Form/Genre/Structure and Conventions
-Theme(s) of a drama
-Target audience
-Audience reaction
-Production skills
-Staging and Setting and Style of a Production
-Analysis and Evaluation Skills
National 4:
The National 4 course provides young people with opportunities to continue to acquire and develop the attributes and capabilities of the four capacities, as well as skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work.
The assessment for this course is split into three areas: Drama Skills, Productions skills and an Added Value Unit. In each area, young people will provide either written or practical evidence, to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of various outcomes in each area of work. They will also reflect on their own work and the work of other learners.
National 5
The National 5 course aims to enable candidates to:
-Generate and communicate thoughts and ideas when creating drama
-Develop knowledge and understanding of a range of social and cultural influences on drama
-Develop a range of skills in presenting drama
-Develop knowledge and understanding of the use of a range of production skills when presenting drama
-Explore form, structure, genre and style
There are three components to the course and exam. Please see the table below:
| Performance (60% of overall exam mark) | Preparation For Performance Essay | Written Exam (40% of overall exam mark) |
| 1 Acting Performance or 1 Production Skill | A 400 word essay on the process of how you prepared for your role/production skill. | 1 Written Paper (split into 2 sections)
Section 1– A series of structured questions based on a performance you have done in the last year.
Section 2– Respond to stimuli, create an idea for a drama and answer a series of structured questions on it. |
*A visiting SQA examiner will visit the school and mark the practical exam*
Higher Course
The higher course is highly recommended to pupils that have studied National 5 course and obtained a B pass and above.
Similarly, to National 5, there are 3 components to the course and the final exam. Please see the table below:
| Performance (60% of overall exam mark) | Preparation For Performance Essay | Written Exam (40 % of overall exam mark)
3 Sections |
| Each pupil will prepare 2 contrasting acting roles | A 500-word Essay (250 words on the process of how you prepared for each role) | 1)An essay based on a study of a text.
2)Structured questions similar to national 5 questions.
3)An essay based on a study of a live or recorded theatrical performance. |
*Similarly, to the National 5 practical exam, an SQA examiner will visit the school and mark the practical exam around February/March time*
