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Overview

This course is a part of a new suite of vocationally-focused GCEs and replace VCE Performing Arts. These new awards incorporate AS and A2 Level units. The AS GCE award contains three mandatory units and the GCE award contains six. Grades are awarded from A - E for both awards.

These new broad-based awards provide significantly more vocationalism to current VCEs. They also provide better progression from GCSE Drama and Music. Using work-related contexts, innovative teaching and assessment methods, these new awards offer a broad introduction to this vocational area and candidates may specialise in one or more of the art forms of Dance, Drama and Music. These awards are designed to provide a progression route to higher education and further training for employment.

As with other GCEs, AS units and A2 units are equally weighted and, in the GCE award, each level forms 50% of the total assessment. Aggregation, within and across units, means that candidates can fail a unit but still pass overall and each unit requires 60 guided-learning hours. Assessment is 33% externally tested and 67% by portfolio evidence.

Specification aims

The aims of this AS GCE specification are to encourage candidates to develop knowledge, skills and understanding of:

• Technique and approaches required in one or more performing arts areas of study.
• Working methods linked to industry practice.
• How their own skills and aptitudes could be best employed in further study and/or work within related sectors.
• Breadth of sector through exploring its products and processes.
• Outcomes of industry practice in terms of people, products, services and contexts.
• Social, historical and cultural influences.

In addition, the aims of this Advanced GCE specification in Performing Arts is to develop ways of working that encourage candidates to:

Develop their skills, technique and work attitudes to a standard that allows progression to further training or work.

Apply working methods used by professionals as individuals and in teams as well as with audiences and commissioners.

Independently explore through creative and reflective experimentation how meaning is communicated.

Emphasise practical independence, self-management and improving performance over time.