Course end dates and resit information for GCSE, AS and A Level Performing/Expressive Arts qualifications

OCR’s GCSE, AS and A Level performing arts provision is changing as part of the government reform of general qualifications. 

GCSE

New reformed GCSE 9-1 qualifications in Drama, Art and Music will be available for first teaching from September 2016. Ofqual decided that GCSE Expressive Arts would be withdrawn, due to similar and overlapping content with the new reformed separate subject qualifications, the consultation document is available via the Ofqual website. The final assessment opportunity will be the summer 2017 series.

OCR’s current GCSE Drama (J315) specification is also being withdrawn in Summer 2017. This is due to the development of a new GCSE (9-1) Drama (J316) qualification. The final assessment opportunity for the current (J315) specification will be the summer 2017 series.

AS/A Level

AS and A Level Applied Performing Arts (H146/546) and AS and A Level Performance Studies (H148/548) are also being withdrawn by Ofqual, due to similar and overlapping content with new reformed AS and A Levels. The final assessment opportunity will be the summer 2017, with a retake opportunity in summer 2018.

For centres looking for an alternative GCE Level course to replace our (Applied) Performing Arts or Performance Studies qualifications, we would recommend our new AS and A Level Drama and Theatre qualifications, or our Level 3 Cambridge Technical in Performing Arts qualifications:

• New AS/A Level Drama and Theatre (H059, H459)
• New Level 3 Cambridge Technicals in Performing Arts (05850–05853)

These qualifications have been developed for first teaching in September 2016 and offer a variety of approaches, content and assessment of Performing Arts and Drama.

You can find more details about our Drama qualifications on the subject page of the OCR website.

Cambridge Technicals are vocational qualifications designed to give a work-focused alternative to A levels. To find out more about Cambridge Technicals visit the Cambridge Technical hub page.

For further information on deadlines for submitting entries, entry amendments/withdrawals and the submission of marks for internal assessment please see the admin pages. We will continue to support and assess the qualification up to the conclusion of the final assessment series with resources such as Examiner Reports.

If you have any queries about this notice, please call our Customer Contact Centre on 01223 553998 or email drama@ocr.org.uk.