AS and A Level Drama and Theatre - H059, H459 Teaching from 2016

Planning and teaching

A Level
AS Level

Changes for 2021

Updates for 2021 This presentation explains updates for the summer 2021 assessments. PPTX 4MB
Your guide to the changes for 2021 PDF 151KB

Planning

Co-teaching guide This guide suggests how the AS and A Level can be efficiently and effectively co-taught. PDF 1MB
Internal standardisation generic guidelines Additional guidance on how internal standardisation may be approached. PDF 2MB
Suggest exam set texts you would like to teach

Delivery guides

Teaching activities

A Level portfolios (factsheet and self-assessment form) Useful overview of the A Level 'practitioners in practice' component, including a short checklist for students to use. DOCX 149KB
Developing artistic intention Activities designed to provide an introduction to artistic intentions and how to express them through devised work. DOC 1MB
Introduction to A Level Drama and Theatre An introduction to the A Level Drama and Theatre specification for teachers to share with their students. PPTX 559KB
Introduction to AS and A Level Drama and Theatre An introduction to the co-taught AS and A Level Drama and Theatre specifications for teachers to share with their students. PPTX 606KB

Topic exploration packs

Practitioners: Artaud A resource which includes ideas for classroom activities on Antonin Artaud and his vision for the theatre. DOC 1MB
Practitioners: Berkoff A resource on Steven Berkoff including teaching ideas and student activities. PDF 329KB
Practitioners: Brecht This resource suggests ideas for engaging classroom activities on Brecht. DOC 157KB
Practitioners: Cheek by Jowl Cheek by Jowl is the international touring theatre company of Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod. It has presented classical and modern works across the world. PDF 547KB
Practitioners: Craig This resource examines Edward Craig's practice and influence and suggests relevant student activities. PDF 359KB
Practitioners: Frantic Assembly An introduction to theatre company Frantic Assembly, this pack includes devising techniques for students to help them develop their own performances. PDF 328KB
Practitioners: Gecko An introduction to theatre company Gecko's background and performance style, offering practical tasks and devising advice for students. PDF 1MB
Practitioners: Grotowski A topic pack which takes a closer look at Jerzy Grotowski and his work on actor training, including ideas for student activities. DOC 883KB
Practitioners: Splendid Productions This pack explores the work of theatre company Splendid Productions, including activities to encourage students to work in 'Splendid-style'. PDF 388KB
Practitioners: Stanislavski This pack focuses on Stanislavski's 'real' practice, suggesting teaching ideas to help explore key areas within his influential system. DOC 706KB
Practitioners: Trestle Trestle has innovated many 'mask and physical theatre' theories and practices. This resource provides examples of their creative pedagogies. PDF 1MB
Set text: A Day in the Death of Joe Egg This resource looks at the family dynamics in this touching comedy by Peter Nichols, giving teachers a range of engaging classroom activities to try. DOC 182KB
Set text: Amadeus This exploration pack explores the theme of heroes and villains within Amadeus and includes a range of teaching ideas. DOC 288KB
Set text: Black Watch This pack explores the theme of conflict faced by soldiers, both the human battle and the theatre making styles used to communicate the many different aspects of fighting. DOC 1003KB
Set text: Caligula With a range of classroom activities, this resource explores the character of the emperor Caligula as portrayed in Albert Camus’ classic play. DOC 317KB
Set text: Frankenstein This resource looks at the complex role of the hero and villain in Nick Dear's modern adaptation of Frankenstein. DOC 181KB
Set text: Hamlet This pack explores the internal and external decisions in Hamlet for central and marginalised roles, both by the actors and the creative team. DOC 760KB
Set text: King Lear This topic exploration pack looks at the family dynamics in one of Shakespeare’s most famous works, giving teachers a range of engaging classroom activities. DOC 132KB
Set text: Live Like Pigs This pack uses the contrasting families in the text to explore the ‘family dynamics’ theme and develop analysis of performance and acting approaches. DOC 144KB
Set text: Necessary Targets This topic exploration pack looks at the themes of conflict and the aftermath of war. It includes practical activities which can be used in lessons. DOC 138KB
Set text: Oh! What a Lovely War This pack contains a range of activities and ideas aimed at exploring the theme of conflict in Oh! What a Lovely War. DOCX 238KB
Set text: The Caucasian Chalk Circle This resource explores some of the family dynamics at work in this well known Brecht play. It includes creative and engaging practical activities. DOC 238KB
Set text: The House of Bernarda Alba This resource uses a variety of drama strategies to explore the family dynamics within Lorca's play. DOC 255KB
Set text: The Long and the Short and the Tall This pack contains engaging practical activities to help students explore character and conflict in Willis Hall’s play set in World War II. DOCX 378KB
Set text: The Love of the Nightingale This pack explores the theme of heroes and villains within this set text and includes ideas for classroom activities. DOC 478KB

Teacher guides

Antigone A guide for teachers on Jean Anouilh’s Antigone, including themes and practical ideas for exploring the play. PDF 1MB
Cloud Nine This guide explores Caryl Churchill’s play about sexual and gender politics, identity and repression, set in Victorian colonial Africa and London a hundred years later where characters have aged 25 years. PDF 1MB
Earthquakes in London A guide for teachers on Mike Bartlett’s Earthquakes in London for deconstructing texts for performance, with suggested practical activities to help students explore the play. PDF 6MB
Skills guides
Stockholm A guide to Bryony Lavery's play including its key themes and suggested activities. PDF 891KB
Sweeney Todd Approaches to decoding the plot and characters of the Sondheim melodramatic musical thriller version of the legend, through analysis of stylistic, themed, contextual and musical theatre elements. PDF 9MB
The Crucible A guide exploring Miller's classic work including a look at the key themes and ideas for classroom activities. PDF 1MB
The Long and the Short and the Tall A guide to Willis Hall's wartime play which explores key themes and suggests practical activities. PDF 3MB
The Visit A guide with teaching and learning ideas for Friedrich Dürrenmatt's darkly comic play. PDF 1MB
Woza Albert! A breakdown and study of the satirical play and how it fits Brechtian stylistic approaches, with a view to understanding how it can be directed and presented on stage. PDF 17MB

Transition guides

Devising KS4-KS5 With a focus on Devising activities, this guide can be used to help assess whether Y11 students should take the subject to a higher level. PDF 564KB
Performing KS4-KS5 With a focus on Performing activities, this guide can be used to help assess whether Y11 students should take the subject to a higher level. PDF 564KB

Promoting your subject

Five reasons to study the arts Aimed at students and parents, this factsheet outlines some of the key benefits of studying OCR's art, music and drama qualifications in general. PDF 547KB
Qualification factsheet Read key facts about the content and assessment of the new AS and A Level. PDF 693KB

Changes for 2021

Updates for 2021 This presentation explains updates for the summer 2021 assessments. PPTX 4MB
Your guide to the changes for 2021 PDF 125KB

Planning

Co-teaching guide This guide suggests how the AS and A Level can be efficiently and effectively co-taught. PDF 1MB
Internal standardisation generic guidelines Additional guidance on how internal standardisation may be approached. PDF 2MB
Suggest exam set texts you would like to teach

Delivery guides

Teaching activities

AS Level research report and portfolio (factsheet and self-assessment form) Useful overview of the AS Level Process to performance component, including a short checklist for students to use. DOCX 147KB
Developing artistic intention Activities designed to provide an introduction to artistic intentions and how to express them through devised work. DOC 1MB
Introduction to AS and A Level Drama and Theatre An introduction to the co-taught AS and A Level Drama and Theatre specifications for teachers to share with their students. PPTX 606KB
Introduction to AS Level Drama and Theatre - Presentation An introduction to the AS Level Drama and Theatre specification for teachers to share with their students. PPTX 593KB

Topic exploration packs

Practitioners: Artaud A resource which includes ideas for classroom activities on Antonin Artaud and his vision for the theatre. DOC 1MB
Practitioners: Berkoff A resource on Steven Berkoff including teaching ideas and student activities. PDF 329KB
Practitioners: Brecht This resource suggests ideas for engaging classroom activities on Brecht. DOC 157KB
Practitioners: Cheek by Jowl Cheek by Jowl is the international touring theatre company of Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod. It has presented classical and modern works across the world. PDF 547KB
Practitioners: Craig This resource examines Edward Craig's practice and influence and suggests relevant student activities. PDF 359KB
Practitioners: Frantic Assembly An introduction to theatre company Frantic Assembly, this pack includes devising techniques for students to help them develop their own performances. PDF 328KB
Practitioners: Gecko An introduction to theatre company Gecko's background and performance style, offering practical tasks and devising advice for students. PDF 1MB
Practitioners: Grotowski A topic pack which takes a closer look at Jerzy Grotowski and his work on actor training, including ideas for student activities. DOC 883KB
Practitioners: Splendid Productions This pack explores the work of theatre company Splendid Productions, including activities to encourage students to work in 'Splendid-style'. PDF 388KB
Practitioners: Stanislavski This pack focuses on Stanislavski's 'real' practice, suggesting teaching ideas to help explore key areas within his influential system. DOC 706KB
Practitioners: Trestle Trestle has innovated many 'mask and physical theatre' theories and practices. This resource provides examples of their creative pedagogies. PDF 1MB
Set text: A Day in the Death of Joe Egg This resource looks at the family dynamics in this touching comedy by Peter Nichols, giving teachers a range of engaging classroom activities to try. DOC 182KB
Set text: Amadeus This exploration pack explores the theme of heroes and villains within Amadeus and includes a range of teaching ideas. DOC 288KB
Set text: Black Watch This pack explores the theme of conflict faced by soldiers, both the human battle and the theatre making styles used to communicate the many different aspects of fighting. DOC 1003KB
Set text: Caligula With a range of classroom activities, this resource explores the character of the emperor Caligula as portrayed in Albert Camus’ classic play. DOC 317KB
Set text: Frankenstein This resource looks at the complex role of the hero and villain in Nick Dear's modern adaptation of Frankenstein. DOC 181KB
Set text: Hamlet This pack explores the internal and external decisions in Hamlet for central and marginalised roles, both by the actors and the creative team. DOC 760KB
Set text: King Lear This topic exploration pack looks at the family dynamics in one of Shakespeare’s most famous works, giving teachers a range of engaging classroom activities. DOC 132KB
Set text: Live Like Pigs This pack uses the contrasting families in the text to explore the ‘family dynamics’ theme and develop analysis of performance and acting approaches. DOC 144KB
Set text: Necessary Targets This topic exploration pack looks at the themes of conflict and the aftermath of war. It includes practical activities which can be used in lessons. DOC 138KB
Set text: Oh! What a Lovely War This pack contains a range of activities and ideas aimed at exploring the theme of conflict in Oh! What a Lovely War. DOCX 238KB
Set text: The Caucasian Chalk Circle This resource explores some of the family dynamics at work in this well known Brecht play. It includes creative and engaging practical activities. DOC 238KB
Set text: The House of Bernarda Alba This resource uses a variety of drama strategies to explore the family dynamics within Lorca's play. DOC 255KB
Set text: The Long and the Short and the Tall This pack contains engaging practical activities to help students explore character and conflict in Willis Hall’s play set in World War II. DOCX 378KB
Set text: The Love of the Nightingale This pack explores the theme of heroes and villains within this set text and includes ideas for classroom activities. DOC 478KB

Teacher guides

Skills guides

Promoting your subject

Five reasons to study the arts Aimed at students and parents, this factsheet outlines some of the key benefits of studying OCR's art, music and drama qualifications in general. PDF 547KB
Qualification factsheet Read key facts about the content and assessment of the new AS and A Level. PDF 693KB

Delivery guides

Find guidance on key concepts and creative approaches to delivery with activities in our delivery guides.

Browse delivery guides >
Scheme of work builder

Create and export your own schemes of work based on specification statements and our new teaching and learning resources.

Build scheme of work >
OCR policy forums
- Teacher and Professional Associations' Forum
  22 June 2021
- Higher Education Forum
  TBC July 2021
- Strategic Advisory Board
  8 July 2021
For more information email us at policy@ocr.org.uk

Planning and teaching

A Level

AS Level

Changes for 2021

Planning

Delivery guides

Teaching activities

Topic exploration packs

Teacher guides

Transition guides

Promoting your subject

Changes for 2021

Planning

Delivery guides

Teaching activities

Topic exploration packs

Teacher guides

Promoting your subject