OCR GCSE Drama Past Papers & Mark Schemes

OCR GCSE Drama (specification code J316) assesses students as both performers and analysts of live theatre. The qualification has three components: two practically assessed pieces and one written examination. Together they test the ability to create, perform, and critically evaluate drama. Component 01 — Devising Drama (30%) — is a practical, internally assessed and externally moderated task. Students collaborate to devise an original piece of drama inspired by a stimulus provided by OCR. They also produce a portfolio documenting their creative process, including research, rehearsal strategies, and evaluation of the final performance. Component 02 — Presenting and Performing Texts (30%) — requires students to perform two extracts from one or two published play texts. This component is assessed by a visiting OCR examiner. Students may perform as actors, or contribute through design skills such as lighting, sound, set, or costume. Component 03 — Performance and Response (40%) — is the written examination, lasting 1 hour 30 minutes. Students answer questions on a set text they have studied in detail, and write about a live theatre performance they have seen. The set-text section tests knowledge of staging, character interpretation, and directorial choices. The live-theatre section assesses evaluative writing about a real production.