Music and Drama – FAQs and essential advice for internally-assessed components

I’m getting quite a few emails and phone calls as the 2019 summer series approaches; asking how things work for internally assessed components.

So to help you to save time I’ve gathered together some of the most frequently asked questions I’ve received from the last year, however If you need more specific specialist advice, guidance or support, please get in touch - email us at music@ocr.org.uk or drama@ocr.org.uk.

I’ll begin with the first and by far the most frequent question in my inbox this month.

Q1. What components in drama and music have internal assessments?

A. Devising Drama in the Drama GCSE and the Integrated Portfolio and Practical Component in the Music GCSE are internally assessed NEA (Non-Exam Assessment), so teachers mark this.

Process to Performance in Drama and Theatre AS, and Practitioners in Practice in the Drama and Theatre A Level are also internally assessed by teachers.

Q2. When should I do my marking?

A. You need to plan to receive students’ final work for assessment in time to mark it and get the marks to us by 15th May. Some schools have internal deadlines earlier than this – I recommend talking to your exams officer to see when they need your marks by to be able to submit them on time.

You can give general feedback to students while they are working on their NEA, but can only officially mark it once – the specifications have more guidelines on what teachers can and can’t do. (page 18 of Drama GCSE  and page 39 of the Music GCSE specifications).

Q3. How do I keep a record of my marks?

A. You’ll need to fill in the centre assessment forms (drama) or candidate cover sheets (music) to send with the work to the moderator. You could use these for all students anyway, and these can keep the record of your marks until you need to submit them. These can be found in the “Assessment” area of each of the qualification webpages.

Q5. What do I do with my marks?

A. Submit your marks to us via your exams officer by 15th May.

Drama note - even if you complete Devising Drama in year 10 we don’t need this until year 11 though; the same applies to Practitioners in Practice – some centres prefer to get this done and completed in Year 12 but nothing needs submitting until year 13.

Q6. How do I keep a record of my marks?

A. You’ll need to fill in the centre assessment forms to send with the work to the moderator. I’d use these for all students anyway, and these can keep the record of your marks until you need to submit them.

Q7. How do I know where to send things?

A. Your exams officer will know who your moderator is and how to get work to them. You don’t need to send anything until you are asked for it though – in class sizes over 10 we won’t request them all. Wait until your sample is requested to send it off.

Q8. Anything else that I need to know?

A. There are some helpful documents on the website to help with FAQs. These help with performance choices, file formats and all sorts of other advice.

They’re called “Guidelines and submission details for NEA” and for Music GCSE and A Level, you will find these on the appropriate webpages, in the “Teacher Guides” sections. For Drama GCSE and A Level you will find them in the NEA section.

Stay connected

If you have any questions about how things work submit your comments below or email us directly with your questions to either music@ocr.org.uk or drama@ocr.org.uk.

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For further information on Music or Drama visit the OCR website.

About the author

Marie Bessant - Subject Specialist - Music

Marie joined OCR in July 2014 as Music Subject Specialist after teaching Music for 10 years. With experience as Head of Department at secondary schools and FE colleges Marie has a wealth of experience teaching Music and Performing Arts at GCSE, A Level, BTEC and HND. As OCR’s Music specialist Marie took the lead in the development for the new Music GCSEs and A Levels as well as overseeing resources, running training and CPD events, and supporting the performing arts teaching community. Marie also has the same responsibilities for Drama GCSE and A Level and the Cambridge Technical vocational Performing Arts qualifications. Alongside this Marie is an organist and pianist with a love for rock music.