Assessment Criteria
The most important aspect of the criteria for assessing all our examinations is to ensure that the syllabus requirements are met.
Poetry:
Learners should:
- demonstrate a sense of rhythm
- demonstrate an understanding of the poet’s thoughts and intentions
- use clear speech
- share the meaning expressively
- respond to the language, structure and narrative
- where appropriate give characters vocal identity
- use a variety of tone, pace and volume
- demonstrate enjoyment and projection
- demonstrate imagination and emotion
Prose:
Learners should:
- show imagination and emotion
- demonstrate compliance with the author’s mood and intentions
- demonstrate differentiation between narrative and dialogue
- convey the story’s shape and progression
- use clear speech and appropriate tone
- use appropriate and effective phrasing
- demonstrate enjoyment and projection
- demonstrate communication and sharing with the audience
- use a range of tone and pace effectively
Acting:
Learners should:
- be in character
- have read and understood the play
- portray the character, situation, action and period accordingly
- move in character showing awareness of style, costume and customs
- use appropriate, well supported voice
- project and be aware of audience reaction
- use their imagination and creativity
- sight-read fluently with a sense of character and situation
Musical Theatre:
Learners should:
- be accurate in both lyrics and tuning
- demonstrate awareness of the various and appropriate Musical Theatre styles
- respond to the intentions of both the lyricist and the composer
- portray the character, situation, action and period accordingly
- move in character showing awareness of style, costume and customs
- demonstrate a well supported and unconstructed vocal range
- perform selections with flow and enjoyment
- demonstrate and show an awareness of the importance of acting through their songs
- shape their performance for the benefit and enjoyment of an audience
Public Speaking:
Learners should:
- fully research their subject matter
- use varied and expressive speaking
- speak with conviction and clarity
- be aware of and respond to their audience
- be discreet in their use of notes
- use non-verbal aids to enhance the speech (not overwhelm it)
- give effective shape to their talk or speech
- keep the content relevant and informative
- be persuasive and dynamic in their presentation
Mime:
Learners should:
- be relaxed
- perform with imagination and emotion
- pay attention to detail
- be aware of weight, space and atmosphere
- create and present an imaginary situation
- tell a story clearly and vividly
- sustain concentration
- demonstrate strong characterisation
Devised Drama:
Learners should:
- demonstrate spontaneity and imagination in performing dramatic scenes in response to a variety of given stimuli
- demonstrate the confidence to create, generate and perform their own material in a fictional context
- demonstrate the use of a range of dramatic devices in their work
- create, live and sustain an imaginary situation
- sustain concentration and continuous creative invention
- pay attention to detail both vocally and physically
- use a variety of role, style and content in their scenes whilst showing an understanding of genre, structure and narrative
- keep work relevant to the task set
Shakespeare:
Learners should:
- convey rhythm effectively
- move in character showing awareness of style, costume and customs
- project and be aware of audience reaction
- use their imagination and creativity
- demonstrate an emotional reality
- demonstrate a knowledge of the character and play
- demonstrate knowledge of the playwright and Elizabethan theatre
Interview Technique:
Learners should:
- prepare themselves for a formal approach
- demonstrate good communication skills
- be ready to respond to questions with their own ideas and opinions
- suggest solutions to problems
- respond to the leads given
- be aware of the value and effect of good self-presentation
Reading:
Learners should aim to read:
- with fluency, imagination, expression and confidence
- using the appropriate style of delivery and mood to convey the intentions and style of the author or poet
- showing differentiation between narrative and dialogue
- conveying the story’s shape and progression
- using clear speech and appropriate tone
- showing an awareness of and response to the needs of the listener
- with good phrasing and thoughtful use of pause
- giving thought to eye contact, stance and the unobtrusive placing of the book
Solo Verse Speaking:
Learners should:
- demonstrate a sense of rhythm
- demonstrate an understanding of the poet’s thoughts and intentions
- use clear speech
- share the meaning expressively
- respond to the language, structure and narrative
- where appropriate give characters vocal identity
- use a variety of tone, pace and volume
- demonstrate enjoyment and projection
- demonstrate imagination and emotion
Choral Speaking:
Choirs should:
- select appropriate work for choral speaking
- demonstrate contrast through the pieces chosen
- use effective and appropriate vocal orchestration
- use visual presentation that enhances the selections
- use imagination and creativity
- demonstrate compliance with the poet or author’s mood and intentions
- demonstrate differentiation between narrative and dialogue
- convey the piece’s shape and progression
- use appropriate and effective phrasing, tone and pace
- demonstrate enjoyment and projection
- demonstrate communication and sharing with the audience
Spoken English:
Learners should:
- use varied and expressive speaking
- speak with conviction and clarity
- listen carefully to the questions asked and respond appropriately
- make themselves and their ideas understood
- keep answers relevant to the questions asked
- respond to leads given
- demonstrate a willingness to share ideas and opinions
English as a Second Language:
Learners should:
- demonstrate competent communication skills
- make themselves understood using the English language
- attempt to have clear pronunciation
- demonstrate an understanding of sentence construction and grammar
- demonstrate an ability to use and understand a range of vocabulary
- demonstrate fluent and expressive use of language in the higher grades
Recital:
Learners should:
- demonstrate performance skills in a variety of forms
- produce a varied, entertaining and imaginative programme
- respond and comply with the intentions of the poet or author
- use a well modulated voice expressively
- present a performance of a high standard
- present work suitable for public performance
Group Work:
Learners should:
- work as a team
- use clear introductions
- clearly establish characters and situations
- organise and shape the performance in order to engage an audience
- show an awareness and interact with each other physically and vocally
- sustain imagination and creative invention
- interact to make an artistic whole
Duologues:
Learners should:
- work as a team
- use clear introductions
- clearly establish characters and situations
- demonstrate an awareness of the needs of an audience
- interact effectively and appropriately
- demonstrate spontaneity and understanding
- sustain imagination and creative invention
- interact to make an artistic whole
Response, Discussion and Conversation:
Learners should:
- listen carefully to the questions asked and respond appropriately
- speak clearly
- make themselves and their ideas understood
- answer theory clearly and concisely
- keep answers relevant to the questions asked
- demonstrate knowledge of the pieces performed and the theory required
- be relaxed
- show resourcefulness and imagination
- respond to leads given
- demonstrate a willingness to share ideas and opinions
