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WJEC GCSE Drama (Wales): complete guide to the three units, the written exam and the practical components

A complete guide to WJEC GCSE Drama for Wales (specification 3690). Explains the three-unit structure, how the devising and performance practicals fit with the Unit 3 written exam, exactly what the Interpreting Theatre paper assesses through the set text and the live-theatre evaluation, the four assessment objectives, and the drama and theatre knowledge the written exam rewards.

Browse guides β†’Syllabus dot points (10)

WJEC GCSE Drama for Wales (specification 3690) is a linear course that is mostly practical: two non-examination assessment units carry 60 percent of the marks, and a single written exam, Unit 3 Interpreting Theatre, carries the rest. This page is the index. Below is a map of the three units, what the written paper actually assesses, the four assessment objectives, and the drama and theatre knowledge the exam rewards. WJEC's Wales specification (3690) is distinct from its England-facing Eduqas brand, so always revise from the current WJEC specification, set-text list and past papers.

The three units

Drama is split into three units. Two are practical, marked in your centre and moderated by WJEC; one is a written exam sat at the end of the course.

  • Unit 1: Devising Theatre. 40 percent, a non-examination assessment (60 marks). Learners investigate a practitioner or genre, devise an original piece from a stimulus to communicate meaning, and write a supporting portfolio and evaluation.
  • Unit 2: Performing from a Text. 20 percent, a non-examination assessment (60 marks). Learners perform two extracts from one play, or realise a design, for a visiting examiner.
  • Unit 3: Interpreting Theatre. 40 percent, a 1 hour 30 minute written exam (60 marks). Section A is a studied set text answered as performer, designer and director; Section B is an evaluation of live theatre seen.

Across the qualification the four assessment objectives are split so that the practical units carry AO1 and AO2 (creating and applying theatrical skills) and the written Unit 3 carries AO3 and AO4 (knowledge and understanding, and analysis and evaluation).

What the written exam assesses

Only Unit 3 is examined in writing, so it is the focus of this library. The marks come from a fixed set of demands.

  1. The set text as a performer. Explain how you would use voice, movement, facial expression and interaction to play a moment, linked to character motivation and the effect on the audience.
  2. The set text as a designer. Explain choices of set, costume, lighting and sound, and a chosen stage configuration, to realise a moment and shape the audience response.
  3. The set text as a director. Explain your concept and how you would direct a moment to communicate meaning and create mood.
  4. Evaluating live theatre. Analyse and evaluate the acting and design in a live production you have seen, using precise vocabulary and supported judgements.

The knowledge that underpins the course

The written paper and the practical units both draw on a shared body of drama and theatre knowledge.

  • Practitioners, genres and styles. Naturalism and Stanislavski, epic and political theatre and Brecht, and physical and devised theatre.
  • Acting skills. The vocal skills (pitch, pace, pause, tone, volume) and physical skills (posture, gesture, gait, facial expression, proxemics) that build a character.
  • Design skills. How set, costume, lighting and sound are used to create meaning, mood and period.
  • Staging and stagecraft. The main stage configurations (proscenium arch, thrust, in the round, traverse, end on) and how they change the actor and audience relationship.

How to study WJEC Drama

Drama rewards practical craft and disciplined written technique in equal measure.

  1. Separate the practical from the written. The two practical units are performed and documented; only Unit 3 is a written exam, so revise each in its own way.
  2. Know your set text deeply. You answer Section A from memory of the text and your rehearsed staging ideas, so learn the plot, characters and key moments.
  3. Always link choice to effect. A top-band answer never just lists a choice of voice, costume or lighting; it explains the effect on the audience.
  4. Rehearse the three perspectives. Practise the same moment as performer, designer and director, because the paper tests all three.
  5. Bank a live production. Keep detailed notes on a live performance you saw, so you can write a structured, evaluative Section B answer.

The units, dot point by dot point

Each part of the course has an overview guide, dot-point answer pages and a quiz. Browse the full set at /wjec-gcse/drama/syllabus.

For the official specification

WJEC publishes the full specification (3690), the set-text list, past papers and mark schemes at wjec.co.uk. Always revise from the current specification and WJEC's own past papers, because the set texts, question style and the balance of practical and written assessment are board-specific.

Drama guides

In-depth written guides with paired practice quizzes.

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Drama practice quizzes

Multiple-choice drills with worked answer explanations. Your scores stay on this device.

The WJEC-GCSE system, explained

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Common questions about Drama

How is WJEC GCSE Drama (Wales) structured?
WJEC GCSE Drama for Wales (specification 3690) is a linear course of three units. Unit 1, Devising Theatre, is a non-examination assessment worth 40 percent, in which learners devise an original piece influenced by a practitioner or genre and write a supporting portfolio and evaluation. Unit 2, Performing from a Text, is a non-examination assessment worth 20 percent, performing two extracts from one play or realising a design. Unit 3, Interpreting Theatre, is the only written exam, worth 40 percent, a 1 hour 30 minute paper on a studied set text and an evaluation of live theatre seen.
What is examined in the WJEC GCSE Drama written paper?
Only Unit 3, Interpreting Theatre, is a written exam. Section A asks questions on a set text, requiring candidates to answer as a performer (voice, movement, characterisation), as a designer (set, costume, lighting and sound, and a chosen stage configuration) and as a director (concept and how to communicate meaning). Section B asks candidates to analyse and evaluate a piece of live theatre they have seen. The paper rewards AO3 (knowledge and understanding of how drama is developed and performed) and AO4 (analysing and evaluating their own and others' work).
What are the assessment objectives in WJEC GCSE Drama?
Four assessment objectives run across the course. AO1 rewards creating and developing ideas to communicate meaning for a theatrical performance. AO2 rewards applying theatrical skills to realise artistic intentions in live performance. AO3 rewards demonstrating knowledge and understanding of how drama and theatre is developed and performed. AO4 rewards analysing and evaluating their own work and the work of others. The practical units carry AO1 and AO2, while the written Unit 3 carries AO3 and AO4.
Are the practical components examined in writing?
No. Units 1 and 2 are practical non-examination assessments, marked by the centre and moderated by WJEC, so they are not written exams. The devising process, the original performance, and the performance from a text are all assessed practically. They are summarised on this site for orientation, but the written-exam content that this library covers in depth is Unit 3, Interpreting Theatre, plus the underpinning knowledge of practitioners, skills and staging that the paper draws on.
Which set texts and genres does WJEC GCSE Drama use?
For Section A of Unit 3, centres choose a set text from the WJEC list to study from performer, designer and director perspectives. Because text choice varies by centre and the list is updated, this site teaches the transferable skills the questions reward rather than reproducing any copyrighted play. The genres and practitioners that underpin the course include naturalism and Stanislavski, epic and political theatre and Brecht, and physical and devised theatre.
How should I revise WJEC GCSE Drama?
Split your revision into the practical craft and the written exam. For the practical units, secure your vocal and physical skills, your design ideas and your devising process so you can perform and document them. For Unit 3, learn your set text in detail and rehearse answering as performer, designer and director, always linking a specific choice to its effect on the audience, then practise structured evaluations of the live theatre you saw. Drill each question type against the WJEC mark scheme and use precise drama vocabulary.