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Creative arts K–12

Drama 11–12

Stage 6 drama students engage in collaborative and individual exploration and generation of drama and theatre through making, performing and critically studying.

HSC students are required to undertake a written examination, participate in a group performance and complete an individual project.

Students will develop knowledge and understanding in making when:

  • developing and adopting performance skills in a variety of theatrical situations, roles and characters
  • interpreting, expressing and performing scripted and unscripted material through a variety of forms of media
  • understanding, manipulating and analysing the use of the elements of drama in performance
  • playbuilding and directing performances to communicate dramatic meaning as an individual and group performer
  • demonstrating skills using the elements of production and valuing the contribution of an individual through the collaborative group performance process.

Students will develop knowledge and understanding in performing when:

  • demonstrating performance skills with a dynamic and effective actor-audience relationship as an individual and group performer
  • understanding the contribution and roles of the elements of production staff and how this attributes to how well an audience is engaged during a performance
  • performing in a variety of styles and theatre spaces in a diverse range of theatrical contexts
  • demonstrating exemplary knowledge of the elements of drama when performing
  • appreciating the complexity of the performance process, commitment, focus and energy required for the theatre industry.

Students will develop knowledge and understanding in critically studying when:

  • evaluating and appraising personal, professional and the performances of others in written and oral responses
  • demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the impact of theatre and society as cultural and issues-based expressions in Australia and overseas
  • researching, appreciating and analysing the value of various theatrical styles, the theatre industry and theatrical movements throughout history and the present.

Have your say – syllabus consultation

NESA will release the draft Drama 11–12 Syllabus, and Drama Life Skills 11–12 Syllabus for public consultation as part of the NSW Curriculum Reform.

View the NESA information videos on Have your say – Drama 11–12 (staff only).

Sample scope and sequences

The sample Stage 6 scope and sequence documents provide teachers with overviews for programming and assessment in the HSC and Preliminary drama courses.

Sample assessment schedules and tasks

The samples below have been provided to assist in planning for and assessing Stage 6 drama.

Assessment tasks

The following sample assessment task is for a study of Thornton Wilder's play, Our Town.

Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) presents school productions, teacher training and workshops for secondary and primary students as well as drama, English and entertainment teachers.

The English National Theatre provides resource packs of current and past productions as well as a virtual tour of the venue.

The NSW Arts unit offers professional learning workshops and opportunities for teachers of the arts, including drama.

Teaching and learning resources

These videos explore a series of approaches and insights into the group performance processes and the various individual project options for the HSC drama course. These interviews are one component derived from our online professional learning module titled 'Stage 6 Drama - Inside the projects' (RG14249).

The logbook checklist (DOCX 44.2 KB) provides teachers with a straightforward guide for suggested logbook inclusions. By following this list, teachers can monitor their student's process through the individual project and or group performance through a rich investigative procedure.

Elements of drama poster and brief animated video are available to print, play and display in your classroom via the links below.

Watch

Watch the Elements of drama video (04:54).

Elements of drama

Resource

Elements of drama summary and individual elements of drama poster (PDF 7.8 MB)

Preliminary resources

The group devising – using research as stimulus learning sequence includes suggested activities and resource links for teaching improvisation, acting and playbuilding in the preliminary drama course. Students will use research and active improvisation to generate and refine an original piece of group devised theatre. This resource also includes a summative assessment task and marking rubrics.

The text and intention 9-week unit of work includes suggested learning activities, assessment and resource links for teaching theatrical traditions and performance styles in Year 11. Students will explore and research the approaches of various theatre practitioners, and work collaboratively to interpret and perform script extracts from 'Love and Information' by Caryl Churchill.

The rationale guide (DOCX 73 KB) provides teachers with a student-centred scaffold to support Stage 5 and Year 11 drama students in developing an individual directorial intention. By using the guiding questions, students can begin to justify their creative decisions and make connections to intended dramatic meaning.

HSC resources

Bogart and Viewpoints – student workbook (DOCX 422 KB) – a resource exploring content for Topic 4: Approaches to Acting set for study in the 2025–2027 HSC Drama course.

An interactive online module to support students selecting and developing their HSC drama individual project (IP). This resource is flexibly designed for individual or whole class use.

Teachers can set activities or work through the series of individual project option activities. As students progress through the module, teachers can interact with students and provide feedback in various forms. There are two quizzes and an individual project questionnaire for students to complete in this module.

Teachers can collect student responses by duplicating the links below and providing these to students separately.

The HSC IP rationale guide (DOCX 72 KB) provides teachers with a scaffold and sample paragraphs for suggested individual project rationale development. By using the scaffold, teachers can support HSC drama students in structuring and expressing a clear and succinct dramatic intention for the submitted project or individual performance.

Assessment in the HSC

The Assessment in the HSC resource is designed to provide Stage 6 teachers with opportunities to develop their understanding of the assessment requirements for the practical and performance works in the HSC drama course. It has been written to support and compliment the NESA Creative Arts Assessment and Reporting in Stage 6 drama advice and requirements.

HSC drama teachers can use this resource to:

  • familiarise themselves with the requirements of each practical and performance component
  • develop their understanding of the language of the NESA assessment criteria for each of the practical and performance works
  • develop confidence in applying assessment criteria through identification and analysis of work sample characteristics
  • assist Year 12 students in making informed choices when selecting course options
  • build student confidence and knowledge of success in each practical and performance work.

Syllabus

The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Drama Stage 6 Syllabus (2009) page contains the syllabus and helpful materials including a sample assessment schedule, HSC advice, specimen exams, HSC marking guidelines, standards materials, past papers additional support information.

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  • Educational Standards
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  • Teaching and learning
  • Year 11
  • Year 12

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