AQA GCSE DRAMA 8261/W
Component 1 Understanding
Drama Mark scheme June
2024 Version: 1.0 Final
,GCSE
DRAMA
8261/W
Component 1 Understanding Drama
Mark scheme
June 2024
Version: 1.0 Final
*246G 261/W/MS*
, MARK SCHEME – GCSE DRAMA – 8261/W – JUNE
2024
Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant questions,
by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the standardisation events
which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in this examination. The
standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’ responses to questions and that every
associate understands and applies it in the same correct way.
As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative answers not
already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the standardisation process, associates
encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are required to refer these to the Lead Examiner.
It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and expanded on
the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark schemes on the basis of one
year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of assessment remain constant, details will
change, depending on the content of a particular examination paper.
No student should be disadvantaged on the basis of their gender identity and/or how they refer to the gender
identity of others in their exam responses.
A consistent use of ‘they/them’ as a singular and pronouns beyond ‘she/her’ or ‘he/him’ will be credited in exam
responses in line with existing mark scheme criteria.
Further copies of this mark scheme are available from aqa.org.uk
Copyright information
AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use,
with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use
within the centre.
Level of response marking instructions
Level of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has a descriptor. The descriptor for the
level shows the average performance for the level. There are marks in each level.
Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as instructed)
to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme.
Step 1 Determine a level
Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the descriptor for
that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in the student’s answer for
that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it meets this level, and so on, until you
have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With practice and familiarity you will find that for better
answers you will be able to quickly skip through the lower levels of the mark scheme.
When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in small and
specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If the answer covers
different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit approach for defining the level
and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within the level, ie if the response is
predominantly level 3 with a small amount of level 4 material it would be placed in level 3 but be awarded a mark
near the top of the level because of the level 4 content.
Step 2 Determine a mark
Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. The descriptors on how to allocate marks can help
with this. The exemplar materials used during standardisation will help. There will be an answer in the
standardising materials which will correspond with each level of the mark scheme. This answer will have been
awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer with the example to determine if it
is the same standard, better or worse than the example. You can then use this to allocate a mark for the answer
based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example.
You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and assure
yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate.
Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not intended to be exhaustive and
you must credit other valid points. Students do not have to cover all of the points mentioned in the Indicative
content to reach the highest level of the mark scheme.
An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks.
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