Get your child exam-ready for OCR A Level Drama.
One-to-one online lessons with a specialist tutor, matched to the OCR Drama and Theatre syllabus and your child's target grade.
OCR A Level Drama and Theatre: what parents should know.
OCR A Level Drama and Theatre combines live performance, written analysis and critical study of theatre practitioners. It suits students who want to develop stagecraft alongside academic depth at A Level.
OCR A Level Drama and Theatre is a two-year qualification for students in Year 12 and 13. It sits within the OCR exam board's arts pathway and leads naturally into drama, theatre studies, and performing arts degrees.
Assessment combines practical performance work and written examination. Students are graded A* to E. Coursework and live performance components carry significant weight alongside the written paper on theatre practitioners and set texts.
Written examinations take place in the summer exam series. Practical assessments and performance components are scheduled during the academic year, so preparation needs to begin well in advance of the final exam season.
A group class can't do this.
Lessons built around performance gaps
Your tutor identifies the exact components holding your child back, whether that is devising, text analysis, or practitioner application, and targets those specifically every session.
Real past-paper and performance technique
Sessions include timed written responses using OCR mark schemes and structured rehearsal of performance components, so students know exactly what the examiner expects.
Parents kept in the loop
After every session, parents receive a progress note covering what was covered, what improved, and what homework has been set before the next lesson.
The A Level that develops performers and theatre analysts.
OCR A Level Drama and Theatre is a qualification set by OCR, one of the UK's leading exam boards. It is designed for students aged 16 to 18 who want to study performance, devising, and the theoretical study of theatre practitioners at an advanced level.
Assessment covers a written examination on theatre practitioners and set texts, plus practical performance work. Grades run from A* to E. The combination of coursework and examination rewards both creative and analytical ability, making syllabus-specific preparation essential.
Every Tuitional lesson follows the exact OCR Drama and Theatre syllabus code the student's school uses. Nothing drifts from the real paper. Tutors map each session directly to the components a student will be assessed on.
What a one-to-one OCR Drama and Theatre lesson actually looks like.
Every session follows four structured phases: recap, teach, apply, and review. Each phase is purposeful so no minute of a lesson is wasted.
Book a trial lessonA typical 60-minute session
- 0-5 min
Recap and quick diagnostic
The tutor opens with a brief check on last session's homework and asks two or three questions to identify any lingering confusion before the new topic begins.
Example: The student is asked to briefly explain how Konstantin Stanislavski's system of emotional memory would apply to a character in their devised piece, surfacing any gaps in practitioner knowledge.
- 5-25 min
Teach the target topic
The tutor teaches the session's planned topic with focus, using the OCR set text extracts, practitioner frameworks or performance theory directly from the syllabus.
Example: The tutor walks through Bertolt Brecht's Epic Theatre conventions, linking Verfremdungseffekt to a scene from the student's set text, showing how to apply it in both the written paper and devised component.
- 25-50 min
Apply to past-paper questions
The student attempts an OCR-style written question or devising log extract under timed conditions. The tutor then marks it live against the OCR mark scheme, explaining where marks were gained or lost.
Example: The student writes a timed response to a Section B question on how a theatre practitioner's methods could be applied to a given extract, then the tutor annotates it against the OCR marking criteria.
- 50-60 min
Review, set homework, report
The tutor summarises what improved, confirms the next session's focus, and sets targeted homework such as a short practitioner comparison or a performance reflection log entry.
Example: Homework is set to write a 300-word practitioner application paragraph on Antonin Artaud's Theatre of Cruelty, ready for marking at the start of the next session.
After the lesson
Parents receive a written session note covering what was taught, the homework set, and the focus area for the next lesson. The session recording is available to review at any time through the Tuitional platform.
Four simple steps.
Tell us the goal
Share the syllabus, target grade, and exam date.
Get matched
We pair your child with an OCR Drama specialist.
Trial lesson
Book a no-obligation trial to meet the tutor.
Start weekly
Regular sessions, fully flexible around your schedule.
The A Level that builds both stage presence and analytical rigour.
OCR A Level Drama and Theatre is set by OCR and assessed across performance, devising, and written examination. Students study theatre practitioners and set texts, developing both practical stagecraft and the critical thinking universities in the arts expect.
The qualification suits students who want a serious academic arts pathway. Written and practical components run through both years, so consistent, structured preparation from an experienced drama tutor makes a measurable difference to final grades.
A Level subjects we tutor.
Why families across the GCC trust Tuitional.
My daughter was struggling with the written practitioner analysis section of her OCR Drama A Level. After just six sessions, she had a clear structure, real confidence, and her mock result jumped by two grades. Brilliant tutor.
The tutor took time to understand exactly which OCR components were causing anxiety and built each session around those. We finally feel like we have a plan.
I used to dread the devising log but my tutor showed me how to structure each entry against the mark scheme. Sessions are genuinely enjoyable now.
Flexible timing made this work for us. Sessions fit around school rehearsals and the tutor adjusted the focus each week depending on which component was coming up first.
OCR A Level Drama tutoring: your questions, answered.
The things parents and students ask us most, in plain language.
?What does OCR A Level Drama and Theatre actually cover?+
OCR A Level Drama and Theatre covers three main areas: devising original performance, presenting and performing texts, and written examination on theatre practitioners and set texts. Students develop both practical performance skills and analytical writing ability across the two-year course.
?How is OCR A Level Drama and Theatre assessed?+
Assessment combines practical performance components completed during the course and a written examination in the summer exam series. The written paper tests knowledge of theatre practitioners and set texts. Both components contribute to the final A* to E grade.
?Can a tutor help with the devising component as well as the written paper?+
Yes. Tuitional tutors support both the practical devising log and the written examination. They help students structure their devising documentation, apply practitioner frameworks to their own work, and practise timed written responses against the OCR mark scheme.
?When should my child start OCR A Level Drama tutoring?+
Starting early in Year 12 gives the most benefit, as devising work begins in the first term. However, tutoring at any point in the two-year course is valuable. Many students join closer to their written exams to sharpen practitioner analysis and exam technique.
?Are sessions live or pre-recorded?+
Every session is a live, one-to-one video lesson with a specialist tutor. There are no pre-recorded substitutes. Sessions are recorded and available for your child to review at any time through the Tuitional platform.
?How much does OCR A Level Drama tutoring cost?+
Tuitional offers flexible pay-per-session and package options for A Level tutoring with no lock-in. For current rates, see the tutoring packages page on tuitionaledu.com, or contact us directly and we'll find the right option for your family.
Book a trial OCR A Level Drama lesson today.
Tell us your child's syllabus, target grade, and exam date. We'll match them with the right OCR Drama tutor and have a trial lesson booked within one working day.
- Live, one-to-one sessions with an OCR specialist
- Matched to your child's exact syllabus and components
- Flexible scheduling around school and activities
- No commitment until after the trial lesson