Drama

The Arts|New Zealand Curriculum

About Drama

Drama helps us understand diverse cultural perspectives and worldviews by examining the rich cultural histories and traditions, from Aotearoa and worldwide, that are expressed through performance.

This page contains resources and tools to help support: 

  • internal and external assessment (exams)
  • teachers delivering this subject
  • learners taking this subject.

Read more about this subject on NCEA.education (external link)

Changes to Drama

Sample resources for 91942 and 91943 for external assessment in 2025

Assessor Support

See how our online resources and workshops can support and improve your assessment practice.

Assessor Support home

Drama standards

Level 1 standards

Drama achievement standards

Find Level 1 standards

Level 2 standards

Drama achievement standards

Find Level 2 standards

Level 3 standards

Drama achievement standards

Find Level 3 standards

NZ Scholarship standard

Find NZ Scholarship standard for Drama

Find NZ Scholarship standards

Exemplars, reports, past exams and assessment schedules

Level 1

Past exams, exemplars, assessment schedules and reports

Level 1

Level 2

Past exams, exemplars, assessment schedule and reports

Level 2

Level 3

Past exams, exemplars, assessment schedule and reports

Level 3

New Zealand Scholarship

Past exams and assessment schedule

NZ Scholarship

Cut scores

Past scores for exams for all levels

Get cut scores

Assessment specifications

Level 1

Get the latest assessment specifications

Level 1

Level 2

Get the latest assessment specifications

Level 2

Level 3

Get the latest assessment specifications

Level 3

New Zealand Scholarship

Get the latest assessment specifications

NZ Scholarship

Useful exam information

Exam timetable

Candidate information sheet [PDF, 125 KB]

Submission instructions will be published in Term 3, 2025.

Assessor support materials for internal assessment

Internal exemplars

See exemplars for internally assessed Drama standards

Go to exemplars

National moderator's report

Annual reports on issues and trends in assessment

View moderator's report

Clarifications

Updates on assessment and moderations

Find Drama clarifications

Request clarification form

Teachers can request clarification of a standard with this form

Open request clarification form

Remote assessment matrix

Guidance for teachers if learning and assessment needs to be completed remotely

Download matrix [PDF, 163 KB]

Alternative evidence gathering templates

Templates for student results when direct assessment is not possible

Get templates

Drama resources on Pūtake

Online learning modules available for this subject

Go to resources

Tools

Level 1 assessment matrix

Use the Drama matrix on NCEA.education with new standards in 2024

Go to the matrix

Level 2 and 3 assessment matrix

Use this Drama matrix for Level 2 and 3 standards

Download matrix [DOCX, 53KB]

Career guidance

Career information and tools to help your students on careers.govt.nz

Go to careers.govt.nz

Log in to MyNZQA school portal