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WACE · WACE Year 12 ATAR · official past papers

WACE Drama past exams 2021–2025, by year and topic

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ATARMAxxing indexes 15 official SCSA Drama papers from 2021 to 2025, with 23 questions mapped to 5 topics. Every paper opens on the SCSA website.

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Year 12 syllabus for teaching from 2026 (v15, minor changes; same written design as 2023-2025) · 2026–2026Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025) · 2023–2025Earlier written examination design: Section One 60% / Section Two 40% with one Section Two answer (2021-2022 papers in this pack) · 2021–2022

WACE Drama exams by year: official papers & marking guidance

Past exams indexed: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021. Open the official SCSA papers, with marking guidance where available.

YearStudy designOfficial paper(s)Marking guidance
2025 WACE Drama examYear 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination ↗ · Ratified marking key ↗ · Text booklet ↗ · Practical (performance) examination marking key ↗Marking guidance ↗
2024 WACE Drama examYear 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination ↗ · Ratified marking key ↗ · Text booklet ↗Marking guidance ↗
2023 WACE Drama examYear 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination ↗ · Ratified marking key ↗ · Text booklet ↗Marking guidance ↗
2022 WACE Drama examEarlier written examination design: Section One 60% / Section Two 40% with one Section Two answer (2021-2022 papers in this pack)Written examination ↗ · Ratified marking key ↗ · Text booklet ↗Marking guidance ↗
2021 WACE Drama examEarlier written examination design: Section One 60% / Section Two 40% with one Section Two answer (2021-2022 papers in this pack)Written examination ↗ · Ratified marking key ↗Marking guidance ↗

15 official papers across 5 years (2021–2025), 5 with marking guidance, published by WACE. These span more than one study design; the most recent is Year 12 syllabus for teaching from 2026 (v15, minor changes; same written design as 2023-2025). Earlier papers may cover material that has since changed.

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Section One - unseen drama text in role · 8 mapped questions

Designer questions on an unseen text

  • 2025Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section One Q1(a)4 marksIn a chosen designer role, explains how a chosen stage space would heighten audience impact for the unseen 1920s biographical play.Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2025Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section One Q1(b)(i)-(iii)12 marksExplains a different design choice to define the setting of each of three named scenes (4 marks per scene; a repeated choice earns only 1 mark).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2023Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section One Q1(a)-(c)24 marksAs a designer for a large-cast gap-year play: explain the element of situation (4); two design choices highlighting situation (8); two annotated diagrams, each on a different element of design (12).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →

Director questions on an unseen text

  • 2025Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section One Q2(a)8 marksAs director, explains how two actors in one scene would use one aspect of voice to show the element of drama, relationships (4 marks per character).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2025Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section One Q2(b)(i)-(iv)16 marksExplains a different movement aspect for the central character in each of four scenes to chart her changing motivation (4 marks per scene).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2024Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section One Q1(a)-(c)14 marksAs director of a play about a First Nations tennis champion: a rehearsal activity for the movement aspect weight (4); a rehearsal process exploring child-parent relationships (5); directing pace of movement in a named scene (5).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2023Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section One Q2(a)-(d)16 marksAs director: a rehearsal activity to create movement choices (4); directing movement in two changes between excerpts (4); directing gesture in one excerpt (4); directing proxemics in another for audience impact (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →

Actor questions on an unseen text

  • 2024Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section One Q2(a)-(c)15 marksAs the actor playing the lead: describe her dominant mood in the Prologue (3); manipulate tone to show a mood shift (4); use one practitioner-based physical approach to show the character's age in two scenes (8).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →

Also in this topic: Annotated diagrams — question-level mapping in progress; the year table above links every official paper.

Section Two - Australian and World set texts · 15 mapped questions

Actor questions on a set text

  • 2025Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section Two Q420 marksActor: explain a key character's motivation (4); discuss a movement technique explored in rehearsal (6); discuss manipulating articulation in a key scene (6); explain blocking with a diagram (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2025Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section Two Q720 marksActor: explain the character's key value (4); discuss developing tone in rehearsal (6); discuss a practitioner approach to develop gesture in a key scene (6); explain projection to show a shift in tension (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2024Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section Two Q318 marksActor: given circumstances (4); developing an interpretation in rehearsal (5); stillness to build tension in a key scene (5); an aspect of voice supporting that tension (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2024Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section Two Q718 marksActor: character's journey (4); developing inflection in rehearsal (5); energy to show motivation in a key scene (5); annotated diagram of movement in the space (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2023Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section Two Q417 marksActor: describe the chosen approach to character (3); use it in rehearsal (5); voice to show the character's social, historical or cultural context in a key scene (5); annotated proxemics diagram (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2023Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section Two Q617 marksActor: dominant trait (3); one aspect of movement developed in rehearsal to show it (5); a different movement aspect in performance to highlight a relationship (5); annotated diagram for projection (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →

Director questions on a set text

  • 2025Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section Two Q620 marksDirector: explain the text's significance for a teenage audience (4); discuss how the vision conveys a message to that audience (6); discuss one rehearsal activity to realise the vision (6); explain a stage-space choice (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2024Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section Two Q518 marksDirector: dominant theme (4); a practitioner/company approach in rehearsal to explore it (5); one convention of that approach in performance to highlight a relationship (5); choice of performance space (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →

Designer questions on a set text

  • 2025Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section Two Q320 marksDesigner: explain the set text's context (4); discuss how the production vision engages a chosen audience (6); discuss an element of design enhancing context in a key scene (6); annotated diagram (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2025Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section Two Q520 marksDesigner: explain how a site-specific space supports the interpretation (4); discuss a design choice highlighting form and style (6); discuss applying contrast to the dominant theme in a key scene (6); annotated diagram (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2024Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section Two Q418 marksDesigner: identify and justify a theatre space (4); a design choice for audience impact in it (5); the principle of balance in a key scene (5); annotated diagram showing an element of design enhancing balance (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2024Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section Two Q618 marksDesigner: explain a dominant symbol (4); one principle of design to highlight it (5); an element of design enhancing that principle in a key scene (5); annotated diagram (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2023Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section Two Q317 marksDesigner: why a site-specific space suits the text (3); one design choice enhancing that space (5); scale/proportion in a key scene (5); annotated diagram (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2023Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section Two Q517 marksDesigner: a significant theme/issue (3); one element of design to highlight it (5); the element of tension to enhance dramatic meaning in a key scene (5); annotated diagram (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →
  • 2023Year 12 syllabus, written examination at Section One 40% / Section Two 60% (examined 2023-2025)Written examination Section Two Q717 marksDesigner: creating focus (3); establishing atmosphere as the audience enters (5); repetition to maximise audience impact in a key scene (5); annotated diagram (4).Official paper ↗Marking guidance ↗Check tutors for this question →

The rest of the syllabus

Question-level mapping for these areas is still being verified. Every official paper covering them is in the year table above.

  • Drama language (Units 3 and 4) — Character, role, relationships and situation · Voice · Movement and blocking · Focus, tension, mood, atmosphere and symbol · Director's vision, rehearsal processes and improvisation
  • Contextual knowledge, conventions and approaches (Units 3 and 4) — Historical, social and cultural context · Character values, motivation and given circumstances · Form and style · Practitioner/company approaches
  • Production and performance (Units 3 and 4) — Theatre spaces and site-specific spaces · Principles and elements of design · Designer roles and technologies · Transitions

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