Skills for Life: Music, Dance and Drama
Music, Dance and Drama is a Skills for Life unit in which learners explore elements, techniques and styles in one or more of music, dance or drama, plan a performance, perform it with others to an audience, and reflect on what worked. It is one 20 hour unit that learners combine with others into a Skills for Life or Skills for Work Award, Certificate or Diploma, from Entry 1 to Level 2. Literacy sits in using subject vocabulary, speaking and using voice in performance, working with others, and evaluating performances. Numeracy is light: keeping time, counting beats and ordering a sequence.
- Awarding body
- WJEC
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 20
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of literacy work
- Medium
- Amount of numeracy work
- Low
How this unit is assessed
- Entry Level (Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3): Four learning outcomes covering basic elements of music, dance or drama, planning a simple performance, taking part in a simple performance, and reflecting on it. Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours.
- Level 1 and Level 2: Four learning outcomes covering elements, techniques and styles, planning and developing a performance, performing effectively, and reflecting on and evaluating performances. Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours.
Skills that use Developing vocabulary
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Using subject vocabulary to describe and evaluate
Learners name and describe elements, techniques and styles such as rhythm, tempo, dynamics, gesture and levels, from naming basic elements at Entry 1 to explaining how techniques communicate mood at Level 2. Level 2 learners must use appropriate subject terminology when evaluating. This is required by the assessment criteria.
Literacy: Clarity and vocabulary, Developing vocabulary
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils listen to two short pieces of music and label each with words from a word bank such as fast, slow, loud and quiet.
- Year 8
- Pupils watch a dance clip and describe it to a partner using the terms levels, space, speed and gesture.
- Year 9
- Pupils write a short review of a recorded drama scene that explains how voice, facial expression and body language created the mood.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Entry Level, learning outcome 1, page 5; Level 1 and Level 2, learning outcomes 1 and 4, assessment criteria 1.1 to 1.4 and 4.4, pages 7 and 8; amplification, pages 9 to 11
“Use appropriate subject terminology when evaluating performances”
Progression step 3
I can express issues and ideas clearly using area of learning and experience/discipline-specific vocabulary and examples.
I can listen to build my vocabulary, develop my pronunciation, intonation/accents and sentence structure, and use these in my own communication.
Progression step 4
I have experienced a range of area of learning and experience/discipline-specific and general academic vocabulary, and can use them in my own communication.
I have experienced a range of area of learning and experience/discipline-specific and general academic vocabulary, and can use them in my own communication.
Good to know
- The unit codes are S619E1, S619E2, S619E3, S619L1 and S619L2, and the overview lists "GLH 20" (Unit overview, page 3).
- Written work can be short: "extended written work is not required unless appropriate" (Sources of evidence, page 14), and reflection can be given "verbally or in simple written" form (amplification, page 12).
- Centres "may require access to a studio or hall, instruments or playback, and optional props/costumes and simple recording tools" (Resources required for delivery, page 15).
- Suggested assessment tasks "are not mandatory", and teachers may adapt them or devise their own (Skills for Life and Work specification, section 4.1, page 18).
- AI tools may be used only if acknowledged: "Incomplete or poor acknowledgement of AI tools" is malpractice (Skills for Life and Work specification, section 4.6, page 21).
Links with other qualifications
Music, Dance and Drama links directly to GCSE Music, GCSE Dance and GCSE Drama, and the pack names the VCSE in Performing Arts and the VCSE and Foundation qualifications in Creative and Media Production and Technology as related WJEC qualifications. Speaking clearly, reading scripts and evaluating performances support GCSE English Language and Literature. Within the Skills Suite the pack names Arts and crafts, Digital film and media, Exercise for all, Mental health and wellbeing, and Interview and confidence techniques as units that can be delivered alongside it.
Source: WJEC Music, dance and drama unit delivery and assessment pack, read with the WJEC Entry 1 to Level 2 Skills for Life and Skills for Work specification, approved by Qualifications Wales, teaching from September 2027 (© WJEC CBAC Ltd 2026).