NSSCO Integrated Performing Arts 6150 exam-day guide
NSSCO Integrated Performing Arts 6150 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Printed admission letter and candidate number
Carry the admission document issued by your school or exam centre. It states your candidate number, centre number and the papers or practical components you are entered for. Confirm with the provider how the practical session is scheduled and whether you must present the letter at the venue.
Valid identification document
Bring the ID type your centre requires (national ID, passport or school-issued candidate card). Check with your provider which form is accepted and whether a photocopy is sufficient; do not assume.
Practical programme or repertoire sheet
Write out the pieces, songs, dances or scenes you will perform, with running times and the order of performance. Some centres require this in advance; confirm the submission deadline and format with the provider. needs_review
Accompaniment or backing materials
If your performance uses recorded backing, bring it on the agreed medium (for example a labelled USB drive or audio file) plus a backup copy. Confirm with the provider which formats and devices the venue supports before the day.
Instrument, costume and props you supply
Know exactly what the centre provides and what you must bring. Label every item with your candidate number. Confirm with the provider whether instruments can be stored at the venue before your session and whether costume changes are allowed.
Warm-up and cool-down plan
Prepare a short physical and vocal warm-up you can do quietly in a waiting area. Arrive already warm but not fatigued; heavy warm-up immediately before a long wait can leave you flat.
Water bottle and a light snack
Hydration matters for singers and dancers. Keep snacks simple and quiet. Check venue rules on food and drink in the waiting and performance areas.
Timing plan and travel arrangements
Work backwards from your reporting time, not your performance time. Plan for traffic, transport delays and finding the right entrance. Aim to arrive at least 30 to 45 minutes early unless your centre states otherwise.
Rehearsed performance order and cues
Practise starting each piece from a cold start and from a set cue, so a slip does not derail you. Know your first note, first step or first line without needing to think.
Emergency repair kit
For dance and theatre: safety pins, spare tights or laces, tape, hair ties and a small sewing kit. For music: spare strings, reeds or sticks as relevant. Small problems should not become cancelled performances.
Calm-down and focus routine
Have a short routine (breathing, a few silent bars, a physical reset) to use in the minutes before you are called. This is the single most practical preparation for nerves.
Confirmed venue, room and reporting details
Re-read the centre's instructions for the exact building, room, reporting time and who to contact on arrival. If anything is unclear, confirm with the provider in writing before the final 72 hours. needs_review
Plan the day
Run full performances in the intended order, in costume or with props at least once, and time each item. Fix only small, safe problems now; do not rebuild choreography or change repertoire at this stage. Check that all backing tracks play on a device other than your own and that labels show your candidate number. Pack the bag and lay out costume and instruments so nothing depends on the last morning. Confirm travel times and, if needed, ask the provider about reporting time, permitted equipment and accompaniment format. Sleep on a normal schedule rather than adding late-night rehearsals.
Do a light technical run or marking-through only, then stop. Check your admission letter, ID, programme sheet and materials against the checklist. Charge any device and prepare a backup of recorded accompaniment. Prepare clothes for comfort and layers, since waiting areas are often cold and performance spaces warm. Eat familiar food, avoid new physical activity that risks injury, and set two alarms. Read the centre's conduct rules once more so nothing on the day is a surprise.
Eat a normal meal you are used to. Do a gentle, shortened warm-up at home, then a brief re-warm-up on arrival. Arrive early, report to the designated person, present your documents, and ask where to wait and where to warm up. Keep your programme sheet and candidate number visible. Avoid intensive last-minute practice; use the waiting time for quiet focus and hydration instead.
Enter when called, greet the assessors briefly and state your candidate number and, if asked, the order of your programme. Set up efficiently and start when ready. If something goes wrong, keep going where possible; a recovery is usually assessed better than a restart. Follow any signal to stop if you exceed time. At the end, thank the assessors, collect your belongings and leave promptly without discussing your performance with other candidates. If you believe a serious problem affected your session, ask the centre staff about the correct procedure to report it; confirm with the provider what that procedure is.
Rules to check
Bring and present the identification and admission documents your centre requires. If you are unsure which documents are accepted or what happens if you forget them, confirm with the provider before the exam day rather than on arrival.
Follow the centre's instructions on arrival, waiting areas, warm-up spaces and movement between rooms. Do not enter performance or preparation areas unless invited, and do not handle equipment that is not yours.
Use only the instruments, props, accompaniment and materials permitted for your component. If you plan to use recorded backing, a particular instrument or a costume change, confirm with the provider in advance whether it is allowed and how it must be presented.
Keep to the time limits for each piece and for the whole session. Prepare a shortened version in case you are signalled to stop; assessors may mark only what they hear or see within the allowed time.
Do not communicate with other candidates about the content of your performance while the session is in progress, and do not record, photograph or share assessment materials. The exact rules on devices and recording vary by centre; confirm with the provider.
If you need a break, medication, or an adjustment for a disability or injury, arrange it with the provider ahead of time. Do not assume it can be granted on the day.
Accept that marks are awarded against the published assessment criteria for the component, not on effort or on comparison with other candidates. Ask your teacher to show you the criteria so you know what the assessors are listening and looking for.
If illness, injury or another serious event affects your preparation or performance, tell your teacher or centre staff as soon as possible and ask about the official procedure. Confirm with the provider what evidence and deadlines apply; do not rely on informal arrangements.