Exam Format & Logistics

The whole point of this page: you will not be surprised by anything that happens on 6 July.

Date, time, venue (official)

Date	6 July 2026 (Monday)
Time window	08:30 – 12:30 (you'll be assigned an exact slot)
Venue	4/F & 5/F of the school
Reporting & Preparation rooms	401 & 402
Assessment rooms	Adjacent classrooms on 4/F & 5/F
Recorded?	✅ Yes — every group

What you can bring (and only this)

1. SBA Logbook — with notes in point form only (no full sentences/essays).
2. Shakespeare's three stories — the printed booklet you received.
3. Stationery — pen(s), pencil, eraser, highlighter, ruler.

You will be given a 4″ × 6″ notecard (1/4 of an A4) on which only one side can be used.

Banned items

No electronic devices — phones, tablets, smartwatches, earphones, calculators. No prepared full-script printouts, no model answers, no annotated translations. Bringing any of these can be treated as a malpractice case.

Minute-by-minute on the day

T-30 min   Arrive at school. Toilet break. Drink water (not too much).
T-15 min   Report to the reception area on 4/F. Listen to the steward
            for your group number and prep room (401 or 402).
T-15 min → T 0   PREPARATION TIME (15 min in the prep room)
  • You'll be given one 4×6 notecard.
  • Ten suggested split: 3 min plan together, 12 min individual notes.
  • You CAN talk quietly to your groupmates here.
T 0          Move to the assessment room. Sit at the table. The teacher-
              examiner sets up the recorder.
T 0 → T 8–12 GROUP INTERACTION
  • The teacher reads out the question prompts (Topic + 3 statements).
  • Discussion starts. Aim to all speak at least 3–4 times.
  • The teacher times you. They will NOT cut you off rudely; they may
    gently flag when ~1 min remains.
T+ end     Hand back the notecard. Exit calmly. Don't discuss content
              with later groups in the corridor — that's leaking.

The 15-minute preparation room — what to do

This is the most important 15 minutes of your SBA. Spend it well.

Suggested split (3 + 9 + 3)

Minutes	What to do
0–3	Group huddle. Decide together: "Which 1–2 stories will we focus on?" Pick a Plan A and Plan B story. Decide who'll open the discussion.
3–12	Write your notecard individually. Bullet points only. Aim for 8–10 short bullets in 3 sections: ① 1–2 strong points you want to make ② 1–2 examples / quotes / page numbers ③ 2–3 follow-up phrases ("Building on…", "What about…?").
12–15	Practise out loud quietly. Read your opening sentence to yourself. Picture each groupmate. Take three slow breaths.

Use the back of your hand, not full sentences

If you write "Macbeth was a victim of fate because the witches manipulated him", you'll read it out word-for-word and the examiner will deduct marks. Instead write:

Macbeth → victim of fate? ✓
- witches (Act 1) — first prophecy
- Lady M's push too
- BUT he chose to act → not just fate

You can talk for 90 seconds off that.

The discussion — what actually happens

The teacher gives the group a Topic plus three Statements (one per student). For example (Mock SBA on A Midsummer Night's Dream):

Topic: The good or bad decisions in the play A: I think Hermia and Lysander made a good decision to run away together. B: Helena made a terrible decision when she betrayed Hermia's secret. C: Oberon made a bad decision by using the magic love-juice on Titania.

Each student is assigned one statement to begin from. Then it opens up to free discussion.

How to open if you're "Student A"

"Thanks. So I've been asked to talk about Hermia and Lysander's decision to run away. In my view, it was actually a brave decision rather than a reckless one, because…"

That single sentence already shows:

• ✅ You acknowledge your assigned statement.
• ✅ You add nuance ("brave rather than reckless").
• ✅ You signal an explanation is coming.

How time will feel

• Minute 1–2 — Adrenaline. You'll want to rush. Slow down.
• Minute 3–6 — Sweet spot. Aim to deliver your best P.E.E.L here.
• Minute 7–9 — Energy dips. Use a question to wake the group up: "Can I ask the rest of you — would you have done the same?"
• Minute 10–12 — Wrap up. Someone should summarise: "So overall, the three of us seem to agree that…"

What if a groupmate stays silent?

Be kind and inclusive, not competitive:

"Mei, I'd love to hear your view on this — do you think Macbeth had a choice?"

Inviting others is graded under II. Communication Strategies. It helps everyone in the group score higher, including you.

What if a groupmate talks too much?

Wait for a natural breath, then politely paraphrase + redirect:

"That's a really fair point about Macbeth being driven by Lady Macbeth. Building on that, I want to add the role of the witches — and Aisha, what do you think about that?"

You acknowledge their point, you add value, you bring in another voice. Triple win.

What if you blank out?

Pre-load three rescue phrases on your notecard:

1. "Can I have a moment to think?" (then pause for 2 seconds — pauses are FINE)
2. "Actually, that reminds me of…" (then jump to your next prepared point, not the one you forgot)
3. "Could you say a bit more about that?" (deflect to a groupmate — gives you 30 seconds)

After the exam

• Hand the notecard back. It will not be returned to you.
• Do not discuss the questions in the corridor — later groups may overhear.
• You'll get your marks much later (with HKDSE results in July 2027).

Read Assessment Criteria next to understand exactly how those 8–12 minutes are scored.