English

Year 7

• Victorian Culture.
• A Christmas Carol.
• Bible Stories contextually related to English literature.
• Appreciation of Blake’s poetry.
• Exploration of political ideologies.
• Reading of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
• Headteacher’s Story writing competition.

• Gothic genre - The Hound of the Baskervilles.
• Greek mythology related to English literature.
• Famous speeches found in English literature.
• Macbeth by William Shakespeare.
• Headteacher’s Story writing competition.

English Literature

Edexcel GCSE English Literature (9-1) – 1ETO

Edexcel GCSE English Literature Examination sat in Year 10

Students will study texts which include one Shakespeare play, a selection of poetry post-1789, one 19th century novel, and one modern prose or drama text from the British Isles. They will develop skills in how to critically read and evaluate literature, as well as articulating informed, independent responses to texts. Students have to make connections between a set text extract and a thematically-linked unseen extract in each exam.

Course structure

Exploring a post–1914 British play and Shakespeare (01)

This is in two sections. Section A focuses on Shakespeare. Section B focuses on a Post-1914 British play or novel.

Exploring a 19th-century novel and a poetry collection. (02)

This is in two sections. Section A focuses on a 19th-century novel. Section B focuses on a themed poetry cluster from the Pearson Poetry Anthology collection.

Exam board specification link

English Language

AQA GCSE English Language (9-1) - 8700

AQA GCSE English Language Examination sat in Year 11.

Our GCSE in English Language helps students develop the skills required to read fluently and critically in a wide variety of high-quality literary and non-fiction genres, and to use written and spoken English accurately and effectively in different styles and contexts.

Students must complete components 01 02, and 03 to be awarded the AQA GCSE (9-1) in English Language (8700)

Course structure

Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (01)*

Focus on reading and writing fictional texts. Students will:

• Read one unseen literature fiction text.
• Produce one piece of descriptive or narrative writing.

The unseen texts could include prose fiction, literary non-fiction e.g. biographical writing etc. Students are required to analyse the language and structure of the texts and evaluate them in response to a statement given in the exam.

The original piece of writing that they produce will be a piece of creative writing.

This paper has two parts worth 40 marks each.

Writers’ Viewpoints and Persepectives (02)*

Focus on reading non-fiction texts and a piece of non-fiction writing.

• Read and compare two unseen non-fiction texts, one 19th century, and one 20th or 21st century
• Produce one piece of original non-fiction writing – writing to produce a viewpoint.

The unseen texts could include essays, journalism, travel writing, speeches, biographical writing etc. Students are required to analyse the language of the texts then compare and synthesise them in response to a statement given in the exam.

The original piece of writing that they produce will be for a particular audience and purpose.

This paper has two parts worth 40 marks each.

Spoken Language (03)

Students deliver a presentation on an agreed topic.

They then listen and respond appropriately to questions and feedback.

Non-exam assessment.