Key Stage 4
All students will study English Language and English Literature at GCSE. Students will follow the course accredited by AQA examination board. The course is assessed by terminal examination, at the end of Year 11.
English Language
Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing
What’s assessed?
Section A: Reading – one literature fiction text
Section B: Writing – descriptive or narrative writing
Assessed by Written Exam: 1 hour 45 minutes = 80 marks (50% of GCSE)
Questions
Reading (40 marks) (25%)– one single text
- 1 short form question (1 x 4 marks)
- 2 longer form questions (2 x 8 marks)
- 1 extended question (1 x 20 marks)
Writing (40 marks) (25%)
- 1 extended writing question (24 marks for content, 16 marks for technical accuracy)
Paper 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives
What’s assessed?
Section A: Reading – one non-fiction text and one literary non-fiction text
Section B: Writing – writing to present a viewpoint
Assessed by Written Exam: 1 hour 45 minutes = 80 marks (50% of GCSE)
Questions
Reading (40 marks) (25%) – two linked texts
- 1 short form question (1 x 4 marks)
- 2 longer form questions (1 x 8, 1 x 12 marks)
- 1 extended question (1 x 16 marks)
Writing (40 marks) (25%)
- 1 extended writing question (24 marks for content, 16 marks for technical accuracy)
English Literature
Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel
What’s assessed?
Shakespeare plays – ‘Macbeth’
The 19th-century novel – ‘A Christmas Carol’
How is it assessed?
Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes = 64 marks (40% of GCSE)
Questions
Section A: Shakespeare: students will answer one question on their play of choice. They will be required to write in detail about an extract from the play and then to write about the play as a whole.
Section B: The 19th-century novel: students will answer one question on their novel of choice. They will be required to write in detail about an extract from the novel and then to write about the novel as a whole.
Paper 2: Modern texts and poetry
What’s assessed?
How it’s assessed: written exam: 2 hour 15 minutes = 96 marks (60% of GCSE)
Questions
Section A Modern texts: students will answer one essay question from a choice of two on their studied modern prose or drama text.
Section B Poetry: students will answer one comparative question on one named poem printed on the paper and one other poem from their chosen anthology cluster.
Section C Unseen poetry: Students will answer one question on one unseen poem and one question comparing this poem with a second unseen poem.
Recommended Editions:
CGP Macbeth – The Complete Play (ISBN: 978 1 84146120 5)
An Inspector Calls (ISBN: 0435232827)
A Christmas Carol (Any original edition – not abridged)
CGP Power and Conflict Poems (ISBN 1782943617)
Links for students:
English Key Terminology : Definition and Effect, Example
Key Stage 3 English
Students in Year 7 will be taught in their form groups (as they will across all subjects).
Year 8 and Year 9 students will be taught in mixed ability groupings to nurture high expectations, develop confidence in all pupils, and promote academic discussion in all classrooms.
For all years in Key Stage 3, students will undertake a formative assessment and a summative assessment each half term which will allow for the tracking of progress of key skills, whilst informing students of their Next Steps thereby enabling them to understand how to develop. It also enables teachers to ensure students are working at the correct level for them to be challenged. The subject content will meet the requirements of the National Curriculum and is based on the Key Stage 3 National Strategy Framework for teaching English and Literacy. Key skills across the key stage are supported and reinforced within Literacy lessons.
Throughout Key Stage 3, students will have the opportunity to study:
- Reading, Understanding and Exploring Shakespeare.
- Reading, Understanding and Exploring texts of our Literary Heritage and how language is continually evolving (ranging from Beowulf, Chaucer to modern day).
- Writing for different purposes: to entertain, describe, inform, persuade, argue, advise.
- Reading poetry throughout the ages including poems from other cultures
- Reading a novel.
- Reading, Understanding, and Exploring a range of contemporary diverse extracts.
- Reading, Understanding and Creating Non-Fiction including a range of media (advertisements, diaries, leaflets, speeches, film, image).
Wider Reading Lists
English – Year 7 Wider Reading Lists
English – Year 8 Wider Reading Lists