English

All students will be entered for two GCSEs in English: GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature with AQA (www.aqa.org.uk).

English is a compulsory subject.

Watch the video, read the Subject Information and if you still have questions, contact the faculty on the form below.

GCSE English Language

Students will draw upon a range of texts as well as real and relevant contexts. Students will have opportunities to develop higher-order reading and critical thinking skills that encourage genuine enquiry into different topics and themes. This specification will ensure that students can read fluently and write effectively. Students will be able to demonstrate a confident control of Standard English and write grammatically correct sentences, deploying figurative language and analysing texts.

Assessment by Terminal Examination:

Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing

1 hour 45 minutes.

Paper 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives

1 hour 45 minutes

GCSE English Literature

Students will develop skills of literal and inferential comprehension, critical reading, evaluation of a writer’s choice of vocabulary, grammatical and structural features and text comparison. In their written responses, students will produce clear and coherent texts and write effectively about literature for a range of purposes. They will use Standard English, including accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Assessment by Terminal Examination:

Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th Century Novel

1 hour 45 minutes

Paper 2: Modern Texts and Poetry

2 hour 15 minutes