Exam Board: AQA

Course Overview

The AQA English Language enables students to develop the skills needed to read, understand and analyse a wide range of texts. It also encourages pupils to write in a variety of genres and styles.

Candidates are encouraged to read a wide range of ninetieth, twentieth and twenty first century fiction and non-fiction texts to prepare them for the range of texts they could encounter in the examination.

Pupils will be assessed by completing two exams both containing a reading and writing element. Each examination will be 1 hour and 45 minutes. There will also be separate internal assessment of the pupils’ speaking and listening skills.

Exam Board: AQA

Course Overview

In English Literature, pupils will develop their ability to independently interpret a range of texts. They will develop an appreciation and understanding of how authors achieve their purpose through the use of appropriate literary techniques.  Through the study of plays, novels and poetry they will develop personal responses to a range of literary works.

Pupils will complete two examinations at the end of the two year course.

Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th-Century Novel.
Paper 2: Modern texts and Poetry (anthology of selected poems and unseen poetry).

Exam Board: OCR
Level: 3

Course Overview

During the first year, students study language use within different social contexts focusing on how meanings are created through lexical choices and sentence construction as well as comparing and contrasting different modes of language communication. For the second year, students study how children acquire speech language between the ages of 0 – 7 years and how the English language has evolved over the past 350 years. The coursework unit involves an analytical investigation into how language is used. Students also create an academic poster, summarising the findings of the topic.  This is a two year qualification, with all examinations completed at the end of the second year of teaching.

A Level Assessment: 80% examination (2 examinations worth 40% each), 20% coursework.

Exam Board: AQA
Level: 3

Course Overview

During the first year, students study a selection of poetry, a novel and a play which are thematically linked as examples of Political and Social Protest Writing. For the second year, the texts focus on the genre of Tragedy, and pupils read a Shakespeare play alongside a modern drama and a further selection of poetry. They develop their analytical skills and engage in debates about literary ideas as well as looking at how to craft academic essays. Pupils also complete two coursework essays as part of this qualification, applying different critical theories to texts of their own choice. This is a two year qualification, with all examinations completed at the end of the second year of teaching.

A Level Assessment: 80% examination (2 examinations worth 40% each), 20% coursework.

Exam Board: AQA
Level: 2 

Course Overview

The AQA English Language course enables students to develop the skills needed to read, understand and analyse a wide range of texts. It also encourages pupils to write in a variety of genres and styles.

Candidates are encouraged to read a wide range of ninetieth, twentieth and twenty-first century fiction and non-fiction texts to prepare them for the range of texts they could encounter in the examination.

Pupils will be assessed by completing two examinations both containing a reading and writing element. Each examination will be 1 hour and 45 minutes. There will also be separate internal assessment of the pupil’s speaking and listening skills.

A Level Assessment:  100% Examination

What are the tools that I will need to be successful in English?

How can I engage with ideas in poetry about the natural world?

What are the different ways to explore effects created by language use?

What can I use to craft effective creative writing?

How can I develop an appreciation of Shakespearean tragedies? 

How is stagecraft used to shape meanings in drama?

How is purpose established in non-fiction writing?

How does a writer’s development of themes create an engaging narrative?

How can blending genre conventions create engaging writing?

How is young adult fiction written and structured to generate effects?

How are Gothic conventions used to expose societal anxieties?

How are genre conventions used to build effective descriptions?

How is purpose established in non-fiction writing?

What are the ideas conveyed through downfalls in tragedies?

How are dramatic conventions used to develop character arcs?

How is language crafted to convey empowering messages?

How are conventions of the genre used to create meaning in Dystopian texts?

How are narratives structured to emphasise wider ideas?

What methods can be used to create compelling story openings?

How is protest poetry used to convey writers’ perspectives? 

How is language used to convey opinions and influence readers?

How are characters constructed to convey ideas and to reflect context?

How do writers use symbolism and literary allusions to create meaning?

What ideas about humanity are presented in unseen poetry?

How does Kelly present ideas about human nature in DNA? 

How does Dickens present Scrooge and his journey to redemption? 

What warnings does Shakespeare give his audience through the downfall of Macbeth?

How do writers use methods to create effects in fiction texts?

What ideas about humanity and place are presented in these poems?

How can I effectively deliver an engaging and coherent speech?

What ideas about humanity and power are presented in these poems? 

How do the character arcs in our literature texts convey key ideas?

What ideas about humanity and trauma are presented in these poems?

How can an understanding of key quotations elevate literature responses?

How do writers craft texts to convey their perspectives?

How can I engage with an extract to create a developed response to a question?

How do writers use methods to create effects in fiction texts?

How can I structure effective responses to exam questions?

Year 12

Term 1: What new concepts do you need to engage with for A Level? How does context influence the meaning of language? How do lexical and grammatical frameworks act as the building blocks for language analysis?

Term 2: What are the linguistic frameworks of spoken texts? What are the fundamental linguistic frameworks for language analysis?

Term 3: How does language use vary between spoken and written modes?

Term 4: In what ways has technology influenced the English Language?

Term 5: What are the main ideas behind how men and women use language differently?

Term 6: What does an effective language investigation and academic poster consist of?

Year 13

Term 1: What are the different ways language creates representation in media texts?

Term 2: How do children acquire and use language?

Term 3: In what ways has language changed since the 16th century?

Term 4: How can I demonstrate my knowledge of language issues through topical writing?

Term 5: In what ways is meaning crafted through language and context?

Year 12

Term 1:  How do aspects of tragedy contribute to meaning in Keats poetry? How can narrative theory develop my interpretations of a text?

Term 2: How does Shakespeare use different aspects of tragedy throughout Othello?

Term 3: How do aspects of tragedy contribute to meaning in Death of a Salesman?

Term 4: What common features do writers employ to convey their attitudes towards their society?

Term 5: How are effective exam responses about the use of tragic aspects of texts crafted?

Term 6: How is a critical coursework essay developed?

Year 13

Term 1: How and where does Atwood’s novel protest social and political ideas?

Term 2: How does Blake use a range of methods to convey his social and political protest?

Term 3: How does Shakespeare use different aspects of tragedy throughout Othello?

Term 4: What are the key ideas in political and social protest texts and how are they conveyed?

Term 5: What key knowledge do I need for exams and how do I effectively write about them?

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