English Literature

This course will encourage students to develop their interest in and enjoyment of literature and literary studies as they:

Read widely and independently both set texts and others they may have selected for themselves;
Engage creatively with a substantial body of texts and ways of responding to them;
Develop and effectively apply their knowledge of literary analysis and evaluation in speech and writing.

The study of English Literature can be challenging as well as a highly educational enterprise and therefore it has long been regarded by universities and employers as an indicator of intellectual ability and a capacity for hard work. The development of the critical and analytical skills necessary for this subject have an impact on almost all parts of the curriculum and forms of employment.

KS4 English Literature

Our Curriculum

Students follow the AQA (8702) syllabus.

Course Content

This course encourages students to develop knowledge and skills in reading, writing and critical thinking. Through literature, students have a chance to develop culturally and acquire knowledge of the best that has been thought and written. Studying GCSE English Literature should encourage students to read widely for pleasure, and as a preparation for studying literature at a higher level.

Other skills that they acquire include:

The ability to read a wide range of classic literature fluently and with good understanding
Reading in depth, critically and evaluatively, so that they are able to discuss and explain their understanding and ideas
Developing the habit of reading widely and often
Appreciating the depth and power of the English literary heritage
Writing accurately, effectively and analytically about their reading, using Standard English

Acquiring and using a wide vocabulary, including the grammatical terminology and other literary and linguistic terms they need to criticise and analyse literature

Skills and Progression Routes

On completion of the course, students will have developed a number of skills including:

Supporting a point of view
Understanding social historical contexts
Evaluating language
Making comparisons and links between texts
Using standard English

Some suggested progression routes and career opportunities English Literature supports include:

KS5 English Literature

A Level English Literature | OCR (H472)

This course has been designed to develop the knowledge and passion for English Literature through the study of a broad and enriching collection of literary texts. In order to succeed, students are expected to read a wide range of texts – both as part of the course and as complimentary texts to demonstrate wider reading.

The course also encourages the development of being able to engage critically and creatively with the wide selection of texts being covered and how to respond to any of these texts in a manner that is both insightful and evaluative.

As part of the course, pupils will learn to engage with wider contextual factors and be conscious of the different ways of interpreting key ideas and themes behind a literary text.

Component 1 (exam): Drama and poetry pre-1900
Component 2 (exam): Comparative and contextual study. The Gothic
Component 3 (coursework): Literature post-1900.

Assessment

Component 1: 2 hours 30mins – 60 marks – 40% – Closed text

Component 2: 2 hours 30mins – 60 marks – 40% – Closed text

Component 3: 40 marks – 20%

Progression Routes

A Level English Literature has always been a qualification that is looked upon with enthusiasm by universities, colleges and employers. Outside of the more traditional career paths – such as teaching, journalism and publishing – English Literature is a fantastic qualification for complimenting career paths that require the skills of articulation and critical analysis that are such fundamental parts of being a successful English Literature student.

Additional Information

Students will be required to purchase – in advance – individual copies of the texts being studied. Likewise, all students will be required to purchase folders suitable for holding the substantial quantities of content that will accumulate as the course progresses.

More detail and examples of work regarding the English Language and English Literature curriculum can be found here