It is our aim to instil an appreciation of literature in students of all ages.  In their English lessons and during their co-curricular pursuits, students are given opportunities to read, analyse and discuss a diverse range of authors’ works, exploring literary texts from different generic traditions and historical periods.  The students’ learning journey in English encompasses the study of works by writers such as William Shakespeare, John Milton, Charles Dickens, F. Scott Fitzgerald, J. B. Priestley, William Golding, Angela Carter, Benjamin Zephaniah, Carol Ann Duffy, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and a range of others.

English Literature 

We aim to equip students with the analytical and evaluative skills they need to approach the English Literature examinations with confidence. We aim to foster an appreciation of literature, ensuring that students have a comprehensive understanding of the set texts, and are able to discuss these with maturity, sophistication and flair. The analytical, evaluative and essay writing skills that students will develop through the study of English Literature will provide an excellent foundation for their academic studies beyond GCSE level, and for their future employment.

Course Details

AQA GCSE English Literature 8702
Unit 1 – Shakespeare and the 19th Century Novel Students prepare to answer two questions, based on two extracts from the set texts, ‘Macbeth’ or ‘Romeo and Juliet’, and ‘The Sign
of Four’. For both questions, students must analyse the respective extracts in detail and then refer to the entire text.

Unit 2 – Modern Texts and Poetry
Question 1 requires an essay response on the play ‘An Inspector Calls’, which students will have studied. Question 2 requires students to compare two poems from a cluster
of 15 poems that they will have studied. Question 3 requires students to answer a question on an ‘unseen’ poem. Question 4 requires students to compare this ‘unseen’ poem to another ‘unseen’ poem.

English Language 

We aim to provide students with the skills they need to understand and critically analyse texts. Students will learn to approach unfamiliar non-fiction and fiction texts with the confidence to decode and evaluate them, and to analyse writers’ use of language and structure to create effects. We also aim to help students to hone their skills in writing, encouraging them to use a range of written techniques to express themselves clearly, effectively, and with flair. The skills with which students will be equipped will provide an excellent foundation for their future endeavours.

Course Details

AQA GCSE English Language 8700
Unit 1 – Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing
Students prepare to answer five questions in total, with four questions based on an extract of fiction from the 20th or 21st centuries and one question requiring creative, descriptive writing.

Unit 2 – Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives
Students prepare to answer five questions in total, based on two linked extracts of non-fiction from the 19th and either the 20th or 21st centuries, depending on the time period selected for Unit 1. A separate endorsement, entitled ‘Spoken Language’, which assesses presentation skills and the use of standard English, is also required, though marks awarded are not carried forward to the final grade for English Language.