English subject workshop Year 10 Information Evening

How the courses break down English Language (4705): Unit 1: Non-fiction exam (60%) Unit 2: Speaking & Listening (compulsory unit) Unit 3: Controlled Assessment portfolio (40%) English Literature (9715): Unit 1: Modern texts exam (40%) Unit 2: Poetry exam (35%) Unit 3: Shakespeare & poetry Controlled Assessment (25%)

Work Completed thus far Controlled Assessments Creative Writing (7.5%) Extended Literary Text study(15%)

The rest of Year 10 Autumn term: – Creative writing skills and controlled assessment (7%) Spring Term: – Spoken language study (10%) and Speaking & Listening skills – Commencement of Language Unit 1 reading and writing skills – Creative writing controlled assessment (7%) Summer Term: – Language Unit 1 reading and writing mock exam (representative of 60%) – Begin Literature Unit 2 Poetry anthology set poems (23%) – Mock-exam debrief – Creative writing controlled assessment (7%) – Literature Unit 1 set texts (modern novel) set as holiday reading (20%) = English-only & English Language GCSE = English Literature GCSE

Year 11 Autumn term: – Shakespeare and ELH poetry controlled assessment (25%) – November mock exams: Language Unit 1 (60%) and Literature unseen poetry (12%) – Commence teaching of Literature Unit 1 modern text (20%) Spring Term: – Complete Literature Unit 1 modern text (20%) and Speaking & Listening skills – Revisit Of Mice and Men for Literature Unit 1 Exploring Cultures (20%) – Complete study of Literature Unit 2 Poetry texts and skills (35%) – Rolling revision programme for Language Unit 1 exam (60%) Summer Term: – Final in-class revision sessions, exam debrief and target setting – May 2016 = Literature Unit 1 and Unit 2 exams (total 75%) – June 2016 = Language Unit 1 exam (60%) = English-only & English Language GCSE = English Literature GCSE

What extra support do we offer? Twice-weekly lunchtime ‘English Clinic’ on Tuesday and Thursday (with exam-specific guidance for mock-exams) All homeworks geared towards boosting independent learning skills (all resources and available on ShowMyHomework each week) Past exam papers and mark schemes are all available on the AQA website. All English teachers available for advice in face-to-face conversation or via Recommended wider-reading texts through the use of our new book trees.

Book Trees “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” Joseph Addison

What can you do to support your child? English Language Encourage them to read broadsheet newspapers Challenge them to identify presentational devices in leaflets and to explain their effect Encourage them to take an interest in current news Stories and to think about how they are reported See if they can highlight the key points in a text

What can you do to support your child? English Literature Invest in study guides for the set texts Watch film versions (many are available in The school library) Encourage the use of sites, like GCSE Bitesize to support revision Ensure they read the set texts! Ask them what the text is about…

What can you do to support your child in English Language and Literature Encourage them to read broadsheet newspapers Challenge them to identify presentational devices in leaflets and to explain their effect Encourage them to take an interest in current news Stories and to think about how they are reported See if they can highlight the key points in a text Invest in study guides for the set texts Watch film versions of novels and plays (many are available in the school library) Encourage the use of sites, like GCSE Bitesize to support revision Ensure they read the set texts! Ask them what the text is about…