1. Results 2016

2. Studying English at GCSE
Brand new specification
Overview of courses.
What students can expect.
How parents can help.
Mr Adam Simpson (Head of English)
Mrs Hannah McNally (KS4 Co-ordinator)

3. Brand new specification
Exams now graded 9-1, not A*-G.
No controlled assessment.
Exams have no tiers.
All pupils now required to study Shakespeare & a 19th Century Novel.
A greater emphasis on 'technical accuracy.'

4. New 1-9 Grading System

5. GCSE Course All students will take two GCSEs.
GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature.
Both GCSEs include:
Final exams in May/June 2016.
Note: No controlled assessments or coursework

6. English Language
100% final examination.

7. Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing
Paper 2: Writers'
Viewpoints and
Perspectives
Non-examination
Assessment: Spoken
Language
What's assessed
Section A: Reading
One literature fiction text
Section B: Writing
Descriptive or narrative writing
What’s assessed
One non-fiction text and
One literary non-fiction text
Writing to present a
Viewpoint
Presenting
Responding to questions and feedback
Use of Standard English
Assessed
Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
80 marks
50% of GCSE
Teacher set throughout course
Marked by teacher
Separate endorsement
(0% weighting of GCSE)
Questions
Reading (40 marks) (25%)
– one single text
1 short form question
(1 x 4 marks)
2 longer form questions
(2 x 8 marks)
1 extended question
(1 x 20 marks)
Writing (40 marks) (25%)
1 extended writing question (24 marks for content, 16 marks for technical accuracy)
– two linked texts
(1 x 8, 1 x 12 marks)
(1 x 16 marks)

8. English Literature
100% final examination

9. Paper 1: Shakespeare and the Paper 2: Modern texts and poetry
19th-century novel
Paper 2: Modern texts and poetry
What's assessed
Shakespeare
The 19th-century novel
Modern texts
Poetry
Unseen poetry
How it's assessed
Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
64 marks
40% of GCSE
(Spelling, punctuation and vocabulary = 2.5%)
Written exam: 2 hour 15 minutes
96 marks
60% of GCSE
Questions
Section A Shakespeare
Students will answer one question on their play of choice. They will be required to write in detail about an extract from the play and then to write about the play as a whole.
Section B The 19th-century novel
Students will answer one question on their novel of choice. They will be required to write in detail about an extract from the novel and then to write about the novel as a whole.
Section A Modern texts
Students will answer one essay question from a choice of two on their studied modern prose or drama text.
Section B Poetry
Students will answer one comparative question on one named poem printed on the paper and one other poem from their chosen anthology cluster.
Section C Unseen poetry
Students will answer one question on one unseen poem and one question comparing this poem with a second unseen poem.

10. What texts will be studied?
Shakespeare
19th Century
Modern Texts
Poetry
Choose one of:
Macbeth
Romeo and Juliet
The Tempest
The Merchant of Venice
Much Ado About Nothing
Julius Caesar
Robert Louis Stevenson The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens Great Expectations
Charlotte Brontë Jane Eyre
Mary Shelley Frankenstein
Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle The Sign of Four
JB Priestley An Inspector Calls
Willy Russell Blood Brothers
Alan Bennett The History Boys
Dennis Kelly DNA
Simon Stephens The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
(play script)
Shelagh Delaney A Taste of Honey
William Golding Lord of the Flies
AQA Anthology Telling Tales
George Orwell Animal Farm
Kazuo Ishiguro Never Let Me Go
Meera Syal Anita and Me
Stephen Kelman Pigeon English
Love and relationships collection.
Power and conflict collection

11. Course Delivery
Each half term will cover a different aspect of the English Language or English Literature exam. At specified tracking points throughout the year exam based assessments will take place which will allow us to monitor the progress of all pupils. Dates of these assessments will be communicated to parents/guardians via SIMS.

12. Revision and intervention classes
Revision classes Will be offered in the final term of year 11 run up to the final exam in May/June Intervention classes Ongoing throughout the course as and when needs arise based on assessment data.

13. What students can expect:
To be given clear guidance and deadlines for preparation time for each exam practice task.
To receive detailed feedback and to respond to this during lesson time.
To be working for longer on one topic than at Key Stage 3.
To be required to research and read ahead.
To be required to work independently.

14. Revision Materials
English Reading and Writing Workbooks are available from the Student Office.
Students may also wish to purchase the study guides for the novels/plays studied on the Literature course; these are available at all good book stores. Details of specific novels studied by the class will be provided by English teachers.

15. How parents can help
Check SIMS for dates of exam practice assessments.
Ask them to tell you about texts they are studying and how they respond to them.
Encourage them to read a range of fiction and non-fiction, particularly newspapers.
Encourage them to use revision study guides.
Don’t believe, “I’ve no work for English”. There is always something to do!
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