1. What’s it all about?

2.  On the 30th August 2013 Qfqual (the regulator of qualifications, examinations and assessments in England) announced immediate changes to GCSE English and English Language. Ofqual announced that it is to remove speaking and listening assessments currently worth 20% from counting towards final grades in GCSE English Language.  Your son’s speaking and listening skills will instead be reported separately on the GCSE certificate alongside the GCSE grade.  The changes will now alter the balance between exams and controlled assessments, which are marked in schools. Written exams will count for 60% of marks and the reading and writing controlled assessments will count for 40%.  AQA, have not yet detailed how they will implement these changes into the current English Language examination.

3.  From 2013 there will be 2 paths of entry:  1) English Language and Literature = 2 GCSE grades Or  2) English = 1 GCSE

4.  This will allow your son the opportunity to study one GCSE in depth and relieve the pressures of lengthy essay writing associated with the two literature examinations.  The qualification is equally accepted at Sixth form colleges and Universities.  The exam is identical to those studying English Language

5. Controlled Assessments tasks have now replaced ‘coursework’ and are specific questions or tasks which are set yearly by the examination board.

6.  Students are given the task title  Preparation work and the necessary skills will be taught by your son’s teacher  Modelled examples will be used and analysed against success criteria  Information on structuring work will be given  Verbal feedback will be offered  All students complete a planning sheet which they are allowed to use during the controlled assessment.  Parents will be informed of when the Controlled Assessment will take place.

7. Section A – Reading  Read 3 non-fiction texts (newspaper/magazine articles, webpages, leaflets etc)  Answer questions on language, structure, purpose and style.

8.  Section B –Writing  Writing to argue or persuade – learning the art of rhetoric!  Writing to inform, explain or describe.

9.  Explore the ways that writers present strong feelings to interest the reader or audience, making reference to Shakespeare and poems from the English Literary Heritage

10.  Section A: Compare 2 poems on a similar theme. ( You will study several, one will be named and you can choose the other)  Section B: Write about an unseen poem ( this means one you haven’t studied)

11. Section A: Exploring Modern Texts – Martyn Pig  Answer a question about either the themes, characters, or writer’s intentions. Section B: Other Cultures – Of Mice and Men  Answer a question about either the themes, characters, or writer’s intentions.

12.  Regular reading of articles in ‘good’ broadsheet newspapers  Reading  When preparing controlled assessments using a good quality dictionary and thesaurus  Effort and a desire to redraft work until it’s perfect!