Key Stage 4
GCSE
We follow AQA for GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature.
GCSE English Language:
|
Exam Paper |
Tasks |
How long is the exam? |
How much is it worth? |
|
Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing |
Section A: Students will read and answer questions about one fiction text. Section B: Students will produce a piece of descriptive or narrative writing. |
1 hour and 45 minutes |
50% of the English Language GCSE |
|
Paper 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives |
Section A: Students will read and answer questions on two non-fiction texts. Section B: Students will produce a piece of writing that presents a viewpoint or argument. |
1 hour And 45 minutes |
50% of the English Language GCSE |
GCSE English Literature:
|
Exam Paper |
Tasks |
How long is the exam? |
How much is it worth? |
|
Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel |
Section A: Students will answer one question on their studied Shakespearian play, ‘Macbeth’. Section B: Students will answer one question about ‘A Christmas Carol’. |
1 hour and 45 minutes |
40% of the English Literature GCSE |
|
Paper 2: Modern texts and poetry |
Section A: Students will answer one question about ‘An Inspector Calls’. Section B: Students will answer one question about two poems that they have studied from their anthology. Section C: Students will answer two questions about two unseen poems. |
2 hours and 15 minutes |
60% of the English Literature GCSE |
Units:
- ‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare
- English Language: Paper One
- ‘Unseen Poetry’
- ‘Power and Conflict Poetry’
- Introduction to ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens
Assessment:
In each unit, students sit a midpoint assessment and a final assessment. This gives students the opportunity to practise using the skills and applying content on a smaller scale, before the final exam question. Students will also sit mock exams.
Homework:
Homework is a mixture of checking knowledge of the current unit that is being taught whilst also interleaving content. For example, whilst studying ‘Power and Conflict Poetry’, students will sit weekly quotation tests and, alongside this, they will also complete exam questions on English Language Paper One, which was taught in the previous unit.
Units:
- ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens
- English Language: Paper Two
- ‘An Inspector Calls’ by J. B. Priestley
- Revision for the final exams
Assessment:
In each unit, students sit a midpoint assessment and a final assessment. This gives students the opportunity to practise using the skills and applying content on a smaller scale, before the final exam question. Students will also sit mock exams.
Homework:
Homework is a mixture of checking knowledge of the current unit that is being taught whilst also interleaving content. For example, whilst studying ‘An Inspector Calls’, students will sit weekly quotation tests and, alongside this, they will also complete exam questions on English Language Paper Two, which was taught in the previous unit.