A Level English Literature
StudyING English Literature at the Sixth
Introduction by Head of A Level English:
Hear from the Students:
Exam Board: Edexcel
Expected Entry Criteria: Grade 6 or above in both GCSE English Literature and English Language
Why study this course?
“You develop the insight of an artist, the analytical precision of a scientist and the persuasiveness of a lawyer.” Professor Maureen Moran, Brunel University.
Studying English literature helps to sharpen your analytical skills. If you can take a text and find the themes plus connect it with other texts, theories and historical events, you are showing that you can handle complex ideas, search for patterns
and interpret information in a wider context.
What will I learn?
During the course, you will learn how to construct an argument and analyse the structure and use of language and literary devices in a text. You will also learn about the social, historical and cultural context of the set texts.
How will I be taught?
We employ a diverse range of teaching styles in order to ensure that students have a clear understanding of how to approach a literary text. We also understand that many students progress through talk, so classroom discussions occur on
a regular basis and you will work on a variety of research projects in small groups.
How many hours a week private study will I have?
Our expectation is that you will spend four to six hours a week working on private study at home.
You’ll enjoy this course if…
You love reading for reading’s sake and often find yourself immersed in the world of a book; you enjoy learning about the wider social, cultural and philosophical ideas which emerge from a test; you relish the opportunity to put forward your point of view on a given text and listen to the critical viewpoints of others.
Course Description
The course offers you the best opportunity to study an exciting range of modern novels as well as classic texts, including Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. It also provides you with the freedom and flexibility to conduct your own independent reading project in the second year. The reading project informs the
assessed coursework (Paper 4).
Assessment
Paper 1: Drama
External written examination, 30% of A Level
Paper 2: Prose
External written examination, 20% of A Level
Paper 3: Poetry
External written examination, 20% of A Level
Paper 4: Coursework
Internally assessed, externally moderated, 20% of A Level
For more information, contact Ms G Conway