At the heart of the study of English literature is reading; this course is ideal for those who take pleasure in reading both widely and critically. Experts at AQA have worked closely with teachers and universities to develop a relevant, engaging and upto- date specification that approaches the study of literature through the lens of historicism, encouraging the independent study of a range of texts within a shared context, giving logic and meaning to the way that texts are grouped for study. This unifying approach also facilitates the inclusion of a range of wider reading, thus extending students’ experience and appreciation of literature. The variety of assessment styles used – such as passage-based questions, unseen material, single text questions, multiple-text questions, open and closed book approaches – allows students to develop a wide range of skills, such as the ability to read critically, analyse, evaluate and undertake independent research which are valuable for both further study and future employment.
For 16+ entry into our Sixth Form, your daughter will be required to sit three examination papers during the first week of November in the year prior to entry. Two of these papers are in subjects which your daughter is currently studying, or which she wishes to study in the Sixth Form at Downe House, as well as a General paper. These examinations are usually taken at your daughter’s current school and practice papers are available on request. Candidates are required to achieve a minimum of seven I/GCSE examinations at Grade 6 (B) or above, preferably with Grade 9/8 (A*) in those subjects she wishes to study in the Sixth Form. If your daughter does not follow an education system with formal examinations at 16+, further testing may be required and a transcript of grades acquired from their previous school. On completion of examination papers, successful candidates will be invited for an interview by the Head of Sixth Form and the Headmistress at the end of November. Offers will be made in December. There are also a number of scholarships available for pupils joining the Sixth Form. We strongly recommend early registration for your daughter. All offers and places are completed by April of the year prior to entry and availability of places in our Sixth Form is very limited.
The A Level comprises three components: Paper 1: Love through the Ages Three texts are studied closely: one Shakespeare play, one anthology of verse and one prose text, of which one must be written pre-1900. Students also prepare for an unseen comparison of two poems. In addition to an anthology of love poetry, some of the texts that might be studied include Shakespeare’s Othello, Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights or F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The component is assessed by a three hour examination; it is worth 40% of the A Level. Paper 2: Texts in Shared Context Three texts – one prose, one poetry and one drama – are studied, of which one must have been written post-2000. Students answer a question on an unseen extract, then one that invites a comparison between two texts and, finally, one in which they debate a critical viewpoint on a set text. At Downe, we prepare students for Paper 2B: ‘Modern times: Literature from 1945 to the present day’. Typical texts studied for the second option include Tennessee Williams’s, A Streetcar Named Desire, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Duffy’s Feminine Gospels. The component is assessed by a two and a half hour examination; it is worth 40% of the A Level. Non-exam Assessment: Independent Critical Study – Texts across Time Texts across time provides a challenging and wide-ranging opportunity for independent study. Students formulate an individual question and make a comparative study of two texts, one of which must have been written before 1900; they produce a scholarly essay of 2500 words, which includes the application and evaluation of critical views. Topics which might be chosen include the Gothic, representations of women and representations of social class and culture. The essay is worth 20% of the A Level.
About Education Provider
| Region | South East |
| Local Authority | West Berkshire |
| Ofsted Rating | |
| Gender Type | Girls |
| ISI Report | View Report |
| Boarding Fee | £47,760 |
| Sixth Form Fee | Day £35,520 |
| Address | Cold Ash, Thatcham, RG18 9JJ |
At the heart of the study of English literature is reading; this course is ideal for those who take pleasure in reading both widely and critically. Experts at AQA have worked closely with teachers and universities to develop a relevant, engaging and upto- date specification that approaches the study of literature through the lens of historicism, encouraging the independent study of a range of texts within a shared context, giving logic and meaning to the way that texts are grouped for study. This unifying approach also facilitates the inclusion of a range of wider reading, thus extending students’ experience and appreciation of literature. The variety of assessment styles used – such as passage-based questions, unseen material, single text questions, multiple-text questions, open and closed book approaches – allows students to develop a wide range of skills, such as the ability to read critically, analyse, evaluate and undertake independent research which are valuable for both further study and future employment.
For 16+ entry into our Sixth Form, your daughter will be required to sit three examination papers during the first week of November in the year prior to entry. Two of these papers are in subjects which your daughter is currently studying, or which she wishes to study in the Sixth Form at Downe House, as well as a General paper. These examinations are usually taken at your daughter’s current school and practice papers are available on request. Candidates are required to achieve a minimum of seven I/GCSE examinations at Grade 6 (B) or above, preferably with Grade 9/8 (A*) in those subjects she wishes to study in the Sixth Form. If your daughter does not follow an education system with formal examinations at 16+, further testing may be required and a transcript of grades acquired from their previous school. On completion of examination papers, successful candidates will be invited for an interview by the Head of Sixth Form and the Headmistress at the end of November. Offers will be made in December. There are also a number of scholarships available for pupils joining the Sixth Form. We strongly recommend early registration for your daughter. All offers and places are completed by April of the year prior to entry and availability of places in our Sixth Form is very limited.
The A Level comprises three components: Paper 1: Love through the Ages Three texts are studied closely: one Shakespeare play, one anthology of verse and one prose text, of which one must be written pre-1900. Students also prepare for an unseen comparison of two poems. In addition to an anthology of love poetry, some of the texts that might be studied include Shakespeare’s Othello, Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights or F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The component is assessed by a three hour examination; it is worth 40% of the A Level. Paper 2: Texts in Shared Context Three texts – one prose, one poetry and one drama – are studied, of which one must have been written post-2000. Students answer a question on an unseen extract, then one that invites a comparison between two texts and, finally, one in which they debate a critical viewpoint on a set text. At Downe, we prepare students for Paper 2B: ‘Modern times: Literature from 1945 to the present day’. Typical texts studied for the second option include Tennessee Williams’s, A Streetcar Named Desire, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Duffy’s Feminine Gospels. The component is assessed by a two and a half hour examination; it is worth 40% of the A Level. Non-exam Assessment: Independent Critical Study – Texts across Time Texts across time provides a challenging and wide-ranging opportunity for independent study. Students formulate an individual question and make a comparative study of two texts, one of which must have been written before 1900; they produce a scholarly essay of 2500 words, which includes the application and evaluation of critical views. Topics which might be chosen include the Gothic, representations of women and representations of social class and culture. The essay is worth 20% of the A Level.