English Literature

Assessment

The written coursework portfolio is made up of two pieces of writing: Assignment A (Modern Drama) requires pupils to produce one essay on the studied modern play (currently A View from the Bridge or An Inspector Calls) and Assignment B (Literary Heritage Texts) requires one essay response to a studied Shakespeare play (currently Romeo and Juliet). The one examination paper contains three sections. Section A (Unseen Poetry) comprises one 20 mark essay question exploring the meaning and effects created in an unseen poem. Section B (Anthology Poetry) asks pupils to write one 30 mark essay question from a choice of two, comparing two poems from Part 3 of the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE English Anthology. Section C (Modern Prose) asks pupils to write one 40 mark essay question from a choice of two on their studied modern novel. The examination is closed book, although they will be provided with the anthology poems. Current examination texts are: poems from Part 3 of the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE English Anthology and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee or Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.