English Literature

Course summary

Studying English Literature at A Level will allow you to explore challenging and thought-provoking texts and you will be encouraged to read widely in different genres (poetry, short stories, the novel, drama) and from different periods (for example, medieval to the present-day). You will also learn how to evaluate the importance of a text’s intellectual and historical context. The course places emphasis on developing critical skills, both orally and on paper, and on defending one’s views against those of other critics as well as other students. We encourage students to develop their own opinions and interpretations and to share them with others. Recent changes to the syllabus have meant that a greater proportion of texts are modern and there are more opportunities for independent reading. The coursework assignment has the potential to produce sophisticated, sustained academic writing and to allow intellectually lively students with argumentative and analytical flair the chance to shine.