English Literature

Assessment

Paper 1 Love Through the Ages • Shakespeare: Students will study a Shakespeare play in detail and be required to write an analytical response based on an extract in the examination. • Unseen Poetry: Students will be given two unseen poems to respond to and will be asked to compare and contrast them in the light of a critical comment. • Comparing Texts: Students will study two texts: one poetry anthology which is pre-1900 and one prose text (this year our students have studied The Great Gatsby) and compare the two. 40% of A Level Paper 2 Texts in Shared Contexts • Students will study three texts: one prose, one poetry and one drama. The exam will include an unseen prose extract. Here are some themes students will explore: wars and the legacy of wars; personal and social identity; changing morality and social structures; gender, class, race and ethnicity; political upheaval and change; resistance and rebellion; imperialism, post-imperialism and nationalism; engagement with the social, political, personal and literary issues which have helped to shape the latter half of the 20th century and the early decades of the 21st century. 40% of A Level Coursework • Students will also write an extended coursework essay which will be a critical comparison of two texts. Students will study one with their teacher and the second text is the student’s own free choice. We hope that they will enjoy the independence this will provide them with - it will be like being in university! 20% of A Level