Based at both sites.
Examination Board
AQA
Entry Criteria
Grade 5 in GCSE English Literature
Assessment
AS Level
Paper 1: Literary Genres: Drama
Students will study Twelfth Night and The Importance of Being Earnest. This makes up 50% of the AS level.
Paper 2: Literary Genres: Poetry and Prose
Students will study Small Island and a selection of comedic poetry. This makes up 50% of the AS level.
A Level
Paper 1: Literary Genres: Aspects of Comedy
Students will study three texts; Twelfth Night, The Importance of Being Earnest and one further text. This makes up 40% of the A level.
Paper 2: Texts and Genres: Elements of Crime Writing
Students will study three texts: Atonement; Rime of the Ancient Mariner and a selection of poems. This makes up 40% of the A level
Non-exam assessment:
Students will study three texts: one poetry and one prose text with an additional Critical Anthology and complete two essay
Why you should study English Literature
This course is for students who are passionate about books and how cultures are represented in literature. We study a wide range of text types and examine what influences both writers and audiences.
Course Content
AS English Literature
The focus is on the genre of Comedy, including Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night; The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde and the novel Small Island by Andrea Levy.
A2 English Literature
In the second year students focus on crime writing and text analysis.
Skills Developed, Progression and Possible Future Careers
Like many other choices, the Study of English Literature does not lead to a specific career path. What it does do is teach you how to analyse complex information with the support of sophisticated theories and ideas. You will learn how to evaluate and consider different possible interpretations of texts as well as develop the ability to communicate these theories and conclusions with confidence – these are skills essential for many types of work.