Year 11 English
GCSE English Language and English Literature
SUMMARY OF SUBJECT CONTENT:
All students study English Language and English Literature. The English Language course provides students with the opportunity to study a variety of English Language texts in depth. This will include: the reading and analysis of fiction and literary non-fiction from the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries; learning to write in a range of styles for a variety of purposes; speaking and listening confidently in a range of contexts, to include giving an extended individual presentation. The course is assessed entirely through terminal examinations.
The English Literature course provides students with the opportunity to study a variety of Literature in depth. This will include: the reading and analysis of a nineteenth century text; a modern prose or drama text; a Shakespeare play and a range of Poetry.
Specification at a glance
Exam Board: AQA
English Language: Specification Code:8700
Units |
Weighting |
Time |
When |
Notes |
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Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing |
50%
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1 hour 45 minutes |
Summer of Year 11 |
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Paper 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives |
50% |
1 hour 45 minutes |
Summer of Year 11 |
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Non-Exam Assessment: Spoken Language
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Endorsed separately Pass, Merit or Distinction |
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During Year 10 or Year 11 |
Students complete a prepared spoken presentation on a specific topic - maximum duration of 10 minutes. Evidence may be filmed and sent to the exam board. |
English Literature: Specification Code:8702
Units |
Weighting |
Time |
When |
Notes |
|
Paper 1: Shakespeare and the Nineteenth Century Novel
|
40% |
1 hour 45 minutes |
Summer of Year 11 |
|
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Paper 2: Modern Texts and Poetry
|
60% |
2 hours 15 minutes |
Summer of Year 11 |
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What did my child study during Year 10?
The main areas of the curriculum to be studied each half term are detailed below, however in English Language and Literature, topics and skills are inter-woven and we often add additional elements in where appropriate (for example, we may practise poetry analysis skills whilst teaching A Christmas Carol, by teaching one or two relevant poems and then reverting back to the main topic of the novel).
HALF TERM |
TOPIC/CURRICULUM/TEXT |
SKILLS & SPECIIFIC FOCUS |
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Autumn 1 |
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Autumn 2 |
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Spring 1 |
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Spring 2 |
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Summer 1 |
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Summer 2 |
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What will my child study during Year 11?
The main areas of the curriculum to be studied each half term are detailed below, however in English Language and Literature, topics and skills are inter-woven and we often add additional elements in where appropriate (for example, we may practise poetry or language analysis skills whilst teaching Macbeth, by teaching one or two relevant poems and then reverting back to the play).
HALF TERM |
TOPIC/CURRICULUM/TEXT |
SKILLS & SPECIIFIC FOCUS |
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Autumn 1 |
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Autumn 2 |
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Spring 1 |
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Spring 2 |
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Summer 1 |
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How will my child be assessed and how will I know how well they are doing in English in Year 11?
English Literature: when students have completed studying and/or revising each set text, they will complete an exam-style assessment in class e.g. In Autumn Term 1, they will complete an exam question on Macbeth, taking 55 minutes and worth 30 marks. The assessments will be notified via Satchel with some revision materials published and/or recommended to support revision. Students will be given a mark (e.g. out of 30) plus an approximate GCSE grade to show the standard of their work, as well as feedback as to how to improve their work.
English Language: when studying the Reading sections of each Paper, students will frequently practise writing exam style answers (these are much shorter than the Literature assessments). Writing skills are assessed with a longer exam-style assessment completed at the end of each writing module. For all these assessments students will be given a mark, plus an approximate GCSE grade to show the standard of their work, as well as feedback as to how to improve their work.
Year 11 students will sit formal mock exams in the Sports Hall in English Language (Paper 1 and Paper 2) in January and English Literature (Paper 1 and Paper 2) in February. They will then complete a second mock exam in English Language (reading sections only) in March – this will be done in the classroom.
These exams will be marked to exam board standards and a grade awarded for each GCSE. The results of the formal mock exams will be emailed home.
The marks/grades gained throughout the year (for assessments and the exam) will be used to provide both a ‘currently working at’ and a ‘predicted’ grade for both English Language and English Literature and this information will be sent home.
What homework will my child be expected to do in Year 11 in English?
Primarily in Year 11, student are expected to be revising independently on a regular weekly basis. In addition and to support this, students will be set weekly homework that they will be expected to spend around 1 hour completing. The homework will be a variety of tasks that will primarily be:
- Completion and practise of GCSE questions
- Reading and re-reading of set texts
- Guided revision of the set texts
- Online revision using sites such as BBCBitesize/Sparknotes/Youtube (revision lessons)/Genius
- Learning quotes
Students are also expected to read for pleasure at home – they are supported with this by half-termly library lessons. This supports their literacy skills across all subjects.
How can I support my child to do well in English during Year 11?
- Ensure they complete their homework properly.
- Ensure they have somewhere suitable to work, away from distractions but with online access when necessary.
- Ensure they have their own copies of the set texts (these can be ordered via the school).
- Buy a revision guide (order forms available to download via this website) and encourage independent revision.
- Encourage independent reading, both of the set texts, but also fiction and non-fiction books for pleasure and non-fiction articles (newspapers, online articles etc.)
My child is struggling during the course, what additional help is available to help them keep up?
- Revision/booster classes will be scheduled for after school during the course of the year and we would encourage your child to attend these.
- Students should be encouraged to seek assistance from their teacher during lessons, but also outside of lesson time, when they are struggling with any concept.
- Free and specially edited revision guides are available on the VLE for all of the set texts.
- Revision books can be purchased on all topics to assist with understanding and independent revision.
- Students have access to Sam Learning and the Kerboodle learning platform which have a range of resources.
Updated July 2023
