English

KS4 Subject Information for Parents / Students

Please see below some information about the course covered during Key Stage 4. You will also find more information about the knowledge and skills covered booklet in a hyperlink below.  During each half-term your child will have regular ‘learning checks’ to assess how well they are progressing against the expected standards. If they do not reach the expected standard in any of these checks, they should be seeking help from their teacher regarding the best possible steps. Teachers will also be sharing with students examples of how to go ‘beyond the expected standards ‘and providing additional challenge.

Minimum Expected Standards KS4

 

Subject: English Language & English Literature. This course will lead to two separate GCSEs.
GCSE Exam board: AQA
Qualification Structure:

ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Paper 1

1 hour 45 mins
  • SECTION A: Reading – Literary Fiction – 4 questions
  • SECTION B: Writing – Descriptive or Narrative – one extended writing response
 50%

 
Paper 2

1 hour 45 mins
  • SECTION A: Reading – Non-fiction – 4 questions
  • SECTION B: Writing – to express a viewpoint – one extended writing response
 50%
FINAL GRADE: The marks for the two papers are added together and converted to a GCSE 1-9 grade.

 

ENGLISH LITERATURE
Paper 1

1 hour 45 mins
  • SECTION A: Essay on Macbeth – extract + whole play
  • SECTION B: Essay on Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – extract +  whole novel
 40%
Paper 2

2 hours 15 mins
  • SECTION A: Essay on An Inspector Calls – extract + whole play
  • SECTION B: Essay comparing named poem with one other poem from Power and Conflict cluster
  • SECTION C: Respond to and compare two unseen poems
 60%

 
FINAL GRADE: The marks for the two papers are added together and converted to a GCSE 1-9 grade.
Key Assessments:

Year 10:

  • Practice questions in exam conditions for all units
  • Trial exam: English Language Paper 1
  • Trial exam: English Literature Paper 1

Year 11:

  • Practice questions in exam conditions for all units
  • Trial exam: English Language Paper 2
  • Trial exam: English Literature Paper 2
Subject specific websites to support revision and independent learning:

English Language

Some useful YouTube channels are:

  • Mr Bruff
  • AQA Poetry – Stacey Reay
  • helpmemrdavies

English Literature
Recommended subject guides:

English / English Language

There are many guides you can buy if you prefer paper

ü  All students will receive department produced resources to help prepare for the exams – FREE!

ü  Sample CGP past papers are available – £3 for a set of 4 exams including markschemes and all source texts (Pay via ParentPay and collect from LRC)

 English Literature

In the LRC (pay via ParentPay – £4.50 per guide)

We stock the following revision guides to help study the 4 set texts in English Literature

ü  CGP

ü  York notes

York notes are recommended but CGP also offer an accessible, informal guide that covers all the areas

 Amazon.co.uk

A range of guides are available for:

ü  AQA GCSE English Language 1-9 course

ü  All the set literature texts on the 1-9 course
Other:

Study supports are available with subject teachers upon request