GCSE English Language and Literature (Eduqas)
Our pupils build upon the knowledge and skills developed throughout KS3, deepening their understanding of a writer’s craft and the power of language to shape opinions, emotional responses and to stimulate the imagination. They will use familiar structures to help construct academic responses to literary and non-literary texts and will further refine their skills in grammar, punctuation, spelling and cohesion to produce their own engaging narrative fiction and non-fiction texts. We also support pupils to continue to develop their confidence in making informed personal responses.
We aim to encourage pupils to see the value and relevance of their studies in English to their future lives but we also aim to continue to foster a deep love of the enriching, transformative power of literature and reading in its own right.
Our approach to literary texts continues to champion knowledge of context before deeper exploration of writers’ methods; we feel this is essential to pupils’ understanding of the conditions that gave life to a novel, play or poem and, consequently, is essential to their appreciation of its parts.
All of our pupils are entered for both the English Language and the English Literature GCSEs and will sit two examinations in each subject in Year 11. All pupils will encounter each text on the Literature specification during Y10. We revisit these texts in greater depth in Y11, allowing pupils to revisit prior knowledge in order to support long-term learning.
Pupils are taught in mixed ability groups when intake is in two form groups. They may be set where a three form entry allows. We continue to work closely with the SEND department in order to support pupils with additional needs and we believe in enabling all pupils to access the full GCSE curriculum. We support the SEND department in applications for exam concessions where applicable. The English department also provide stretch and challenge for pupils through a variety of classroom strategies and external study days.
Pupils are given feedback in a variety of ways. Informal feedback takes many forms, including verbal tips and prompts and might also include self and peer assessment. Staff may use whole-class directed improvement time in lessons in order to address a specific issue common to all pupils and give them the opportunity to rectify errors or misunderstandings. Staff may give individual feedback on all or part of an exam-style response or an activity designed to measure knowledge/skills mastery. All Y11 pupils are given mock examinations in December (Y10 are given mocks in June/July) and grades will be reported to parents and pupils. We also assess all pupils at the end of each unit of study, providing feedback and approximate grades.
