Middle School Curriculum 2024-2026

English Language

English Literature

Eduquas GCSE English Literature C720QS

Cambridge IGCSE (9-1) English - First Language 0990

Why study English Language? The course aims to develop sensitive readers of fiction and non-fiction, attuned to the nuances and complexities of language, and the way that historical and social contexts can inform our reading. Pupils will learn to analyse, evaluate and compare texts, and to write about them clearly and accurately, all life-long skills that help us engage meaningfully and thoughtfully with the world around us. Pupils will also have the opportunity to craft and develop their own prose: creative, informative and persuasive. They will learn how to adapt their own writerly voice for different purposes, audiences and effects.

What does the course cover? Pupils are taught to readwith insight, study awide range of texts and select, collate and present material appropriately. They are encouraged to communicate clearly and accurately, adapt their writing for awide range of purposes and demonstrate the ability to structure and organise their work. How is the course assessed? The final grade is based on performance in two written examinations: Candidates answer three compulsory questions on three texts which may be on a similar topic. Skills assessed are: comprehension, summary writing and language analysis. The paper includes an extended writing task based on the reading material. Paper 2: Writing 50% of final mark 2 hours Section A: Candidates answer one compulsory question on one or two texts. Candidates use, develop and evaluate the information in the text(s) to create a discursive/argumentative/persuasive speech, letter or article. Section B: Candidates answer one question from a choice of four titles: two descriptive and two narrative. Candidates use the title to develop and write a composition. Paper 1: Reading 50% of final mark 2 hours

Why study English Literature? By reading a wide range of literature, pupils will study the power of language to entertain, engage and influence. They will consider the historical, religious and cultural contexts of works of fiction to evaluate authorial intent, including the political, social and moral dimensions of literature. Puplis will learn how to craft clear, structured, and analytical essays in response to poems, plays and prose, in which they are encouraged to adopt an empathetic response to the lives of others. They will consider and evaluate conflicting viewpoints and different ways of reading texts. The essay-writing skills acquired will stand pupils in good stead across a variety of GCSEs and well beyond. What does the course cover? The course develops pupils’ ability to understand and respond to a wide range of literary texts, which include pre-1914 and post-1914 prose, poetry and drama. Pupils will respond critically and in detail to the use of language, structure and form in the texts they encounter. They will also be taught to write in a succinct and focused manner and to select and evaluate relevant material. In addition, pupils will study the cultural, social, political, historical and religious contexts of their set texts, and the literary traditions to which they belong.

How is the course assessed? The final grade is based on performance in two written examinations:

Paper 1: Shakespeare and Poetry 40% of final mark 2 hours

Pupils are given one extract question and one essay question based on their reading of a Shakespeare play (e.g. Macbeth ). The questions require pupils to engage with key themes and characters, as well as with dramatic/performance aspects, then pupils answer two questions based on a selection of poetry from 1789 to the present day, from the examination board’s own anthology. These include poems by William Wordsworth, Seamus Heaney, Carol Ann Duffy, and Imtiaz Dharker, as well as a collection of poetry about the First WorldWar. In their response, pupils consider the impact of historical, social and literary context on the form and content of the poems. In the second question, pupils compare the first poem with another poem of their choice from the anthology. 60% of final mark 2 hours and 30 minutes Pupils answer a question on a post-1914 text (e.g. WilliamGolding’s Lord of the Flies ) which will centre around key themes or characters, including the relationship between characters, and pupils will also be asked to consider authorial intent. The second section consists of a question on a 19th Century prose text (e.g. George Eliot’s Silas Marner or Robert Louis Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde ). In their response, pupils will consider the impact of the 19th Century historical, social, religious, political and literary contexts on the form and content of the novels. In the final part of the examination, pupils answer two questions on unseen contemporary poems, one of which involves comparison. Paper 2: Post-1914 Prose, 19th Century Prose and Unseen Poetry