- Dept. Info

GCSE English & A Level Information

Key stage 4

The vast majority of our students will take 2 new, linked, modular GCSEs in English Language and English Literature. Our examination board is WJEC www.wjec.co.uk

For up to date information on the GCSE English courses please view this presentation.

Year 10
Autumn 1		Autumn 2	Spring 1		Spring 2		Summer 1	Summer 2
Creative Writing (descriptive and narrative)		Studying Written Language. ‘Of Mice and Men’ Speaking and Listening task		Shakespeare and Poetry English Lit Reading controlled assessment		Preparation for Units 1 and 2 – Reading and Writing		Preparation for controlled assessment re-sits Speaking and Listening task
Creative Writing Controlled Assessment W/C October 18th		Studying Written Language Controlled Assessment W/C 19th January		Controlled Assessment (date to be confirmed)				External Examinations English Units 1 and 2 Controlled Assessment re-sits. W/C 27th June
Year 11
Autumn 1		Autumn 2	Spring 1		Spring 2		Summer 1	Summer 2
Studying Spoken Language	Examination Preparation Different Cultures Prose and Unseen Poetry			Preparation for English Literature Unit 2 Drama and Prose text Speaking and Listening Task
Spoken Language Controlled Assessment (date to be confirmed)			English Units 1 and 2 Re-sits English Lit External Examination Unit 1					External Examination English Lit Unit 2 Re-sits English Lit Unit 1

This course is modular, and so students will be sitting controlled assessments and examinations throughout years 10 and 11. It is important that students attend school regularly, especially during the weeks when controlled assessments are scheduled. Students cannot improve their controlled assessments once they are complete.

English Language GCSE

Unit 1: Studying Written Language

Written Paper 20% (1 hour)

Reading: non-fiction texts

Unit 2: Using Written Language

Written Paper 20% (1 hour)

Writing: information and ideas

Unit 3: Literary Reading and Creative Writing

Controlled Assessment 30%

Studying written language (15%)

Using language: creative writing (2 assignments: 7.5% each: descriptive; narrative)

Unit 4: Spoken Language

Controlled Assessment 30%

Using Language: speaking and listening (3 tasks) 20%

Studying spoken language 10%

GCSE English Literature

Unit 1: Prose

External Assessment 35% (2 hours)

Section A: Different Cultures Prose

Section B: Unseen Poetry

Unit 2: Texts in Contexts

External Assessment 40% (2 hours)

Literary heritage drama and contemporary prose

Unit 3 Poetry and Drama

Controlled Assessment 25%

Poetry and play by Shakespeare

*Pathway Three students do not undertake the English Language and Literature GCSE courses; they take a single GCSE in English.

Please encourage your child to read.

Should you have any queries about the English Language or English Literature KS4 programme of study please contact Mrs K McGuire (Director of English) or Mrs S Cooke (Assistant Head of English in charge of KS4).

GCSE LONG TERM PLAN – FOR STUDENTS STUDYING ENGLISH ONLY: This is subject to change.

2010 - 2012

Year 11

Autumn 1

Year 11 Autumn 2

Year 11

Spring 1

Year 11 Spring 2

Shakespeare text for Shakespeare/Poetry linked task.

Study poetry for above CA task.

Preparation for Shakespeare/Poetry linked CA task. Four hours allowed for this.

Preparation for outstanding or re-sits of Controlled Assessment pieces.

Preparation for Functional Skills Examination

Year 11 Summer 1	Year 11 Summer 2
Examination

Key Stage 3 Long Term Plans

Year 7

Autumn 1	Autumn 2	Spring 1	Spring 2
Transition Unit – based on the Big Write format. Imaginative writing.	Panto – speaking and listening.	Shakespeare intro – looking at background context and beginning to look at language used in a variety of plays and poetry.	Non-fiction – looking specifically at speeches and verbal and non-verbal communication
Summer 1	Summer 2
Novel – Cirque Du Freak. Reading but also letter writing	Novel cont… Review of novel

Year 8

Autumn 1	Autumn 2	Spring 1	Spring 2
Time Machine –convey character response. Reports/ explanations of their own time machines	Poetry	Titanic – newspaper reports on the sinking of the Titanic	Novel/ Play
Summer 1	Summer 2
Writing – basics of effective writing – looking at different audiences and purposes – 1st and 3rd person narrative and argument	Novel/ play

Year 9

Autumn 1	Autumn 2	Spring 1	Spring 2
Apprentice - Persuasive	War poetry	Short stories Looking at narrative structure in variety of short stories	Narrative – based on short stories
Summer 1	Summer 2
Controlled assessment Frankenstein	Much Ado about nothing