Both the AQA GCSE English Language and AQA GCSE English Literature courses are studied by students in Year 10. Over the course of two years, pupils will study a range of English Language skills: analysing language and structure of texts; evaluating responses to texts; writing creatively and persuasively; comparing non-fiction texts from different time periods; identify information from a text. In Year 10, we do most of our work to prepare pupils for their two English Literature exams. In this year, we study A Christmas Carol, Macbeth and the Power and Conflict Anthology of Poetry. We study these texts in their entirety and link learning to the political, social and historical contexts in which they were written. Homework is set weekly and is often a combination of Seneca revision tasks and extended essay work.

At the end of Year 10, pupils set a full set of trial exams to support teaching and revision Year 11: two English Language papers (marked out of 160 in total) and two English Literature papers (also marked out of 160 total marks). They are also assessed on their speaking and listening ability through a five minute presentation that is marked in class by the teacher. This is an imperative part of the GCSE English Language qualification.