English Language

The GCSE English Language course is designed to challenge your critical thinking skills and develop your reading and writing. You will have the opportunity to engage with a range of texts from creative writing to extended non-fiction texts. You will study texts from the 19th, 20th and 21st century. The main purpose of the course is to enable you to be an effective communicator, to make you a fluent reader, writer and speaker ready for the world of work in the 21st century. 

Language Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing

Section A: Reading 50%

Read an unseen fictional text extract, then answer comprehension, language analysis, structure analysis and evaluative questions

Section B: Writing 50%

Write a creative narrative or description. You will be marked on the quality of your content and construction.

Language Paper 2: Writer's Viewpoints and Perspectives

Section A: Reading 50%

Read two unseen nonfiction extracts, one from the 19th century and another from the 20th or 21st century. Answer comprehension, comparison and language analysis questions. 

Section B: Writing 50%

Write a nonfiction text. You will be marked on the quality of your content and construction.

Non-examination Assessment: Spoken Language 

Separate Endorsement (0% weighting of GCSE)

You will present information orally on a topic, then respond to feedback. 

You will encounter all styles of learning in English.  Sometimes you will be asked to get out of your chair and do, other times you will have to listen quietly, other times you have to debate and share your views. You will always be challenged to think!

Summary: English Language is assessed through 100% examination. You will sit two exams at the end of year 11 which make up your GCSE English Language qualification. Both of these papers are worth  50% of your final grade. The exams will assess your reading and writing ability. You will be asked to analyse extracts of both fiction and non-fiction texts. 

English and the skills you develop in writing, reading, reasoning and speaking and listening are the cornerstone of nearly every profession you might choose to pursue. A command of the English Language and your ability to understand and control it is vital as you move into the world outside of school, whatever the choices you make.