HGS English Literature

Course Overview

Working from the belief that no text exists in isolation but is the product of the time in which it was produced, these courses encourage you to explore the relationships that exist between texts and the contexts within which they are written, received and understood. Studying texts within a shared context enables you to investigate and connect them, drawing out patterns of similarity and difference using a variety of reading strategies and perspectives. In each task, you will be required to argue and to show personal responses and critical preferences, supported by the terminology relevant to the topics and contexts with which you are engaging.

Course Content

Specification A: The three units for this qualification are:

Unit 1: Love through the Ages

Study of three texts: one poetry text (pre-1900 Anthology) and one prose text (The Great Gatsby), and one Shakespeare play (Othello). Assessed by examination which will include two unseen poems.

Unit 2: Texts in Shared Contexts - Modern Times: Literature from 1945 to the Present Day

Study of three texts: one prose, one poetry, and one drama, of which one must be written post-2000. Assessed by examination which will include an unseen extract.

Unit 3: Coursework:

Comparative critical study of two texts, at least one of which must have been written pre-1900. One extended essay (2500 words).

Course Entry Requirements

5 or above in GCSE English Literature

Course Specification

AQA Lit A 7712 (HBS & HGS) https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/english/specifications/AQA-7711-7712-SP-2015.PDF

Homework

At A Level, students are expected to complete a minimum of  5 hours of study a week on top of their allocated lesson time.