EXAM BOARD

AQA

ASSESSMENT FORMAT

100% terminal examination

GRADE METHOD

9-1

 

 

GCSE

The subject content of the syllabus relates directly to the programme of study for Years 10 and 11 of the National Curriculum. 

 

Students will be expected to produce a variety of fiction and non-fiction writing, demonstrating an awareness of the use of language in appropriate forms. Students will also need to acquire skills in information retrieval in response to a range of fiction and non-fiction texts, from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. 

 

Examinations:

Paper 1: Responding to one literature fiction text and writing descriptively (Explorations in creative reading and writing).

 

Paper 2: Responding to non-fiction texts and writing to present a specific viewpoint (Writers’ viewpoints and perspectives).

 

Both papers will assess the skills of retrieving relevant information from a text; analysing language and structure of a text using appropriate subject terminology; comparing writers’ ideas and perspectives; evaluating texts critically; communicating and organising information effectively; writing accurately using a varied range of vocabulary.

 

Suggested Revision Guides and Workbooks for Year 9-11

AQA ENGLISH LANGUAGE – exams 2017 onwards:

• Collins ‘SNAP Revision- Reading’- for AQA English Language Papers 1&2
• Collins ‘SNAP Revision- Writing’- for AQA English Language Papers 1&2

 

Year 7 and 8

Year 7 and 8 are comprised of a variety of creative and imaginative language and literature modules. There are 6 modules in each year and the key skills for both language and literature are interwoven throughout the two years.

The study of English language in year 7 and 8 is approached through a series of exciting modules that revolve around non-literary sources. Students in Year 7 start with studying Marcus Rashford’s ‘You are a Champion’ which is a new transition unit introducing students to the key Secondary English skills. Students in Year 7 also study a module entitled ‘Inspirational People’ where a range of renowned and influential speeches by prominent figures are studied from the 19^th to 21^st century: from Winston Churchill to Emma Watson to name just a couple. Students learn how to critique and analyse the rhetorical devices used in these speeches, as well as learning how to craft their own emotive speech on a key issue.

Students in year 8 take part in a module called ‘Challenging Viewpoints’ where they not only explore a variety of print and television media but also create their own newspapers. Students also explore a variety of travel writing that encompasses writers from a variety of different cultures in our ‘Culture and Identity’ module.