Sixth Form - English Language and Literature A Level (FSFC)

The study of A Level English Language and Literature will focus on reading and analysing texts within a shared context. You will be encouraged to explore the relationships between various texts and the specific contexts within which they are written, received and understood. Studying these poetry, prose and drama works enables you to investigate and connect them, drawing out patterns of similarity and difference using a variety of reading strategies and perspectives.

The English Language and Literature A Level gives you essential analytical skills that support any career choice.

You will study a range of texts from different eras and contexts from Jacobean Tragedy to modern day screenplays, utilising essential skills to deconstruct and evaluate the texts in detail. You will learn how spoken and written language can be used to manipulate and audience, as well as how attitudes and ideologies help shape our use of language.

Paper 1

Anthology: You will study an anthology of mostly modern non-fiction texts, including a variety of non-literary and digital texts from different forms, such as interviews, broadcasts, podcasts, blogs, screenplays and travelogues. You will learn how to study spoken language, gendered language, and engage in debates about topics such as language change.

Drama text: A Streetcar Named Desire – You will study this play from 1940s America, learning various dramatic methods and techniques. The key themes are relationships, violence, addiction, the past, trauma and prejudice.

Paper 2

1. Unseen non-fiction text

You will learn the necessary skills to deconstruct and analyse a non-fiction text that they have never seen before. In preparation for this, they will analyse a range of different texts.

2. Society and the Individual

You will study two texts:

Text one: The Great Gatsby – a modernist prose text set in 1920s America. Key themes are love, loss, memory and relationships.

Text Two: Othello – a Shakespearean tragedy about the dangers of jealousy. Key themes are jealousy, love, violence and manipulation.

You will compare these texts through genre, literary style and the time in which they were written.

Coursework

You will learn how to craft two pieces of creative writing: one piece of fiction and one piece of literary non-fiction. These will be submitted to the examiner alongside a commentary, again written by you, explaining your decisions.

The course contains regular assignments, with deadlines agreed by your tutor. Final assessment is by examination and coursework.

The subject is assessed by two exams at the end of Year 13 (80%) as well as one piece of creative writing which is marked internally (20%).

GCSE Grade 5 or above in English Language and Literature

An A Level in English Language and Literature is incredibly useful in terms of careers. It prepares you for many careers including journalism, creative writing and media.

Universities respect the course as much as the separate A Levels in either English Language or Literature, meaning you are able to continue on to study Linguistics or Literature at degree level.

In addition, you study creative writing skills, which are not taught on either of the single qualifications, and support creative career aspirations.