New
English GSCE Language Curriculum (from Year 10)
All texts in the two English Language papers will be unseen. Students are given extracts from texts e.g.
novels, autobiographies newspaper articles and then asked questions on these sources.
Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing
Assessed
 written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
 50% of English Language GCSE
Section A: Reading

one literature fiction text
Section B: Writing
descriptive or narrative writing
Paper 2: Writers' Viewpoints and Perspectives
Assessed
 written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
 50% of English Language GCSE
Section A: Reading
Section B: Writing
one non-fiction text and one literary Writing to explain, argue or
non-fiction text – one of these will
persuade
th
be from the 19 century and the
other from either the 20th or 21st
century
Spoken language
During the two year course your daughter will be given opportunities to do Spoken
Language activities. She will be assessed on her ability to give presentations, respond to questions and
feedback as well as her use of Standard English. She will be assessed by her English teacher and awarded a
mark this will not form part of the 1-9 GSCE Award for English Language.
GCSE English Literature- AQA
The course is a 100% exam and is closed book; this means there is no coursework or controlled assessments
and girls will not be allowed to use their copies of texts they have studied in the exam. It is a terminal exam
so all the assessments are done at the end of the two years. English Literature consists of 3 papers.
Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel
How it's assessed

written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes

40% of GCSE
Text
Questions
Julius Caesar
Dr Jekyll Mr Hyde
Section A Shakespeare: students will answer
Section B The 19th-century novel: students
one question on Julius Caesar. They will be
will answer one question on Dr Jekyll and Mr
required to write in detail about an extract from
Hyde. They will be required to write in detail
the play and then to write about the play as a
about an extract from the novel and then to
whole
write about the novel as a whole.
Paper 2: Modern texts and poetry
How it's assessed
 written exam: 2 hour 15 minutes
 60% of GCSE
Sections
Text
Questions
Animal Farm
Students will answer one essay question from a choice of two on
Animal Farm.
Section A
Section B
Section C
Poetry: The poetry anthology
Students will answer one comparative question on one named
“Power and Conflict” Cluster
poem printed on the paper and one other poem from the power
comprising of 15 poems
and conflict cluster.
Unseen poetry:
Students will answer one question on one unseen poem and one
question comparing this poem with a second unseen poem.