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Term Unit Title Assessment Year 10 (2016-2018)

Autumn Term – first half term

English Paper 1 Section A: Explorations in Creative Reading interspersed with Explorations in Creative Writing (Section B) 4 reading questions. Reading a single source from 20

th or 21

st

Century literature prose fiction. Extracts from novels and short stories. One writing question: descriptive or narrative writing

Worth 50% of English Language GCSE (1 hour 45 minutes) A01: identify ideas 4 marks, A02 analyse how writers use language /structure 16 marks and A04: evaluate texts critically 20 marks. A05: Communicate clearly for purpose and audience/organise ideas using structural features to support coherence 24 marks A06: Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures with accurate spelling and punctuation 16 marks. Assessed as homework task. 20% of 40% of English Literature GCSE (1 hour 45 minute exam closed book) A01: understanding of text and task 12 marks, A02: analyse writers’ language, form and structure to create meanings 12 marks and A03 relationship between text and contexts 6 marks. Assessed as homework task.

Autumn Term – second half term

English Literature Paper 1 Section B: 19

th

Century Novel Closed book e.g Frankenstein, Jekyll & Hyde, A Christmas Carol One question using an extract from a novel to link out to the text as a whole

Spring Term – first half term

English Paper 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives Reading Section A: 4 questions. 2 linked texts from different time periods and genres. One non-fiction and one literary non-fiction text. Sources from 19

th century and either the 20

th

or 21st

century.

Worth 25% of English Language GCSE A01: 12 marks, A02: 12 marks and A03: 16 marks compare writers’ ideas and perspectives

Spring Term – second half term

English Language Paper 2: Writing with a viewpoint Section B: 1 writing question where candidates argue a point of view based on the theme in Paper 2 section A.

Worth 25% of English Language GCSE A05: Communicate clearly for purpose and audience/organise ideas using structural features to support coherence 24 marks A06: Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures with accurate spelling and punctuation 16 marks Paper 2 Section B. Assessed as homework task.

Summer Term – first half term

English Literature Section B & C Paper 2: Poetry One comparative question on one named poem and one other from chosen anthology cluster: conflict or love. Unseen Section C: Two questions on 2 poems to compare.

Worth 35% of English Literature GCSE Section B: A01 12 marks, A02 12 marks and A03 6 marks Section C: A01 & A02 equal weighting Q1 24 marks on one poem/8marks comparison with 2

nd poem

Summer Term – second half term

Continue with unseen poetry unit. Revise for Year 10 mock exam: English Language Paper 1 in Creative Reading and Writing Spoken Language Assessment 2: presentation

Paper 1 (1 hour 45 minutes worth 50% English Language GCSE) Endorsement on certification 0% of GCSE

PLEASE NOTE THAT EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT IS ONLY AT THE END

OF THE TWO YEAR COURSE FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND

ENGLISH LITERATURE. ALL STUDENTS NOW STUDY BOTH

COURSES. THERE IS NO MORE TIERING.

Year 11 (2017-18)

Autumn Term – first half term

English Literature Paper 1 Section A: Shakespeare One question using an extract from Shakespeare and linking out to the text as a whole. Closed book e.g Macbeth or Romeo & Juliet

20% of 40% of English Literature GCSE (1 hour 45 minute exam) AO1, A02, A03 and A04 (tests spelling, punctuation & grammar 4 marks).

Autumn Term – second half term

Complete Shakespeare unit. Revise 19th

century novel. Revision for December Mock Exam Paper 1 Literature: Shakespeare and 19

th Century Novel

Year 11 English Language Mock Exam Paper 2

Worth 40% of English Literature GCSE A01, 2 & 3: 64 marks (4 marks for SPAG on Shakespeare) 1 hour 45 minutes Paper 2 (1hour 45 minutes worth 50% English Language GCSE)

Spring Term – first half term

English Literature Paper 2: Modern Texts One essay question from a choice of two on modern prose or drama e.g History Boys/Inspector Calls/Blood Brothers/Lord of the Flies.

Worth 25% of English Literature GCSE A01 12 marks, A02 12 marks, A03 6 marks and A04 4 marks.

Spring Term – second half term

Complete modern prose/drama. Revision of poetry. Lit Paper 2 mock in English Literature Paper 2 early March.

2 hours 15 minutes 60% of English Literature GCSE

Summer Term – first half term

Revision of all units Study leave starts

Summer Term – second half term

Study Leave

How do I help my child with their GCSE English courses? 

The GCSE English Language and English Literature are two separate 

qualifications which are assessed at the end of Year 11 through examination.  

There is no longer a coursework unit or tiering. Both literature exams are 

closed book and the language exams contain unseen material.  The writing 

tasks are now more heavily assessed on spelling, punctuation and grammar 

than in previous years.  Students are therefore facing challenges with more 

difficult texts and skills than at KS3. Your help is vital to assist what English 

teachers are delivering in class.  The following list suggests what you can do to 

help your child and further information on where to find resources and the 

course content. 

English Language Paper 1 and 2: 

Reading section:  

Look at the wider reading lists on the English department area of the 

website and select with your child some fiction/non‐fiction that may 

interest them.  The library has a varied range of different genres and 

books for various age groups/abilities. 

Discuss what you both think of the plot, characters and writer’s 

techniques in the telling of a story.  What do you think of the 

opening/ending? Why do you like/dislike the text? 

Encourage your child to read a range of broadsheet newspapers on a 

variety of different subjects.  Discuss the type of language a journalist 

might use to get across a point of view, for example level of formality, 

factual language, use of bias. 

Research some 19th century newspaper articles/diaries/letters.  Dickens 

is a good source for this. 

Writing section: 

Google an image e.g a spooky place.  Encourage your child to make a list 

of adjectives that would be useful to describe it. 

Discuss why those words would be effective and use a dictionary to add 

to the original list. 

Encourage your child to write a description in 50 words. Perhaps write 

your own and compare ideas, vocabulary and sentence structures. 

Would they interest a reader? 

Ask your child to make a list of spellings that they find difficult or tend 

to get wrong.  The method of look/cover/write/check is really effective.  

A spelling dictionary is also a useful resource to have in the home.  

Having read a broadsheet paper article, discuss what the opposing view 

might be.  Encourage your child to write a response and to use a 

thesaurus to widen their vocabulary. 

Challenge your child to write this piece again using different sentence 

structures e.g listing, starting a sentence with a verb, using a rhetorical 

question, including a short sentence to create an effect etc. This may 

affect the meaning of the piece. 

Help your child to practise proof – reading skills and working out what a 

word might mean through the context of a sentence or a whole text. 

English Literature: 

Arrange theatre visits, particularly to see Shakespeare or adaptations of 

19th century classics 

Encourage your child to read widely using the lists on the website in the 

English department area.  We suggest particularly that year 

10/11students are exposed to as much 19th century literature as 

possible as this is what they struggle with most. 

Perhaps read the set 19th century text aloud together (see set text list 

on the website) and discuss difficult words and easier synonyms to help 

them access the text better 

Discuss their opinions about characters, plot and how the story is told 

Watch film adaptations (although be careful they stick close enough to 

the original text so they don’t confuse)  

Encourage your child to write a piece where they mimic the style of a 

writer e.g Dickens 

Research a writer’s life and works 

Encourage your child to keep a reading log of their set texts e.g what 

happens in each scene/chapter 

Diagrams and mind maps are a useful way of linking ideas/themes in 

poems, prose and drama and are a good visual aid 

Read through your child’s notes in their exercise books and encourage 

them to do the same to consolidate their learning.  This is also a good 

opportunity to discuss their teacher’s feedback and targets. It’s also 

worth monitoring the organisation of their notes for revision purposes! 

For learners targeting the higher grades of 6‐9, a good idea is to read 

literary criticism on set texts.  Students can find these in the library with 

the help of the librarian.  Critical reading like this is very advanced; 

however you could read and discuss some of this material so that your 

child is approaching texts at a higher level. 

Course outlines, wider reading lists, set text/revision textbook lists, extension 

tasks and rationale for grouping in Year 10 can all be found on the English 

department area of the website. 

You can also go to the VLE Moodle on the website where the English 

department are continually adding resources and candidate sample answers. 

Websites like Bitesize:  www.bbc.co.uk/education  and 

www.shakespearesglobe.com are useful online resources.  

 

  

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GCSE English Literature set text list 

Your child’s English teacher will decide on one of the following texts from each 

category when he/she meets their Year 10 class. 

19th century novel: 

Frankenstein Mary Shelley (Wordsworth Classics) 

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde R.L Stevenson (Wordsworth Classics) 

A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens (Heinemann New Windmills) 

Shakespeare: 

Macbeth (Cambridge University Press edition) 

Romeo and Juliet (Cambridge University Press edition) 

Poetry from the AQA Anthology: 

Love and Relationships e.g Robert Browning, Owen Sheers, Carol Ann Duffy, 

Simon Armitage Or 

Power and Conflict e.g Percy Bysshe Shelley, William Blake, John Agard, Wilfrid 

Owen 

Modern Drama/Prose:  

The History Boys Alan Bennett (Faber) 

An Inspector Calls J.B Priestley (Heinemann) 

Blood Brothers Willy Russell (Methuen) 

The Lord of the Flies William Golding (Faber) 

Please see GCSE wider reading list (link on the website) for further reading.  

Students ought to be reading more than their set texts to familiarise 

themselves with the language of 19th century novels and Shakespeare 

particularly. The English Language exams cover extracts from a range of 20th 

and 21st prose and non‐fiction material (again see reading lists). 

 

GCSE textbooks for revision: 

GCSE English Language Progress (Grades 1‐5) or Progress Plus grades (5‐9)  

Cambridge University Press 

Romeo & Juliet/Macbeth GCSE English Literature for AQA Cambridge 

University Press 

An Inspector Calls GCSE English Literature for AQA Cambridge University Press 

The History Boys Study Revise for GCSE Hodder Education 

Poetry GCSE English Literature for AQA Student Book Cambridge University 

Press 

Working with the Poetry Anthology Hodder Education 

Frankenstein Study and Revise for GCSE Hodder Education 

A Christmas Carol York Notes for GCSE Study Guide/Study and Revise for GCSE 

Hodder Education 

The Lord of the Flies Study and Revise for GCSE Hodder Education 

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Study and Revise for GCSE Hodder 

Education 

Blood Brothers Study and Revise for GCSE Hodder Education 

 

Online resources: 

Bitesize is a useful website for revision: www.bbc.co.uk/education 

It covers many units on the GCSE course. 

Keep an eye on Moodle (see website) where the English Department is 

continually updating resources for revision. 

The Shakespeare Globe website is a useful resource for Shakespeare plays: 

www.shakespearesglobe.com 

 

St Aidan’s Church of England High School Library Recommended reads for Year 10 & 11

The Alchemist Paulo Coelho Follow your dreams Angela’s Ashes Frank McCourt Irish coming of age story Anita and Me Meera Syal A Punjabi family in the Black Country The Black Magician Trudi Canavan Filled with magic and conspiracy Trilogy The Book Thief Markus Zusak Thought provoking unusual read Boys Don’t Cry Malorie Blackman Hard hitting teenage novel Catcher in the Rye J D Salinger Coming of age novel Cold Comfort Farm Stella Gibbons Witty novel about a chaotic family Curious Incident of the Mark Haddon An unusual murder Mystery Dog in the Nighttime The Declaration Gemma Malley The year 2014 and people can live forever Divergent Veronica Roth First novel in dystopian trilogy Do Androids Dream of Philip K Dick Science fiction Electric Sheep? Echo Boy Matt Haig Science fiction Empire of the Sun J G Ballard Japan in World War 2 Eragon Christopher Paolini Fantasy Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury Thought provoking vision of the future The Fault in our Stars John Green Emotional read Fever Pitch Nick Hornby A fanatical football supporter The 5

th Wave Rick Yancey Alien invasion

Girl With the Dragon Stieg Larsson Gripping crime series Tattoo Gone Michael Grant A world without adults Great Expectations Charles Dickens The fortunes of Pip The Help Kathryn Stockett Prejudice in 1960s America How I Live Now Meg Rosoff Romance, war, politics I Capture the Castle Dodie Smith Love, sibling rivalry, bohemian life Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte A masterpiece Junk Melvin Burgess Junk = despair Ketchup Clouds Annabel Pitcher Romance, death row and secrets

Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini Boyhood friendship in Afghanistan Leaving Poppy Kate Cann Haunting psychological thriller Life of Pi Yann Martel Read the book before you see the film Lord of the Ring JRR Tolkien Middle Earth adventure Matched Allie Condie Living in a controlled society The Moonstone Wilkie Collins Classic detective novel My Sister’s Keeper Jodi Picoult Gripping emotional story line Nineteen Eighty Four George Orwell Totalitarian Government of the future Notes From a Small Bill Bryson Travel book which may make you laugh Island out loud The Number 1 Ladies’ Alexander McCall Smith Humorous novel set in Botswana Detective Agency Ode to Kirihito Osamu Tezuka Comic book mastery Rebecca Daphne Du Maurier Classic romantic mystery Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen The much loved novel Sherlock Holmes Arthur Conan Doyle Victorian crime Shiver Maggie Stiefvater A chilling love story The Time Machine H G Wells Classic time travel Uglies Scott Westerfeld A ‘beautiful’ society Vanishing of Katharina Helen Grant Gripping plot and characters Linden The White Darkness G McCaughrean Destination Antarctica When Mr Dog Bites Brian Conaghan Dylan Mint has Tourette’s Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte “one of the greatest books ever written’ See also the Classic book list. Please ask if you need help finding a good book to read. Mrs Roth 2015