You will study texts from literary genres such as prose, drama and poetry, but the course also explores a range of non-fiction spoken and written texts, and offers opportunities for original writing.
You will engage creatively and critically with a wide range of texts and learn to develop your skills as a producer and interpreter of language.
You will learn to apply your knowledge of literary analysis and use linguistic and literary approaches in reading and interpreting texts.
This course can be studied as part of the communications pathway.
What you'll learn
Students studying English Language and Literature at A level will study the OCR EMC specification, which offers students a broad range of texts to engage with, including non-fiction spoken and written texts, novels, poetry and plays, as well as providing opportunities for original writing.
A level English Language & Literature students will develop the analytical tools to explore language in detail, in a range of contexts, and to become confident and insightful readers. They will also develop their skills as producers and interpreters of language through independent study and wider reading in an area of particular personal interest, offering excellent preparation for study at undergraduate level.
In the AS year students will study The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake and non-fiction spoken and written texts from the OCR EMC Anthology.
In A2, in addition to the prose and poetry studied at AS, students will study the play A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. They will write analytically about the novel studied at AS, and produce a passage of narrative writing of their own. They will produce an Independent Study, comparing two texts, one non-fiction and one of their own choosing (fiction or non-fiction), as coursework (worth 20% of final A Level grade).
How you'll learn and be assessed
You will concentrate on analysing language, as well as studying literary texts and poems. You will study the following topics:
- Unit 1 – integrated analysis and text production
- Unit 2 – analysing speech and its representation
- Unit 3 – comparative analysis and text adaptation
- Unit 4 – comparative analysis through independent study (coursework unit)
In and out of class, you can expect to work independently as well as collaboratively; using both high and low tech resources to engage with learning. You can expect to lead your learning through delivery of lessons and planning of the schedule. There will also be a number of opportunities this academic year for you to work on fundraising projects and participate in extra-curricular activities and trips. We will work closely with other English classes, learning together whenever we can.
You will study 4.5 hours in class but there is a clear expectation that you will complete the equivalent outside of class. Some weeks, this will include work set by your teacher, but in other weeks it might be a combination of reading, writing, contributing to classroom resources, marking or planning a lesson.
Formal assessment is through examinations and (in some subjects) through coursework. The examination periods are in May/June. There will be a range of regular assignments, essays and class based assessments to help you develop your study skills for the next educational step. Individual learning targets are set each term and you will receive regular feedback on your progress in meeting these targets.
Entry requirements
Applicants should have five GCSEs at grade 5 or above, including English and maths.
