Years 7-9

During your key stage 3 years at Walton, you will study a broad range of texts to help you prepare for further study. Your teacher will guide you through different novels, including Shakespeare, and you will use these texts as a basis for assignments that showcase your written skills. You will be introduced to poetry, playscripts, and texts from a variety of cultures and historical periods, helping you expand your reading range. Additionally, you will develop skills in analysing poetry, including how to tackle unseen poetry.

We encourage independent reading and will provide plenty of opportunities for you to read during lessons. Walton’s English department works closely with the Learning Resources Centre, offering library sessions to introduce new books that we believe will spark your curiosity

Assessment

At the end of each half term, you will complete an assessment in class, marked by your teacher. These assessments will contribute to your progress grades. Your teacher will also mark your books and provide suggested grades for extended pieces of work.

Topics covered

  • Class novels
  • Shakespeare
  • Poetry
  • Playscripts
  • A range of fiction and non-fiction texts
  • Creative and transactional writing
  • Speaking and listening

Years 10 and 11

Both English and English Literature are compulsory courses at Walton. Students will acquire two GCSEs through their English lessons in years 10 and 11. English Language focuses on the study of different text types, emphasising the accuracy of your writing and developing your comprehension skills. English Literature, on the other hand, involves the analysis of various works throughout history, ranging from Shakespeare to modern authors like Priestley.

Specification Content

Language

Students will read a range of text types, refining essential skills such as information retrieval, deduction, and comparison. In addition, students will learn how to write successfully in various forms, including letters, reports, reviews, speeches, and articles.

Literature

The texts studied for this GCSE may be reconsidered on a yearly basis. Currently, GCSE students are studying: Macbeth, An Inspector Calls, A Christmas Carol, and an anthology of poetry.

Awarding Body

AQA GCSE English Language

AQA GCSE English Literature

Assessment

For English Language, there are two examinations you will take at the end of the two-year course.

Paper 1 is 1 hour 45 minutes long and consists of two parts. In Part A, you will be given an unseen literature text and asked four questions about it. Part B gives you the opportunity to showcase your creative writing skills in one extended written piece.

Paper 2 is also 1 hour 45 minutes long and has two parts. In Part A, you will be presented with two unseen extracts, one from the 19th century and one from the 21st or 20th century, and asked four different questions on these texts. Part B involves one writing task, where you will be asked to create a speech, article, diary entry, or report.

For English Literature, there are two examinations you will take at the end of the two-year course.

Paper 1 is 1 hour 45 minutes long and consists of two parts. In Part A, you will be given an extract from Shakespeare’s Macbeth and asked to annotate it in preparation for an essay based on both the extract and the text as a whole. Part B follows a similar structure. You will be presented with an extract from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and asked to annotate it before writing an essay on the extract and the text as a whole.

Paper 2 is 2 hours 15 minutes long and consists of three parts. In Part A, you will write an essay based on the play An Inspector Calls. In Part B, you will be asked to compare two poems from the Conflict and Power poetry anthology. In Part C, you will answer two questions on unseen poetry, which you will be required to annotate.

Topics covered

  • Macbeth – Shakespeare
  • Writing to present a viewpoint
  • A Christmas Carol – Dickens
  • Studying 19th Century non-fiction
  • Unseen poetry
  • An Inspector Calls – Priestley
  • Exploration in creative reading
  • Exploration in creative writing
  • Poetry anthology

Recommended revision guides / course resources

English Language

English Literature