GCSE English Language & GCSE English Literature

Key facts All pupils take GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature Exam-only assessment at the end of Year 11 Grading 1-9

GCSE grading New gradeCurrent 8,9A* 7A 6B 5C – top 33% of current Very, very secure grade C 4C – bottom 66% of current 3D 2E 1F

GCSE English Language Component 1 – 1 hour 45 minutes (40%) Component 2 – 2 hours (60%)

GCSE English Language Component 1 exam Section A (20%) – Reading Understanding of one prose extract (about lines) of literature from the 20th century assessed through a range of structured questions Section B (20%) – Prose Writing One creative writing task selected from a choice of four titles

GCSE English Language Component 2 exam Section A (30%) – Reading Understanding of two extracts (about words in total) of high-quality non-fiction writing, one from the 19th century, the other from the 21st century, assessed through a range of structured questions Section B (30%) – Writing Two compulsory transactional/persuasive writing tasks

GCSE English Literature Component 1 – 2 hours (40%) Component 2 – 2 hours 30 min. (60%)

GCSE English Literature Component 1 Section A (20%) - Shakespeare One extract question and one essay question based on the reading of a Shakespeare text from the above prescribed list. Section B (20%) - Poetry from 1789 to the present day Two questions based on poems from the WJEC Eduqas Poetry Anthology, one of which involves comparison. 40% (2 hours)

GCSE English Literature Component 2 Section A (20%) Post-1914 Prose/Drama One source-based question on a post 1914 prose/drama text (An Inspector Calls) Section B (20%) 19th Century Prose One source-based question on a 19th century prose text (The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde) Section C (20%) Unseen Poetry from the 20th/21st Century Two questions on unseen poems, one of which involves comparison. 60% (2 hours 30)

Assessment Assessment lessons Every fortnight. Alternating between Maths and English. Exam-style assessment. End-of-unit assessment Pre-released tasks. Pupils prepared by teachers. Written under supervision in exam-like conditions. Some redrafting and resubmission permitted. CRU current: grade 1-9, derived from both. CRU forecast: grade 1-9, based on professional judgement

What you can do Encourage them to read a wide range of texts regularly Support and encourage them with the basics when you look at their work (up to 5 errors!) Get them as familiar as possible with the set texts: An Inspector Calls; The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde; Macbeth/Romeo and Juliet.

Further information