1. How can you help support your son/daughter in GCSE English?
English Faculty
How can you help support your son/daughter in GCSE English?

2. At key stage 4 English
Students will be studying for 2 qualifications, Edexcel English Language and Edexcel English Literature
Grades have been replaced by Levels 1-9 ( 9 is the top level). We will be aiming for at least a grade 5, which equates to the old grade C
When assessed in English, students will be given marks out of:
15 for Reading
40 – 24 for craft and 16 for SPAG
40 for Literature
The courses build on and extend the skills you have been developing at KS3: speaking, listening, reading and writing
Students will have 4 lessons per week, organised into 1 double and 2 singles
Students will have a homework task once a week
We also run revision and catch up classes to support students

3. English Language Paper 1: Fiction and Imaginative Writing
I hour 45 minute exam
Read a 19th Century fiction extract and answer questions
Write a narrative or a description
Paper 2: Non-fiction and Transactional Writing
2 hour exam
Read 2 thematically linked non-fiction extracts and answer questions
Write from a viewpoint, based on the theme from the reading extracts

4. Edexcel English Literature
Paper 1: Shakespeare and post 1914 British play 1 hour 45 minutes exam ‘Macbeth’ ‘An Inspector Calls’ Paper 2: 19th Century Novel and Poetry 2 hours 15 minutes ‘The Strange case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde’ Anthology poems based on theme of conflict 2 unseen poems

5. Essential equipment Your own reading book
An A4 lever arch ring binder folder
Coloured folder dividers
A4 lined paper with a margin
Blue or black writing pens, pencils, highlighters
A copy of ‘An Inspector Calls’ by J.B. Priestley
Blank white postcard/index cards
Green pen for self and peer marking

6. Organising your folder:
Paper 1, section A – Unseen 19th Century reading
Paper 1 section B – Imaginative Writing,
Paper 2, section A – Reading Non-fiction extracts
Paper 2, section B – Transactional Writing
English Literature Paper 1, section A – Shakespeare (Romeo & Juliet), Section B: Post 1914 Drama – An Inspector Calls
English Literature Paper 2, section A – 19th Century fiction (Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson). Section B - Poetry

7. Useful Websites & other assistance:
BBC GCSE Bitesize
Edexcel GCSE English/Literature gcses/english-language-2015.html
, Andrew Moore's teaching resource site
Intervention /‘Help’ on Wednesdays after school
KS4 Curriculum Plans can be found on the school website
CGP revision guides
REVISE Edexcel GCSE English Language Revision Workbook: For The 9-1 Exams GCSE

8. Place of work:
Quiet
Without distractions – take away phones, computers and Ipads etc. unless supervised. Return these as a reward when their study/revision time is complete.