| Exam Board | Specification | Title | Head of Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edexcel | 1ET0 | GCSE English Literature | Mrs M Whibley |
Introduction
The purposes of this qualification is to provide evidence of students’ achievements against demanding and fulfilling content, giving students the confidence that the literacy skills, knowledge and understanding that they will have acquired during the course of their study are comparable to those of the highest performing jurisdictions in the world, enriching their cultural awareness through the study of literary heritage texts.
Aims of the Course
The aims and objectives of the Pearson Edexcel in English Literature are to enable students to:
- read a wide range of classic literature fluently and with good understanding, and make connections across their reading
- read in depth, critically and evaluatively, so that they are able to discuss and explain their understanding and ideas
- develop the habit of reading widely and often
- appreciate the depth and power of the English literary heritage
- write accurately, effectively, and analytically about their reading, using Standard English
- acquire and use a wide vocabulary, including grammatical terminology, and other literary and linguistic terms they need to criticise and analyse what they read.
Assessment
Component 1: Shakespeare and Post-1914 Literature
Section A:
- Macbeth’ Shakespeare: a two-part question, with the first task focused on an extract of approximately 30 lines. The second task is focused on how a theme reflected in the extract is explored elsewhere in the play.
Section B:
- ‘Animal Farm’ Post-1914 British play or novel: ONE essay question.
Assessed
- The total number of marks available is 80.
- Assessment duration: 1 hour and 45 minutes.
- Closed book (texts are not allowed in the examination).
Component 2: 19th-century Novel and Poetry since 1789
Section A:
- 19th-century novel: a two-part question, with the first part focussed on an extract of approximately 400 words. The second part is an essay question exploring the whole text.
Section B:
- ONE question comparing a named poem from the Pearson Poetry Anthology collection to another poem from that collection. The named poem will be shown in the question paper.
- ONE question comparing two unseen contemporary poems.
Assessed
- The total number of marks available is 80.
- Assessment duration: 2 hours and 15 minutes.
- Closed book (texts are not allowed in the examination).
Next Steps
The chance to read a wider variety of texts for meaning; explore the world from past to present and to use language to express one’s own opinion and ideas is invaluable to all the A-Levels we offer in English at The Canterbury Academy:
- A-Level Language
- A-Level Literature
- A-Level Language and Literature