{"id":3235,"date":"2025-08-28T12:45:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T12:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canterbury.kent.sch.uk\/the-canterbury-academy\/?page_id=3235"},"modified":"2025-10-17T15:32:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T15:32:47","slug":"gcse-english-language","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/canterbury.kent.sch.uk\/the-canterbury-academy\/our-learning\/english\/gcse-english-language\/","title":{"rendered":"GCSE English Language"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Exam Board<\/th>Specification <\/th>Title<\/th>Head of Department<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
AQA<\/td>8700<\/td>GCSE English Language<\/td>Mrs M Whibley<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The assessments have been designed to inspire and motivate students, providing appropriate stretch and challenge whilst ensuring, as far as possible, that the assessment and texts are accessible to the full range of students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The specification will enable students of all abilities to develop the skills they need to read, understand, and analyse a wide range of different texts covering the 19th, 20th and 21st century time periods as well as to write clearly, coherently, and accurately using a range of vocabulary and sentence structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The specification offers the attraction of two equally balanced papers, relating reading sources to the topic and theme of writing tasks. The reading sources act as stimulus for writing tasks, providing students with a clear route through each paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each paper has a distinct identity to better support high quality provision and engaging teaching and learning. Paper 1, Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing, looks at how writers use narrative and descriptive techniques to engage the interest of readers. Paper 2, Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives, looks at how different writers present a similar topic over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our approach to spoken language (previously speaking and listening) will emphasise the importance of the wider benefits that speaking and listening skills have for students. The endorsed unit will draw on good practice to suggest how engaging formative tasks can lead to a single summative assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aims of the Course <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Courses based on this specification should encourage students to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

read fluently and write effectively. They should be able to demonstrate a confident control of Standard English, and they should be able to write grammatically correct sentences, deploy figurative language, and analyse texts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Courses based on this specification should enable students to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Read a wide range of texts, fluently and with good understanding.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Read critically and use knowledge gained from wide reading to inform and improve their own writing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Write effectively and coherently using Standard English appropriately.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Use grammar correctly, punctuate and spell accurately.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Acquire and apply a wide vocabulary, alongside a knowledge and understanding of grammatical terminology, and linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    In addition, they must enable students to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Listen to and understand spoken language, and use spoken Standard English effectively. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      The Spoken Language endorsement will be reported on as part of the qualification, but it will not form part of the final mark and grade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Assessment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
      Section A: Reading<\/h5><\/div>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      • One literature fiction text<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
        Section B: Writing<\/h5><\/div>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • Descriptive or narrative writing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
          Assessed<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • 80 marks<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • 50% of GCSE<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            Paper 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

            Section A: Reading<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
              \n
            • One non-fiction text and one literary non-fiction text<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
              Section B: Writing<\/h5><\/div>\n\n\n\n
                \n
              • Writing to present a viewpoint<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                Assessed<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
                  \n
                • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • 80 marks<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • 50% of GCSE<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                  Non-examination Assessment: Spoken Language<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                  What is assessed (AO7\u2013AO9)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \n
                  • Presenting<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • Responding to questions and feedback<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • Use of Standard English<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                    Next Steps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                    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\u2019s own opinion and ideas is invaluable to all the A Levels we offer in English at The Canterbury Academy: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \n
                    • A Level Language <\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • A Level Literature <\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • A Level Language and Literature <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                      <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                      Exam Board Specification Title Head of Department AQA 8700 GCSE English Language Mrs M Whibley Introduction The assessments have been designed to inspire and motivate students, providing appropriate stretch and challenge whilst ensuring, as far as possible, that the assessment and texts are accessible to the full range of students. The specification will enable students […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":3210,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3235","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nGCSE English Language - 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