English Language & Literature A Level

A minimum of 4 subjects at grade 5 or above at GCSE plus English Language at grade 5 or above and Maths at grade 4 or above.

Year One
Our main texts studied in the first year are The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter and Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. We also study from Voices in Speech and Writing: An Anthology, this text is supplied by York College and contains a variety of works that we engage with throughout both Year One and Two of the course.

Paper One: Voices in Speech and Writing
Section A - Creation of Voice: A response to a question from Voices in Speech and Writing: An Anthology.

Section B - Comparing Voices: One comparative piece of writing comparing one text from the anthology and one unseen text.

Paper Two: Varieties in Language and Literature
Two question-based essays engaging with the set texts exploring the theme of Encounters. One extract based and the other relating to the text as a whole. 


Year Two
Continuing with our themes of Encounters in literature, we move on to introduce the drama element of the course as well as a focus on creative writing. We study Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire along with the first-year prescribed texts. Students will also choose two of their own texts to form the backbone of their non-exam assessment.

Paper One: Voices in Speech and Writing
Section A - Voices in 20th- and 21st-century Texts: one comparative essay question on one unseen extract selected from 20th- or 21st-century sources and one text from the anthology.

Section B - Drama Texts: One extract-based essay question on the chosen drama text (A Streetcar Named Desire).

Paper Two: Varieties in Language and Literature
Section A - Unseen Prose Non-fiction Texts: one essay question on an unseen prose non-fiction extract. The unseen extract is linked to the studied theme.

Section B - Prose Fiction and Other Genres: one comparative essay question on one prose fiction anchor text and one other text from a theme.

Non-Exam Assessment (NEA)
This is a coursework-based assessment that enables students to be analytical, creative, and original. There are two elements to the NEA (20% of the qualification).

Assignment 1 - two pieces of original writing: one piece of fiction writing and one piece of creative non-fiction writing.

Assignment 2 - one analytical commentary reflecting on your studied texts and the pieces of writing you have produced.

Additional costs
Set texts:
The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter ISBN 978-0-099-58811-5
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë ISBN 978-0-141-43955-6
A Streetcar Named Desire ISBN 978-1-4081-0604-4
 

Lessons will include activities such as class and group discussion, reading and research, seminars, creative writing, essay practice and a chance to improve your own personal writing style.

In Year Two there are two terminal exams worth 40% of the final mark each; the non-examined assessment is worth 20% of the final mark.

This course combines well with most A Levels, particularly Modern Languages, Film Studies, Media Studies, History, Politics, Sociology, Music and Art.

Degree level study in areas such as English, journalism, creative and media industries, public relations, museum work, civil service, law etc. The course leads into literature and linguistics degrees and is popular among students who are planning to take their creative writing further. Past students have gone on to study at Cambridge, London, UEA, Huddersfield and other universities offering creative writing.