What is this course about?

AQA English Literature a range of wider reading, thus extending students’ experience and appreciation of literature, offering clear progression from GCSE, allowing students to build on the skills and knowledge already gained and prepare for their next steps. The variety of assessment styles used, such as passage-based questions, unseen material, single text questions, multiple text questions, open- and closed-book approaches, allows students to develop a wide range of skills, such as the ability to read critically, analyse, evaluate and undertake independent research which are valuable for both further study and future employment.

What content is on the course?

The A Level English Literature (AQA B) content is in 3 topics:

• Elements of Social and Political Protest Writing:
  Students study three texts from the following list: one post-2000 prose text; one poetry text and one further text, one of which must be written pre-1900. Texts include: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hossieni.
• Aspects of Tragedy:
  Students study Othello and Richard III by William Shakespeare and The Great Gatsby by F.Scot Fitzgerald.
• Theory and Independence:
  Students will have the opportunity in this component, to write about two different literary texts. One of the texts must be a poetry text and the other must be prose.

There are also five units that students will cover throughout the course:

• Literary genres
• Texts and genres
• Theory and independence
• Aspects of tragedy
• Elements of political and social protest writing

Course Assessment

There are two written examinations, both worth 40% of the final grade. There is one NEA unit, which is worth 20% of the final grade.