English Literature
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The Shakespeare Play: Macbeth
Students explore the dark side of ambition and power. By studying Macbeth, you’ll analyse how Shakespeare uses language to track the psychological downfall of a king, while learning to understand the cultural atmosphere of Jacobean England.
The 19th-Century Novel: A Christmas Carol - Dickens’ classic tale provides a window into Victorian society. Beyond the ghosts, students examine themes of social responsibility, poverty, and redemption, learning how writers use fiction to challenge the injustices of their time.
The Modern Play: An Inspector Calls
Set in 1912 but written after WWII, Priestley’s thriller is a masterclass in tension and social critique. Students learn to evaluate how a writer uses characters as "symbols" to debate morality and how we treat one another in a modern community.
Poetry: Power and Conflict & Unseen Texts
The Anthology: Students study a curated collection of 15 poems, comparing how different poets across centuries have responded to war, nature, and the exercise of power.
Unseen Poetry:
This section builds the confidence to walk into a room, read a brand-new poem, and immediately unpick its meaning and emotional impact.
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english-8702/specification
Literature is the ultimate exercise in empathy and critical evaluation. It teaches students to look at the world from multiple perspectives, to construct sophisticated arguments, and to understand the "why" behind human behaviour - skills that are highly prized in law, management, and any leadership role.
AQA
Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th-Century Novel
1 hour 45 minutes | 40% of GCSE
Students are given an extract from the book or play to use as a starting point, but they must also demonstrate a knowledge of the story as a whole.
Section A (Shakespeare): Answering one question on Macbeth.
Section B (The 19th-Century Novel): Answering one question on A Christmas Carol.
Paper 2: Modern Texts and Poetry
2 hours 15 minutes | 60% of GCSE
As the longer and more heavily weighted paper, this requires the ability to compare texts and writers' choices.
Section A (Modern Prose/Drama): Answering one essay question on An Inspector Calls.
Section B (Poetry Anthology): Students compare one "named" poem from the Power and Conflict cluster to another poem of their choice from the same collection.
Section C (Unseen Poetry): Students are tested on their ability to analyze a poem they have never seen before, followed by a short comparison with a second unseen poem.
Lift Rawlett,
Comberford Road,
Tamworth, Staffordshire
B79 9AA
For any issues regarding student attendance please contact the attendance office by phoning 01827 54085, or 57178, and select option 1.
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