English Language
Course Title: English Language (8700)
Exam Board: AQA
Qualification: GCSE
About the course
Drawing upon the research around the efficacy of interleaving, we have designed the KS4 curriculum so that students are taught elements of the Language and Literature specifications simultaneously: this allows us to constantly revisit knowledge and skills where appropriate and also enables students to recognise the transferability of skills across the curriculum, in particular the ability to analyse writers’ deliberately chosen methods. The Spoken Language Endorsement has been embedded with pupils’ learning of English Language Paper 2 where pupils are able to respond to topical issues. Language and Literature are taught parallel to each other to continue to build upon students’ language skills, complementing the study of their literature texts and our belief that the skills are interlinked.
How it is assessed
There are two examinations, each containing two sections:
Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing
Reading (25%) Writing (25%)
Paper 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives
Reading (25%) Writing (25%)
There is also a Spoken Language Endorsement where students speak on a topic of their choice and give a grade that reflects the student’s ability to speak, listen, ask and respond to questions.