A Level English Language & Literature

Course overview

The English Language and Literature specification offers students the chance to perform textual analysis in relation to both literary and non-literary texts as well as develop their own creative writing skills. The course includes a focus on poetry and drama, through Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience and Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire. It also offers a chance to develop more contextually focused responses and creative readings using Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby as a central text.

Alongside the more literary elements students will also study a range of spoken and non-fiction texts, through the set anthology which aims to take in changing stylistic features over time.

The coursework element allows students to explore an aspect of narrative through a comparative analysis of George Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London and a post-2000 text of their own choice. It also allows them a chance to develop their own creative writing through writing on a topic of their choice in a non-fictional format.

What else do I need to know?

There are regular trips and visiting speakers. We are developing strong links with Keele University, and have organised theatre trips and visits alongside wider cultural visits. There is also the opportunity to join in enrichment offers such as the book club and film clubs with showings of the relevant films held.

This course combines well with other humanities based subjects, such as history, sociology, law, media, film studies and psychology.

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