English Language

Level 3 Pathway - In order to enrol onto our Level 3 courses, students must have achieved a minimum of 5 grade 4s at GCSE Level across 4 different subject areas; this should ideally include a Grade 4 for English Language and Mathematics.

It is important that students also pay attention to any individual subject entry requirements.

It may be that a small number of students are recommended to sit AS qualifications at the end of Year 12 in order to inform decisions about progression into Year 13, however these AS examinations are standalone and do not contribute to the overall A Level qualification.

This course is for students who enjoy reading non-fiction and who are interested in how we use language in the real world. The course also includes a creative writing component which can be fiction or non-fiction. The course will allow students to hone their analytical and creative skills.

Component 1: Language Variation (35% of A Level). Assessment is through a 2 hour and 15 minute written examination. Students learn about how language varies depending on modes of communication, audiences and functions, and how language can be used to create personal identity. Students will explore issues such as accents, stereotyping and how gender influences language. A range of written and spoken data will be analysed. Students will also study the history of the English language. Section one of the exam requires students to use linguistic knowledge to compare two unseen 21st century texts. The second section requires a comparison of two thematically linked texts from different time periods.

Component 2: Child Language (20% of A Level). This unit is assessed through a 1 hour examination. Students will study how children learn to speak, including how they acquire vocabulary and grammar. They will also study how children learn to write. The exam requires students to write an extended response to unseen data.

Component 3: Investigating Language (25% of A Level). Assessment is through a 1 hour and 45 minute written examination. Students investigate an area of language from a set list, for example 'Language and Power' or 'Language and Gender'. The first section of the exam requires a response to unseen data and the second requires students to connect data to their in-depth investigation. This component gives students the opportunity to develop independent research and investigation skills.

Coursework: Crafting Language (20% of A Level). Assessment is through two written assignments. Students will explore a range of genres, studying exemplar texts. They will then select a genre and will produce two pieces of original writing in this genre, demonstrating their ability adapt the way that they write for different audiences. Students also produce a commentary exploring the choices they have made and the reasons for these choices.

Extended learning

Tasks will include collecting and analysing language data, annotating texts, exam practice essays and coursework.

Ideally Grades 5 / 6 GCSE English Language/English Literature