English KS4 Page
WHAT WILL MY SON/DAUGHTER BE STUDYING?
GCSE English
All students will need to complete four pieces of written coursework worth a total of 20% of their overall grade; and 3 speaking and listening tasks that contribute towards a further 20% of their overall grade. The further 60% is two exams assessing both reading and writing skills.
The four written coursework pieces comprise of:
1.) Original Writing (assessed for writing)
2.) Media (assessed for writing)
3.) Shakespeare (assessed for Reading)
4.) Prose Study (assessed for Reading)
The three speaking and listening assessments comprise of
1.) Individual contributions
2.) Group/pair activities
3.) Drama focused activity
These different speaking and listening tasks are then assessed against different triplets:
1.) Argue, persuade and advise
2.) Explain, narrate and comment
3.) Explore, imagine and entertain
The English Department runs a coursework clinic every Tuesday night from 3.15-4.15 as an opportunity for students to complete coursework and receive any extra help needed.
KS4 KEY DATES
YEAR 10
Monday 7th December - Original Writing controlled test
Thursday 4th February – Media controlled test
Thursday 1st April – Final deadline for written coursework
–Final deadline for speaking & listening coursework
YEAR 11
GCSE English Exam dates
Monday 9th November – AM – Paper 1
Thursday 12th November – AM – Paper 2
&2 on Friday 6th November and lessons 1 & 2 on Wednesday 11th November.
Publication of GCSE results End of Jan 2010 (exact date to follow)
Student Voice weeks – These are weeks in the year where students have a chance to give their views and opinions on the work they have been undertaking
Week 1 – Mon 7th -11th December
Week 2 – Mon 10th – 14th May
HOMEWORK
In year 10 students will be set coursework as homework and will be expected to complete redrafts at home.
In year 11 students should be completing past exam papers – they can find them at www.aqa.org.uk. They can then click on GCSE, then ENGLISH A. Teachers will be happy to mark any exam responses.
Resources
REVISION TIPS
PAPER 1 Section A – This is a response to Media and non-fiction texts. Students should constantly be annotating the above types of writing looking at language, layout, content, facts and opinions and author’s viewpoint. They should then go onto explain what effect these have on the reader.
Paper 1 Section B – This is a writing assessment, students should concentrate on writing to persuade. Students should practice writing a variety of persuasive texts – speeches, letters, leaflets etc using persuasive devices e.g. rhetorical questions, groups of three, emotive language.
Paper 2 Section A – Poetry from Other Cultures – as a means of revision students should be reading over the poems and making connections between them. They should focus on language, imagery, culture, traditions, relationships, structure and meanings within and between the poems.
Paper 2 Section B – This is the second writing assessment. Students have to write to describe.
In order to improve their written work they should include:
A variety of sentence lengths for impact
At least two other forms of punctuation other than a comma or a full stop
Use a thesaurus in order to expand their vocabulary choices.
Create a bank of sentences that describe the weather using devices such as alliteration, metaphors and rhetorical questions.
COURSEWORK CATCH-UP
Coursework catch-up is held every Tuesday night 3:30 – 4:30pm. This is an opportunity for students to work in the English department to improve coursework. For some students who have not completed the work set, it will be compulsory requirement for them to stay. Parents will be informed by telephone if this is the case.