Studying English Literature A Level at Esher Sixth Form College

Teacher standing at the front of a class engaged in a discussion with students sat at their desk

Two male students writing at a desk in a classroom

English Summer Writing Prize Giving At Dennys Book Shop

The study of English Literature is varied and always exciting. You will analyse eight works covering the period from 1300 to the present day. These include an anthology of modern poetry; Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night; Shelley’s Frankenstein alongside Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale; Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire; and Geoffrey Chaucer’s bawdy and brilliant The Wife of Bath.

You will also learn how to respond to unseen poetry and to compare it to poetry you have studies, developing your analytical skills. These excitingly varies works relate to each other, often in unexpected ways, enabling you to make interesting links and contrasts.

Importantly English Literature students are expected to read a great deal. Much of this will be carried out independently, and students should feel comfortable seeking out new texts for their own enjoyment, to enrich classwork and to practise using a range of strategies for reading.

The study of English Literature is varied and always exciting. You will analyse eight works covering the period from 1300 to the present day. These include an anthology of modern poetry, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, prose texts like Shelley’s Frankenstein, Stoker’s Dracula, Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Morrison’s Beloved, Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire and the poetry of the Romantics.

You will also learn how to respond to unseen poetry and to compare it to poetry you have studied, developing your analytical skills. These excitingly varied works will relate to each other, often in unexpected ways, enabling you to make interesting links and contrasts.

Importantly English Literature students are expected to read a great deal. Much of this will be carried out independently, and students should feel comfortable seeking out new texts for their own enjoyment, to enrich classwork and to practise using a range of strategies for reading.

In addition to the College Entry Requirements, to qualify for this course you will also need to achieve a minimum of:

Grade 4 in GCSE English Language and English Literature.

Over the course of two years, you will study: modern poetry as well as older poetry such as Chaucer’s The Wife of Bath; you will learn to compare the writing styles and themes of two novels, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood; you will study drama: Twelfth Night by Shakespeare and A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams; finally you will study a specialist subject for the coursework in which you will compare two texts, which may be from any genre.

Over the course of two years, you will study imaginative modern poetry and the radical poetry of the Romantics; you will learn to compare the writing styles and themes of two prose texts (such as Stoker’s Dracula and Morrison’s Beloved); you will study drama including Twelfth Night by Shakespeare and A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. Finally, you will study a chosen specialist subject for your coursework component – you will compare two texts which may be from any genre. Your teacher will guide your choice.

Assessment is by three written exam papers (worth 80% of the final mark) and coursework (worth 20% of the final mark). The coursework is written in the second year.

Exam board is Pearson (Edexcel).

English Literature is a highly valued subject and combines well with a wide range of other subjects.

What is the difference between English Literature A Level courses and the combined Language and Literature course?

English Literature – This is your traditional English A Level. You study plays, poetry, drama and then you discuss the issues within those texts in class and write essays about them. The range of text goes from the Romantics, Shakespeare, and then modern poetry and modern plays. There is a lot of reading on this course, and you will need to enjoy reading to do this course.
English Language and Literature – If you loved English Language GCSE, then this is the most natural course to progress onto at A Level. 70% of the course is English Literature where you will study poetry, a play, and novels. In addition, there is a creative writing focus as well as some literary non-fiction books on this course.

What extra support/enrichment activities are on offer?
There are subject tutorials available with our teachers and the department runs a weekly clinic to support students with a range of syllabus topics. We also have strong links with the Additional Learning Needs department, which offers specific help when needed on everything from technical skills, and planning essays to improving your reading skills.

We run courses in creative writing as an extension study option in your first year, and at the end of the year during Wider Skills Activities. We have frequent visits to the theatre.

Our Learning Resource Centres offer extensive online resources that you can use in college or at home. To find out more visit Online Subscription Resources for English

How big are the class sizes?
The maximum size of classes is 20, but the majority of our classes are smaller than this.

What is the expectation of reading on each course?
As you would expect with an English A Level you will be doing a lot of reading.

With English Literature, you need to read two novels in the second term, a play, and a collection of poetry. The most successful students are the ones who will be reading beyond the syllabus.

With English Language and Literature, you only read one novel instead of two, which is Jayne Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte.

English Literature A Level is a highly respected qualification, with 90% of our students progressing onto university.

Here are some typical University Destinations that our English Literature A Level students go on to.

Click on a destination to see some examples of courses they have taken.