English Literature

Course summary

Students who make excellent progress in English Literature at A-Level have a genuine interest in reading, the arts and culture. You will need to be able to think independently and creatively, as well as having a methodical approach to your studies. Debate and discussion play an important role in the course and we expect you to share and discuss your ideas freely and openly. COURSE OUTLINE Students studying A-Level English will complete one coursework essay worth 20%, with terminal examinations at the end of Year 13 counting for 80% of the final mark. Students will study prose, poetry and drama from a range of periods and countries. There will also be opportunities to attend theatre visits (the school has a Royal Shakespeare Company membership) and lecture days. In addition, there are many extra-curricular opportunities within the department, such as the literary society; the film society; the performing arts society and an opportunity to compete in a public speaking competition. The course comprises 80% examination and 20% coursework. A wide range of challenging modern and canonical texts are studied, including the following: Shakespeare (Currently ‘Othello’) Pre-1900 prose (Currently ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ and ‘Dracula’) Post-1900 drama and poetry (Currently ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’; poetry of Philip Larkin; Poems of the Decade: An Anthology of the Forward Books of Poetry) A comparative literary study [A-Level NEA component] (the current focus is on 20th Century America) OPPORTUNITIES AFTER THE COURSE At A-Level, English Literature traditionally compliments subject choices in the arts, humanities, languages and the social sciences. However, many students also take English Literature alongside STEM subjects, as it is an opportunity to develop communication skills and show a breadth of knowledge. Admission tutors for English Literature and related courses at university level look for high grades from applicants, as it is a popular course. Such courses are stepping stones to careers in areas such as business, law, publishing, PR, the arts, the public sector and education. A-Level English Literature is an academic subject that is held in high regard by the most prestigious universities in the UK – it is one of the Russell Group’s facilitating subjects and students usually go on to study at oversubscribed universities including Oxbridge. In terms of degree choices, students mainly go on to study within subject areas such as History, Languages, Law, Politics, Education and English. In addition, former students have also gone on to study degrees in more practical subjects such as Fashion Management, Nursing, Paramedic Science and Architecture.