A Level English Literature

If you enjoy reading, analysing, comparing literary texts and evaluating your ideas then this is the course for you. By studying English Literature, you will learn the vital skills of close textual analysis and literary criticism as you compare and contrast a range of exciting, challenging, and stimulating works from 1600-2021.

You will consider the historical and cultural contexts of a range of texts and unpick the ways writers create meaning using literary techniques and explore how human behaviour and social context adds dimension to literary criticism.

This course will allow you to gain critical appreciation of literary texts through methods of analysis and detailed and critical essays as you read various literary texts from Renaissance plays to twentieth century poetry, evaluating interpretations from a range of texts from Shakespeare to Sylvia Plath.

We aim to provide a stimulating, personally enriching experience of literature and encourage extensive wider reading on your own part to enable you to make the most of your abilities and derive the best from the course.

During the course, we will cover work of Drama Pre 1900 including Hamlet and A Doll’s House. We will delve into Gothic literature as we read The Bloody Chamber and The Picture of Dorian Gray and in component 3, you will study the work of Sylvia Plath and many others.

You will need a minimum of five GCSEs at grade 5 or above including maths and English Language, in subjects relevant to your A Level or A+ Programme subject choices.

Assessment is comprised of two examinations and one piece of coursework at the end of two years of study.

Progression to Year 2 will be dependent on successful completion of the first year taking into account Internal Progression Examination results and the Key Assessment Profile throughout the first year.

If you wish to find out more you can contact Stuart Last, Head of A Level English, by e-mailing: stuart.last@nscg.ac.uk

On successful completion of your A Level programme, you can progress to university or employment. Careers such as publishing, marketing, editing, teaching and journalism, amongst others, appeal to students with A Level English Literature.

This course is free for anyone aged 16 – 18. 

College Maintenance Allowance (CMA): Anyone with a household income under £26,000 can receive up to £20 per week financial support to help pay for travel and meals and meet the costs of essential trips, books, stationery and equipment. The payments will be subject to full attendance on your course. A range of other financial support is available, depending on your personal circumstances. For more details visit nscg.ac.uk/finance