PLUME COLLEGE
YEAR 11 INTO YEAR 12 SUMMER TRANSITION CHALLENGE 2015
Subject:
English Literature
Is this a Linear or Modular A level?
Qualification/Level:
A-Level

Examination Board
Edexcel
Linear (New from 2015)
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In a modular A level, AS examinations at the end of Year 12 are worth 50% of the A level.
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In a linear A level, any AS examination at the end of Year 12 will not count towards the A level.
We expect students joining the Plume College to complete a transition piece of work for each subject between
the end of Key Stage 4 and the start of Key Stage 5. This is assessed and feedback given to students when they
start the courses in September. The following challenge(s) are to be completed over the summer break and
brought to your first lesson.
The Summer Transition ‘CHALLENGE’
1. Read set texts: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.
2. Choose an aspect of one or both of the above texts and prepare a peer presentation on this. It may be a key
character/theme/idea/message in the novel(s), or simply something that struck you and captured your
imagination.
3. Write an extended essay answer to the unseen poem given to you by the English Faculty (taken from the post2000 anthology), answering the given question.
4. Research the literary genres of Gothic and Dystopian literature. Prepare a poster/moodboard/PPT presentation
or other visual resource including similarities and differences between these genres, and any texts of which you
are aware that fit into these genres.
How the work produced will fit into subsequent work and the specification as a whole.
During your course you are graded on 5 assessment objectives to pass you need to show ability to meet all of these.
AO1: Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology,
and coherent, accurate written expression
AO2: Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts
AO3: Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and
received
AO4: Explore connections across literary texts
AO5: Explore literary texts informed by different interpretations
1. & 2. Necessary knowledge of prose texts for study in Autumn 1 and 2 in preparation for prose exam sat in
June 2016 – 40% of AS qualification; 20% of overall A2 qualification.
2. As above
3. Poetry component of AS: post-2000 poetry anthology taught Autumn 1 and assessed June 2016 – 30% of AS
qualification and 15% of A2 qualification.
4. Prose texts as specified above fit into these genres; AO3 context assessment objective; AO4 connections across
literary texts
5. Key aspect of English Literature A2 study is a passion and love of reading, and making connections between texts
across all genres and eras of literature.
How the work should be presented.
1. n/a
2. Verbal presentation – notes on cue cards/presentation slides to accompany
3. Essay response on lined paper
4. Mood board/mindmap/poster or other visual representation of your findings which can assist a verbal
discussion task on return to college
Length of time expected to complete the challenge:4-5 hours in addition to reading
How the work will be assessed and marked:1. In written and verbal work started as soon as college begins
2. Verbal presentation to class in first lessons back in college
3. Peer and teacher-marked using AOs relevant to this exam section:
AO1 – Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and
terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression
AO2 – Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts
4. Verbal discussion and peer presentation task
Expectations: A-Grade:
Students will have a consistently effective argument and point of view in their presentation, supported by a confident
use of literary terminology. The presentation will be structured clearly to guide the listener through the presentation
and emphasise key or complex ideas. Students will also display evaluative skills when considering the genres of
dystopian and gothic literature, confidently evaluating similarities and differences between these genres and evaluating
the significance of this contextual knowledge of our set texts, using discriminating examples to support.
C-Grade:
Students will have a clear argument in their presentation, supported by some accurate use of literary terminology. The
presentation will generally be structured in a way that allows the listener to follow information, covering the key ideas
behind dystopian and gothic genres. Students will also have a clear understanding of the given genres, making links
between the key similarities and differences, with some consideration of the significance of context regarding our set
texts, using clear examples to support.
E-Grade:
Students will have an unstructured presentation with no clear argument to guide the reader. Literary terminology may
be used on occasion but not consistently accurately. Ideas may be recalled accurately but there is limited understanding
and independent thought. The presentation will be narrative rather than explanative, will deal with topics separately
and there will be limited reference to our set texts, providing limited examples to support.
Success criteria for this challenge:Students should return to college with a sound knowledge of the plot, characters and key themes/ideas of the two prose
texts specified in order to start analytical study from the very beginning of term. The poetry task is clearly aiming to
gauge your confidence in approaching unseen poetry, and your coherence of expression and structuring an argument in
extended written responses. Task 2 is designed to gauge your interest in reading widely and to get you thinking about
your area of interest within literature in preparation for the independent coursework unit at A2. Finally, Task 4
introduces you to the concept of literary genres, and gets you to make links between these and literary texts in order to
prepare you for all areas of study at AS and A2 level.
Resources to be used for this work.
2 x prose texts: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.
Post-2000 poem, as provided by English Faculty
Who to contact if you should require further assistance with the work before the end of term?
Mrs Wills: g.claisse@plume.essex.sch.uk
Mrs Trueman: a.trueman@plume.essex.sch.uk
Miss Brown: s.brown2@plume.essex.sch.uk
What equipment will be needed for the subject?
Own copies of all set texts (listed below); a lever arch file and dividers for organisation of work; highlighters and
coloured pens for annotations; lined paper.
The Handmaid’s Tale, Frankenstein, A Streetcar Named Desire, Poems of the Decade
Extension
Read the provided article from The English Review. Identify the key arguments presented in the article and apply them
to your prose text. Reading critical material allows you to consider alternative viewpoints of a text, and to open up
questions and ideas you may not have considered before. Ask yourself: how does this change my thinking about
Frankenstein? You could present your notes as a mindmap, table or continuous prose. Write an evaluative paragraph of
arguments.
To understand more about this subject at a high level:If you fancy buying a book you should read –
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Visits/ Galleries/ Museums/ places to see relevant to the course
The Globe Theatre, Southbank London
The Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
The British Library, London
The Victoria and Albert Museum, London (See if you can visit the library upstairs!)
Theatre Productions with links to A-Level Course:
1984 – The Playhouse Theatre, London (12th June-5th Sept)
Set Texts for AS Course - You will need to buy:
The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Handmaids-Tale-ContemporaryClassics/dp/0099740915/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434007766&sr=8-1&keywords=handmaid%27s+tale
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Frankenstein-Modern-Prometheus-WordsworthClassics/dp/1853260231/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1434007739&sr=8-2&keywords=frankenstein
Poems of the Decade: An Anthology of the Forward Books of Poetry (preferably 2015 version).
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Poems-Decade-Anthology-ForwardPoetry/dp/0571325408/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434007664&sr=8-1&keywords=poetry+of+the+decade
A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Streetcar-Desire-Modern-ClassicsPenguin/dp/0141190272/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1434007848&sr=11&keywords=streetcar+named+desire