“I have come that you might have life & have it to the full”
John 10 v10
Twyford Church of England High School
Course Guide
English
AS LEVEL
Academic year commencing September 2014
Contents
1.
COURSE OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................... 3
2.
ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE ............................................................................................................ 7
3.
GENERAL EXPECTATIONS ........................................................................................................... 9
4.
PREPARING FOR LESSONS AND HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS ................................................. 12
5.
RESOURCES .............................................................................................................................. 13
6.
THE LEVEL 4 PROGRAMME YEAR 12 ........................................................................................ 21
7.
STRETCHING THE MOST ABLE AND DIFFERENTIATION ............................................................ 25
8.
COMMUNITY SERVICE .............................................................................................................. 26
9.
ADDITIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND WORK EXPERIENCE ........................................ 27
10.
COMPLETING AN EXTENDED PROJECT ..................................................................................... 28
11.
CELEBRATING SUCCESS AND STUDENT VOICE ......................................................................... 30
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 2 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
1.
COURSE OVERVIEW
In English you will follow the Edexcel GCE English Literature syllabus (www.edexcel.com). The
specification and some sample questions and answers can be found at
http://www.edexcel.com/quals/gce/gce08/english/lit
You will be taught in mixed-ability groupings by a pair of English teachers, each of whom will focus
on one unit of the course. You will have 10 lessons per fortnight shared between these teachers.
You will study for two units at AS and two at A level:
AS (8ET01)
o Unit 1 (6ET01) - Explorations in Prose and poetry (100 marks)
3 questions in summer exam (2 hours 15): an essay on set poetry; shorter answers on
unseen poetry; an essay on 2 set prose texts. Clean texts may be used in exam
o Unit 2 (6ET02) - Explorations in Drama (80 marks)
2 written pieces submitted to and marked by teachers, usually in the Spring term: 20002500 words max. Explorative essay (2000 words) and creative critical response (500 words)
on two taught plays, one of which must be by Shakespeare
A level (9ET01)
o Unit 3 (6ET03) – Interpretations of Prose and Poetry (100 marks)
2 questions in summer exam (2 hours 45 minutes): an essay on set works with a thematic or
other connection (one novel, one poet and a third text are studied); an essay on unseen
prose or poetry
o Unit 4 (6ET04) – Reflections in Literary Studies (80 marks)
1 or 2 written pieces submitted to and marked by teachers by the end of the Spring term:
2500-3000 words max. A variety of texts are studied for this unit depending on your
teaching group
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 3 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
The Schemes of Work - AS Units
Explorations in Prose and Poetry (Summer exam – 60%)
Texts
What’s included
Number of
lessons
Syllabus
reference
Brighton Rock
Brighton Rock
 Characters – Pinkie,
Ida, Rose, minor
characters
 Setting
 Genre
 Symbolism and motifs
 Narrative viewpoint
 Religion and
Catholicism
16 lessons
6ET01
A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange
 Characters – Alex
 Language
 Symbolism and motifs
 Narrative viewpoint
and structure
5 lessons
6ET01





7 lessons
6ET01
Brighton Rock & A Clockwork
Orange
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 4 of 31
Violence
Relationships
Individual in society
Morality
Family
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
Texts
Poetry anthology – 16 poems
on theme of ‘land’:
-from The Prelude, William
Wordsworth
-After Reading in a Letter
Proposals for Building a
Cottage, John Clare
-On the Grasshopper and
Cricket, John Keats
-To Autumn, John Keats
-The Sweetness of England,
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
-Dover Beach, Matthew Arnold
-Beeny Cliff, Thomas Hardy
-The Way Through the Woods,
Rudyard Kipling
-The Trees are Down, Charlotte
Mew
-As the Team’s Head-Brass,
Edward Thomas
-from Four Quartets: Little
Gidding, T S Eliot 632
-The Sunlight on the Garden,
Louis MacNeice
-Especially when the October
wind, Dylan Thomas
-Going, Going, Philip Larkin
-On the Move, Thom Gunn
-Himalayan Balsam, Anne
Stevenson
What’s included

Analysis and discussion
of each of the set
poems

Poetic style and
technique

Themes and ideas –
comparing two or three
poems

Poetry as a genre
Number of
lessons
Around 30
Unseen poetry
6ET01
6ET01




Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 5 of 31
Syllabus
reference
Poetry as a genre
Poetic style and
techniques
Close analysis
Practice Papers
Around 12
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
Drama Coursework (40%)
Texts
1300 – 1800 drama - one pair
of:

What’s included

Othello & Much Ado About
Nothing


King Lear & Hamlet


Hamlet & The Revenger’s
Tragedy


The plays in
performance;
historical and social
context
Dramatic technique
and conventions
Characterisation,
themes and ideas
Comparison of the
plays
Changing critical
perspectives/respon
ses over time
Number of
lessons
Around 50
Syllabus
reference
6ET02
Coursework requirements – A 1500-2000 word essay produced independently comparing an
aspect of the two plays, including various critical perspectives and an awareness of dramatic
and social/historical context. Also a 500 word ‘creative critical’ piece eg letter, review,
interview responding to one or both plays in an imaginative yet critical way. It must be wordprocessed and include a bibliography and footnotes. You will have the opportunity to submit
draft work for advice and comment.
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 6 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
2.
ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE
Final Assessment (Exams and Coursework)
 The two novels and the poetry anthology, as well as unseen poetry, will be examined in June
(60%). Coursework (see section 1) will be due at the end of the Autumn (creative critical
piece) and Spring (essay) terms (40%).
Internal Assessment (school exams and homework)
 Formal assessments are set as timed essays in class during Autumn ( November 2013) and
Spring ( February 2014) terms. Each of your teachers will set an essay related to the topic
being studied. These grades will be issued in termly grade sheets and will inform your
predictions.

Essays set as homework (expect 2/3 per half – term) and occasional tests and presentations
will be a means of monitoring your progress. Your essay grades, termly grade sheets and
annual report will enable you to track your progress. Essays will be marked according to the
Assessment Objectives for each unit, which are on the next page.

Teachers cannot be expected to mark coursework or essays that are handed in late (except
with good reason). Letters will be sent home for each class to remind students and parents
of their coursework deadlines.
Assessment Objectives
AO1 :Articulate creative, informed and relevant responses to literary texts, using appropriate
terminology and concepts, and coherent, accurate written expression
AO2: Demonstrate detailed critical understanding in analysing the ways in which structure, form
and language shape meanings in literary texts
AO3: Explore connections and comparisons between different literary texts, informed by
interpretations of other readers (critics, directors, readers in different contexts and so on)
AO4: Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary
texts are written and received (social, historical and cultural contexts, readership/audience)
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 7 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
Mark Schemes
AS Exam (Unit 1)
Poetry Anthology
AS Coursework (Unit 2)
Explorative essay comparing plays:
AO1 = 15 marks
AO2 = 5 marks
AO3 = 20 marks
AO1 = 6 marks
AO2 = 8 marks
AO3 = 36 marks
AO4 = 12 marks
Brighton Rock/ A Clockwork Orange
(Prose)
Creative Critical piece:
AO1 = 15 marks
AO2 = 25 marks
Unseen Poetry/Prose
AO1 = 6 marks
AO4 = 12 marks
AO1 = 10 marks
AO2 = 10 marks
Total: 100 marks
Total: 80 marks
Approximate grade boundaries:
A* = 90%
A = 80%
B = 70%
C = 60%
D = 50%
E = 40%
Follow-up

If you receive low grades in homework or assessed essays, teachers will discuss reasons and give
targets for improvement. If low grades are a result of poor effort and/or attendance further
measures will be taken - if the situation does not improve referrals will be made to the Head of
English (Ms Ingham), parents and the Head of Year.

Non-completion of assessments will result in a U grade which will affect your projected grades
and will be taken up by the Head of Year.

Anyone struggling with essay writing will be identified by their teacher and some one-to-one
support will be available during the year.

A few students are encouraged by teachers to re-sit the AS exam unit in June of Year 13 if they
underachieve. Coursework can not be redone once submitted, so it is vital to meet all deadlines
for draft work in order that full feedback and advice can be given.
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 8 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014

3.
Grades for the major pieces of assessment and work set, including the induction task, will be
recorded on a database in order that your progress can be monitored through the year
GENERAL EXPECTATIONS
Lessons and Equipment
In English, much of your learning will take place through discussion and close reading of texts in the
class room – this is one of the reasons that many people enjoy the subject. It is therefore extremely
important that you aim for full attendance at lessons and are organised for each session. You will
enjoy lessons more and maximise your learning if you have done all the set reading - this should be
a top priority during the first few weeks of the course.
What to bring:
 Your set text (s)
 Pens, highlighters, pencil
 Paper
 Any homework completed
 Notes from previous lessons
 Your folder if required
 Homework planner/diary
 Your completed lesson preparation
To avoid disruption in lessons you must ensure phones are switched off and your planner and
equipment are ready on the desk. Early in the year you should create a folder to keep your work
organised - this will be taken in and checked occasionally. You could organise it as follows:
o Course Information/Reading Lists (put this booklet in this section)
o Brighton Rock
o A Clockwork Orange
o Set play 1
o Set play 2
o Poetry Anthology
o Essays
Always keep marked essays and read the teacher’s comments through and think about them. This
is the best way of improving your writing throughout the year.
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 9 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 10 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
Absence and lateness
If you miss a lesson, catch up by borrowing friends’ notes – see your teacher if necessary. If you
know in advance you must miss a lesson, see your teacher beforehand to collect work so you don’t
fall behind.
If you miss a lesson in which homework is due hand it in as soon as you return – don’t leave it till
your next English lesson. If there are exceptional reasons why you cannot complete an assignment
please get a note from home.
If you miss an assessment you must see your teacher as soon as possible to explain the
circumstances. Depending on circumstances, you will either be given a U grade or will be given a
chance to complete the task at an agreed time. If you fail to do so, you will automatically be given a
U and identify yourself as a student at risk of failure, which will be taken up by your Head of Year.
Missing the beginning of a lesson not only affects your ability to follow the tasks and discussions,
but also disturbs other students and interrupts their learning. If you are more than 10 minutes late
your teacher may not allow you to attend the lesson. Punctuality will be monitored and frequent
lateness taken up with the Year Team.
Homework
You should expect to be spending 4-6 hours per week of your study time working on English
homework and lesson preparation (see section 4). Homework will usually consist of reading,
research, presentation planning or writing tasks, and will sometimes require working with a small
group. Lesson preparation will be required for every session and will consist of shorter tasks as
detailed in section 4. You should bring completed lesson ‘prep’ and/or homework to every lesson.
Written work can usually be hand-written or word-processed. In exam-based topics it is important
to practise hand-writing essays. Coursework must be word-processed – you will need to make sure
that you have access to a reliable computer during the Spring term.
Work should always be handed in as a hard copy – only in exceptional circumstances (eg extended
absence) is it acceptable to hand in work as an electronic file or in email.
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 11 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
4.
PREPARING FOR LESSONS AND HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS
Expect around one hour per day of study time for this subject (more during coursework deadlines).
Some of this time will be spent on ‘lesson prep’ tasks. These will be set in every lesson and sessions
will start with feedback from these tasks. They are intended to build on what you have learnt and
help prepare you for the next focus – for example you may be asked to:
o read and consider short passages of criticism on the chapter/scene you have just
read
o find or learn quotes on a particular theme
o draw up a chart of ideas/comparisons/terms and definitions
o go through your class notes for quick tests
o learn new literary terms
o read a poem or extract
o quick research/fact finding on topics such as historical context, dramatic
performance, word origin
More substantial tasks – ‘homework’ will usually be set once per week by each teacher. This might
include:
o reading critical essays and answering questions on them
o preparing presentations on texts/characters/themes/context
o preparing and writing essays
o creative writing responses to texts eg letters, reviews, versions of…
o longer set reading eg an Act of a play
These tasks might take between 1 – 3 hours each, sometimes more if you are preparing a
presentation or writing a longer essay. You can expect about 2-3 essays for English each half-term.
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 12 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
5.
RESOURCES
The school library has a range of literary texts and critical material which you can read and borrow.
Ealing and other local libraries also hold useful materials and are good places to study. The English
department is starting to build a sixth form resource library for wider reading and relevant critical
material.
The poetry anthology is provided by the exam board. The school supplies clean texts for the exams
and will give students a copy for reading and annotation in class. You need to buy your own copies
of the other set texts, either from a book shop or online - details are below. You should wait until
September to buy the plays since texts vary according to teaching group – your teacher will give you
details of the necessary editions in your first lesson.
Brighton Rock: Vintage Classics (2004); ISBN: 978-0099478478
A Clockwork Orange: Penguin Classics (2000); ISBN: 9780141182605
You may also find it useful to have York Notes Advanced on any of your set texts (Longman/York
Press) – they contain useful background information and analysis suitable for AS-level.
A dictionary of literary terms can be helpful. The Oxford Concise Dictionary of Literary Terms
(O.U.P. ISBN 0-19-280118-X) is suitable although there are several alternatives. There is a selection
of these in the library and the English office, where you can look up details of writers, literary
movements etc.
The wider reading list on the next few pages contains suggestions which you should use as a
starting point. You should aim to be reading at least 2 books from these lists per term and more
than this if you hope to study English at university.
There is a huge range of online material related to the set texts and wider reading, but it is not all
reliable and useful. Wikipedia is often a useful starting point, but you should use careful judgement
– always make sure you know whose views you are reading, and if you use any material in essays be
sure to acknowledge where it comes from. Some useful sites for the AS units include:
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 13 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
Drama coursework
www.tech.org/-clearly/reven.html (The Revenger’s Tragedy)
www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet
www.shakespearemag.blogspot.com
www.rsc.org.uk/exploringshakespeare/default.htm
www.shakespeare-online.com/index.html
www.timesonline.co.uk
www.guardian.co.uk
www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/jonson/benessay.htm
‘Brighton Rock’ and ‘A Clockwork Orange’
http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/prose/brightonrock.htm
http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-brighton-rock/
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/clockworkorange/
Further student resources are available from the exam board – see www.edexcel.com
Revision booklets for the key texts will be issued by teachers as exams draw near. During Easter
revision week (Easter holidays) sessions on exam texts and unseen poetry are sometimes offered –
check the timetable when it is issued in the Spring term.
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 14 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
Reading List - Year 12/13
“In a very real
If you are interested in studying English at
university it is essential that you read beyond
your set texts. Wider reading will also greatly
improve your chances of getting top grades in
A2.
sense, people who
have read good
literature have lived
more than people
who cannot or will
University tutors will want to see evidence in your
personal statement that you have been reading
widely – in fact up to two thirds of the statement
should be about your English studies and wider
reading.
not read.”
This list is to be used as a starting point and is by
no means exhaustive – once you find something
interesting look up related texts online and read
those. BUT YOU MUST READ YOUR SET TEXTS
FOR NEXT YEAR TOO!!
The school library has most of these books, or you
can read them online – just search for the name of
the novel/poem/play plus ‘text’ and you should
find a few sites.
S. I. Hayakawa
The more that you
read, the more things
you will know. The
more that you learn,
the more places you'll
go.”
Dr. Seuss
If you need further or more specific
recommendations for your interests, ask your
English teacher or Ms Brown
(lobrown@twyford.ealing.sch.uk)
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 15 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
Classics (novels)
Titles
o
o
o
o
o
Emma
Pride & Prejudice
Sense & Sensibility
Persuasion
Northanger Abbey
o Jane Eyre
o Villette
o North and South
o Wuthering Heights
o The Picture of Dorian Gray
o Dracula
o Frankenstein (or The Modern
Prometheus)
o Tess of the d’Urbevilles
o Far From the Madding Crowd
o Return of the Native
o Jude the Obscure
o The Mill on the Floss
o Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr
Hyde
o Hard Times
o Great Expectations
o Oliver Twist
o David Copperfield
o Maurice
o Howards’ End
o A Room with a View
o Where Angels Fear to Tread
o A Passage to India
o Mrs Dalloway
o To The Lighthouse
o The Waves
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 16 of 31
Author and info
Jane Austen
(early 19thh century/Regency writer, makes
fun of polite society, creates interesting
characters, plots revolve around marriage
and relationships.)
Charlotte Bronte
Elizabeth Gaskell (industrialization and social
change/divides explored through romantic
plot)
Emily Bronte
Oscar Wilde
A beautiful young man exchanges his soul for
eternal youth – a novel about aestheticism
and social and moral corruption
Bram Stoker
Mary Shelley
Thomas Hardy
George Eliot
Robert Louis Stevenson
Charles Dickens
E. M. Forster (turn of the 20th century writer
interested in class issues and repression by
society – he was homosexual in a time when
this was not socially accepted. Room with a
View is probably the easiest to read)
Virginia Woolf (early 20th century novels in
the ‘stream of consciousness’ style modernist, feminist….)
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
Titles
o
o
o
o
Etc….
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Author and info
Black Mischief
Scoop
Brideshead Revisited
Decline and Fall
Evelyn Waugh (humorous, often satirical
novels based in the twenties, thirties and
forties satirising high society)
Ulysses
James Joyce (the definitive modernist novel –
deliberately ‘difficult’ due to the innovative
style and structure – worth a look even if you
can’t finish it – a challenge!)
F Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby
Tender is the Night
Lady Chatterley’s Lover
Sons and Lovers
Women in Love
Short Stories
o Brave New World
D H Lawrence (Scandalous when published in
the 1910s, 20s and 30s – particularly Lady C’s
Lover which was banned until 1963 - these
novels deal with life and relationships in an
industrialized society and were unusually
open about sex in particular – see Wikipedia
for an account of his colourful life.
Aldous Huxley
o 1984
o Animal Farm
o Coming up for Air
George Orwell
o Brighton Rock
o The Quiet American
Graham Greene
o Lord of the Flies
o Darkness Visible
o Rights of Passage
William Golding
o Lolita
o The Corrections
Vladimir Nabokov
Jonathan Franzen (a multi-stranded narrative
of a dysfunctional family in modern America)
“Every man who knows how to read has it in his power to magnify
himself, to multiply the ways in which he exists, to make his life full, significant and interesting”
Aldous Huxley
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 17 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
More recent novels
Titles
o
o
o
o
Never Let Me Go
The Remains of the Day
A Pale View of Hills
When We Were Orphans
o The Handmaid’s Tale
o Cat’s Eye
Author and info
Kazuo Ishiguro
Recent film version of NLMG with Keira
Knightley worth watching. Exceptionally well
written novels definitely worth trying – very
restrained plots and style.
Margaret Atwood dystopian – explores
feminist issues in particular – has written
many other novels and poems
Etc
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Birdsong
Charlotte Grey
The Girl at the Lion d’Or
Atonement
The Innocent
On Chesil Beach
White Teeth
Brick Lane
Sacred Hunger
The Songs of the Kings
Sebastian Faulks war-based trilogy – a huge
bestseller
Ian McEwan
Zadie Smith
Monica Ali
Barry Unsworth (Sacred Hunger is a historical
novel focusing on slavery; Songs of the Kings
retells part of Homer’s Iliad)
o Empire of the Sun
J G Ballard (semi-autobiog account of a
young boy’s experiences during WWII in
Shanghai and concentration camps)
o Beloved
Toni Morrison
Louis de Bernieres (love triangle in WWII
Italian island)
o Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
The Wasp Factory
Walking on Glass
The Crow Road
The Bookseller of Kabul
Midnight’s Children
The Moor’s Last Sigh
The Life of Pi
Generation X
Shampoo Planet
On the Road
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 18 of 31
Iain Banks writes mainstream and sci-fi –
more info on Wikipedia
Asne Seierstad
Salman Rushdie
Yann Martel
Douglas Coupland
Jack Kerouac
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
Titles
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Author and info
Portnay’s Complaint
CATCH 22
Slaughterhouse Five
The Crying of Lot 49
Tin Drum
Perfume
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
In Cold Blood
The New York Trilogy
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Less than Zero
American Psycho (X-rating!)
Waterland
The Diceman
Memoirs of a Geisha
Spies
Headlong
Philip Roth
Joseph Heller
Kurt Vonnegut
Thomas Pynchon
Gunther Grass
Patrick Susskind
Truman Capote
Paul Auster
Hunter S Thompson
Brett Easton Ellis
Graham Swift
Luke Rhinehart
Arthur Golden
Michael Frayn
Poetry
Poets to try – either browse through selections online or try and get hold of an anthology of poetry from a library.
Carol Ann Duffy
William Blake
Ted Hughes
Tennyson
Seamus Heaney
Keats
Philip Larkin
Byron
Gillian Clarke
Shelley
Dylan Thomas
Browning
Louis MacNeice
W B Yeats
T S Eliot
Sylvia Plath
Ee Cummings
D H Lawrence
Emily Dickinson
Wordsworth
Robert Frost
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 19 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
Drama
Dramatists to try (best to see the play then read if at all possible):
Shakespeare (2012 is the Shakespeare Festival year so there are plenty of productions – those at
The Globe are usually well worth seeing)
Marlowe – Dr Faustus ; Dido Queen of Carthage
Sheridan – The Rivals
Oscar Wilde – The Importance of Being Earnest
Ibsen – Hedda Gabler; A Doll’s House
Chekhov – The Cherry Orchard (on at National Theatre this summer); Uncle Vanya
Alan Bennett – The History Boys (and a number of others)
Arthur Miller – Death of a Salesman (+ others)
Harold Pinter – The Caretaker (and others)
Bernard Shaw – Pygmalion
J B Priestley – An Inspector Calls; Time and the Conways
Alan Ayckbourn – has written over 75 plays! See Wikipedia for a list
Tennessee Williams – A Streetcar Named Desire
Michael Frayn – Noises Off (any many others)
Caryl Churchill – Top Girls
Other Texts to try in translation
Homer – The Iliad, The Odyssey
Camus – L’Etranger (The Outsider)
Virgil – The Aeneid
Catullus – poetry
Ovid – Metamorphoses
Flaubert – Madame Bovary
Sophocles – Oedipus Rex; Antigone
Euripides - Medea
Chaucer – The Canterbury Tales (try Peter Ackroyd’s translation)
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 20 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
6.
THE LEVEL 4 PROGRAMME YEAR 12
1. A Level 4 student in English would be someone who:
Loves reading
Enjoys English lessons and is responsive to discussion about literature
Has fluent powers of written expression and can express complex ideas including arguing for or
against the views of critics and other readers
May want a career in journalism, publishing, theatre, PR, advertising, teaching, law……
Makes use of feedback from teachers in essay marking, reports and discussions to monitor their
own progress and to identify how to improve
Does at least one hour of independent study per day in the form of reading, research, essay
planning and writing – and probably discussing the set texts with friends
Wants to contribute to the English department by :

Entering competitions as advertised on the Level 4 Noticeboard

Helping with lower school classes and other student activities

Sharing information and ideas through the Level 4 Noticeboard

Helping or performing at Open Evening
Wants to go on to a top university to study English or a related course.
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 21 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
2. The criteria
If you match the above descriptions and have a target or projected grade of A or A* then you will be
considered a ‘level 4’ student. You should take up as many of the Level 4 opportunities described
in this booklet as possible.
3. How to get into a top university to read English
There are good English courses at many universities. Recent rankings and the experience of exTwyford students have consistently put the following universities in the top 14 (here in alphabetical
order), although there are other very good universities to consider. The most important thing is to
choose a course which suits your interests.
Bristol
Cambridge
Durham
Exeter
Oxford
Lancaster
Leicester
Nottingham
Queen Mary’s
St Andrews
Sussex
UCL
Warwick
York
English is a competitive subject at university entry level. To give yourself the best chance you
should:
o Read from the reading list and other literary texts as much as possible. You might aim to be
reading 3 non-set books and the work of several poets each term as a minimum
o Read your set texts more than once – you may be asked about them at interview
o Do your research in Year 12 – read the prospectus properly, refer to the ex-student
directory, look into the course content and requirements , attend Open Days, apply to
universities which teach or specialize in your areas of interest
o Take care and time over your UCAS statement – 2/3 of it should be about what you enjoy
reading and your responses to your course
o Attend extra-curricular groups and activities related to your subject (see sections 5,6,7) –
these give you plenty to talk about at interview as well as broadening your knowledge and
understanding
o Complete an EPQ in English (see section 10)
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 22 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
4. And to achieve an A*, you should:
o Read set texts more than once, and several from the extension reading lists
o Aim for full attendance at lessons and complete homework assignments by deadlines in
order to benefit from feedback
o Attend the reading group and other extra-curricular activities
o Complete extension tasks set by your teachers or from the list issued in September
o Be aware of the criteria for each module/exam question (your teachers will inform you of
these and descriptors are in section 2) and ensure you have met the top band criteria
o Read as much critical material as possible, both as set in lessons and from the list issued in
September
o In coursework, aim to take an independent approach to the question, while being aware of
the marking criteria. Mark your own work against the top band criteria before handing it in.
5. Activities and groups to take part in :
o Further reading, extension tasks and differentiated set work by teachers – if you are a Level
4 student you should be pushing yourself to complete these tasks
o Writing competitions (advertised on the Level 4 notice board and by English teachers)
o Reading groups at lunch times (run by Ms Flinders and Ms Footman) aiming to extend the
range of your reading and provide a forum for high-level discussion.
o Community service (run by Ms Randall): helping in the English department (see section 8)
o Public speaking and debating opportunities advertised by Ms Jesson as they arise.
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 23 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
6. Additional Learning Opportunities
Work Experience
Be proactive about seeking relevant work experience during holidays. Local newspapers,
theatre groups, publishing houses, legal firms and others often have placement opportunities
and tend to prefer older students studying relevant subjects. Experience like this will look great
in your personal statement and give you something to discuss at interview, as well as helping to
inform your decisions about careers and further education. Any placements or contacts
through the school will be advertised. If you have a particular area of interest see your teacher
and/or Ms Brown and we will share any contacts with you.
Master Classes and Summer Schools
Opportunities run by external organisations such as summer schools in journalism, university
master classes on specific literary movements and so on will be advertised through teachers and
the level 4 Noticeboard. Often entry to these is competitive so you will need to apply in good
time.
Extended Projects Qualifications in English
If you are on the TAP programme you will be invited to enter for this formal qualification.
Other students who enjoy the subject will have an opportunity to undertake an English-related
project if they wish to. (see section 10)
School Magazine/Newspaper
A new termly publication, ‘The Twyfordian’ was started in September 2011 and there will be
opportunities in editing, production, marketing, writing and photography. This kind of
experience is invaluable to anyone wanting a career in this field.
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 24 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
7.
STRETCHING THE MOST ABLE AND DIFFERENTIATION
Mixed-ability teaching has benefits for all students and opportunities will be offered for level 4
students to access more challenging tasks and material through extension work. Sometimes these
will be given as an addition or alternative to set class or home work and teachers will make it clear
when this is the case. For example you may be asked to:

Tackle a particular essay question when several options have been offered

Read extra or different critical material relating to texts

Lead groups or present ideas to the class

Read particular texts from wider reading lists

Source your own material or titles for essay tasks
Some extra-curricular activities and resources are provided by (or advertised through) the English
department specifically to stretch Level 4 students and begin preparation for university entrance.
These usually include:

A weekly reading group

A school newspaper / magazine

Student-led dramatic productions

Debating and public speaking competitions such as the English Speaking Union Schools’
Mace competition

Master classes, university taster courses and summer schools

Essay and writing competitions

One-to-one University interview/exam prep. (year 13)

Personal statement advice (year 12 and 13)

Ex-student feedback detailing degree courses undertaken and information about university
life, entrance procedures and so on
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 25 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
8.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
There are several ways you can get involved and help in the English department and students often
find this very enjoyable. It can be very beneficial for younger students to work with sixth formers,
particularly if they are having difficulty with the subject, or if they are very keen readers and
perhaps working high above the level of their peers. English teachers also often appreciate help
and input from sixth formers who may have creative ideas about displays, activities etc. For
example, you might:

Help run debating club

Run a Key Stage 4 or Key Stage 3 reading group

Read with Key Stage 3 students during private reading classes

Help Key Stage 3 students with class or homework

Work with younger students to produce plays and other presentations

Help teachers with displays and ICT/admin in the department

Judge competitions
These opportunities are usually taken up as regular commitments at the beginning of the year,
although more help is needed during October for Open Evening and toward the end of summer
term. Ms Randall runs the community service programme for English and will keep a record of the
activities you take part in. Rewards for committed students usually take the form of trips or
vouchers/book tokens.
For reading groups and competitions see Ms Flinders, for debating see Ms Jesson. Other teachers
will also publicise opportunities when they arise.
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 26 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
9.
ADDITIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND WORK EXPERIENCE
As well as all the opportunities and activities already mentioned, you will also get the chance to:

See theatre productions and join other subject-specific trips such as to Canterbury (Chaucer)

Read information about various courses at university from ex-student perspective

Make use of the school library, English department sixth form library, and VLR resources

Attend Easter revision classes

Enter public speaking competitions and debates

Attend seminars and conferences related to the set texts
Publications, Organisations and Institutions that you might make use of include:

The Poetry Society (poetrysociety.org.uk)

Radio 4 – cultural programmes such as Poetry Please, Open Book, Saturday Review, Start the
Week, Front Row etc. Podcasts can be accessed at
www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/programmes/genres/factual/artscultureandthemedia

London theatres – The National Theatre, Wyndhams Theatre, The Old Vic, The Young Vic,
The Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond Theatre, Questors Theatre Ealing, The Globe, Rose
Theatre Kingston etc.

The Imperial War Museum

The British Museum

The British Library

University Open Days

Public speaking/debating clubs and competitions.

The Sunday newspapers Culture/Arts/Books sections for reviews etc.
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 27 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
10.
COMPLETING AN EXTENDED PROJECT
The Extended Project is a formal qualification which Level 4 students will have the opportunity to
complete, working with a subject mentor but undertaking the research and writing independently.
If you are on the school TAP programme you will enter this as a formal qualification. Other
students are welcome to complete a project on a rather more informal basis.
For an English-based project, the end product is usually an extended essay (around 5000 words),
although it might be a piece of creative writing, a performance or other product. You will also give
a presentation to a small audience including the supervisor and school co-ordinator when the
project is complete.
While completing the project does earn extra UCAS points it is more importantly a fantastic
opportunity to stretch yourself and study something that you have chosen, in the way that you
choose. Students who completed projects recently said:
“…Admittedly doing an Extended Project involves a great deal of hard work, but it’s worth it.
For me it was less about UCAS points and more about the skills that I learnt. The research
and logging process were invaluable for writing my A2 English and History course work and I
feel will aid me considerably in further study or the work place…… The independence of study
was initially daunting but it is also liberating and my Project Supervisor gave me all the
guidance and support I needed throughout.“
“I am clear that going beyond the boundaries of the syllabus certainly gave me a competitive
edge whilst applying to universities…Now in my first year at Warwick, I have found further
benefits to the EPQ. The 'self-taught' aspect was good preparation for the teaching methods
at university. …….I think what is most important is to learn from a way of working which
really prepares you for the undergraduate course. I believe the EPQ is a great way to do
this.”
English – related projects have included:








An exploration of how writing about war changed from WWI to the Iraqi wars
A study of how changing attitudes to sex have been portrayed in literature
A study of the portrayal of God(s) in ancient Greek and Latin and Renaissance tragic drama
A study of the idea of isolation in dystopian novels of the mid-20th century
A re-telling of The Great Gatsby in the style of Edith Wharton
A Study of the Philosophy and History of Totalitarianism using the Dystopian Works of
George Orwell and Yevgeny Zamyatin
Notes on a Scandal: Page to Screen - an exploration examining reader / audience response
and narrative theory
A short animated film based on women’s writing in the 20th century
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 28 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
These titles are often cross-curricular, involving other areas of study such as history, politics,
psychology, Classics or drama, which is one of the enjoyable and interesting features of the
projects.
Work on EPQs starts in the summer term with initial research and meetings to agree a title with
your supervisor. Much of the research and ‘production’ work will take place after exams have
finished and during the holidays so that by the Autumn term you will have a draft product to discuss
with your supervisor. By the end of Autumn term you should be submitting the project and
presenting your work to the Co-ordinator.
Comments about your extended project are ideal material for your UCAS personal statement. The
skills you will develop will prepare you for university in a way that A level coursework does not.
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 29 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
11.
CELEBRATING SUCCESS AND STUDENT VOICE
Keeping you informed
There will be a Level 4 Noticeboard in the English department which will keep you up to date
with various opportunities. The kind of things you can expect to see there are:

Reviews of new theatre productions and books

Extracts from students’ work and winning competition entries

Information about extra-curricular groups, trips, opportunities, events

Information about where Twyford students have gone to read English at uni

Reminders about dates, deadlines, competitions, recommended reading

Advertisements for relevant work placements and courses
Sharing successes and the student voice

Various awards are given during Year 12, such as prizes for writing competitions and awards
for the most outstanding or the most improved student, selected by the English
Department, at a Celebration of Achievement Evening

Outstanding work or winning competition entries might be shown to the Head of
Department, showcased on the Level 4 board and in displays, published in the school
magazine or shared in assembly

At the end of year 12 you will be asked to fill in a questionnaire to give your feedback about
the AS course and extra-curricular provision. During the school year if you have ideas or
views that you want to share you should let your English teacher know

The school magazine / newspaper will be an ideal forum for you to express your views – look
out for notices about how to get involved
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 30 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014
Contact Details
Head of English
Ms Amanda Ingham (aingham@twyford.ealing.sch.uk)
Head of Key Stage Four / Second in English
Ms Gemma Dye (gdye@twyford.ealing.sch.uk)
Head of Key Stage Three / Second in English
Ms Bethan Court (bcourt@twyford.ealing.sch.uk)
Course Guide – Year 12 AS LEVEL English
Twyford Church of England High School
Page 31 of 31
Course starting in September 2014
Course Guide updated June 2014