English in Year 10
Overview and expectations
Tiers and Setting
 Pupils are set in Year 10;
 There are 3 ‘bands’ (X, Y or Z) and students are split into
4 or 5 sets per band;
 There are two tiers of entry for English – Higher (Grades
A*-D) and Foundation (Grades C-G).
 We decide which tier pupils sit in Y11, once controlled
assessments are complete and after mock exams;
 Pupils’ tier entries DO NOT depend on their set – they
depend on individual student performance and are
decided by the English teacher after careful
consideration of what is best for them.
Controlled Assessments
Controlled assessments are essays and
writing pieces that all count towards
both final GCSE marks.
Topics are studied in class and then
students complete an assessment on it.
These assessments are completed in
class under exam conditions.
Year 10 English
 Overview of the course
 THREE written controlled assessments
- Reading - A response to the reading of one or more non-fiction
text(s) (10% of English Language)
- Writing – a sustained response to either a creative/imaginative
or transactional/persuasive/discursive writing tasks from a list
specified by WJEC (10% of English Language)
- Shakespeare and linked poetry (25% of English Literature)
 TWO speaking and listening activities (20% - Lang)
 In total, controlled assessments count towards 25% of the final English
Literature grade and 40% of the final English Language grade.
 Pupils achieve TWO GCSEs at the end of Year 11.
So what do the students do in Y11?
Revising the ‘other cultures’ set text that
they begin reading at the end of Year 10.
This is Section A of the English Literature
exam Paper 1.
Reading and working on the Literature
paper 2 set texts (novel and play)
Preparing for the English Language exams
Studying previously unseen poetry in
preparation for the exams.
Exams (Year 11)
 English Language (1hr 45
each) 30% each
 Exam 1:
 Section A (15%): Reading of
unseen prose by a major
writer
 Section B (15%): One
imaginative writing task
 Exam 2:
 Section A (15%): Reading of
instructional / explanatory /
persuasive media texts
 Section B (15%): One
explanatory / persuasive
writing task.
 English Literature (2 hours
each)
 Exam 1 (35%): Poetry and Prose
 Section A: Different Cultures
Prose (21%)
 A question from the ‘different
cultures’ set text (novel) studied
in class (linked to your
controlled assessment)
 Section B: Contemporary
poetry (14%)
 Unseen poetry comparison
 Exam 2 (40%): Drama and
Prose
 Section A (20%): Questions
based on the set text (play)
 Section B (20%): Questions
based on the set text (prose)
How can I support my child’s learning?
 Encourage them to read through their work
regularly;
 Continue to encourage them to read frequently
and widely;
 Try and have a copy of their set texts at home;
 Encourage them to use the library for set text
support books;
 Moodle;
 Online resources;
 Talk to them about their learning.