• ENGLISH LITERATURE

Our stories are your stories.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live in a family when you can’t trust your relatives? Or in a society where its leaders are corrupt? Have you ever wanted to explain your own ideas, thoughts, shades of feeling? Have you ever felt different & alone? Have you ever heard two people arguing & wondered how a relationship could degrade into a squabble? Have you ever thought about the breadth of English stories, not just in these isles, but in India, the Caribbean & Africa?
These are some tastes of the breadth of themes we explore. The questions are peopled with characters who will become your friends at crucial times in your life & take you on journeys to corrupt states, utopian landscapes & into your own heart.
The questions of truth, justice & deception are always on the agenda in English lessons. We combine these with a search for accuracy in writing, talking first in small groups, with the person next to you, then, when you are ready, letting those ideas catch fire in a shared discussion. After modelling ideas sometimes using drama (for those who like dressing up), note taking, cartoon drawing, we then write. The ideas are linked with context, so we explore how the world of the story teller shapes the story, just as the world of the reader shapes the understanding.
We analyse how meaning is created &, in a social media world of fake news & constant stories this is of absolute relevance.
For all of our rites of passage, political decisions, most intimate messages, we use language. As W.B.Yeats said, ‘Words alone are certain good.’

COURSE CONTENT AND AIMS

The OCR course is unashamedly ambitious, covering a wide range of texts and genres: Renaissance dramas like John Webster’s ‘The Duchess of Malfi’ and William Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’; John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’; Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ and Angela Carter’s ‘The Bloody Chamber’, as well as a range of literature written post-1900, such as Tennessee William’s ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, and at least one text written post- 2000, such as Carol Ann Duffy’s ‘Feminine Gospels’.

The coursework component offers freedom in terms of task choice; all students write a comparative essay on a question of their choice and can then choose between a critical analysis, or a re-creative piece and commentary.

TRIPS AND VISITS

There is a wide and ever-changing range of opportunities on offer to enrich your study of English Literature, including theatre trips, workshops, lectures, study days and partnership activities with Oakham School English department.

In the past, students have visited Stratford to see the RSC’s production of ‘Hamlet’ and participate in a drama workshop; watched the NT live cinema broadcast of ‘Hamlet’ starring Benedict Cumberbatch and went to the Nottingham Playhouse to see ‘The Duchess of Malfi’ 

PROGRESSION

English Literature is a highly regarded A level that can take students onto almost any course of study. It is an essential choice for students considering an English degree, but would be a good option for students considering Humanities subjects, languages or law. It could lead onto many careers in fields as diverse as journalism, the creative industries, law, education, media, theatre, the civil service, publishing and academia. 

ASSESSMENT

Component 01: Drama and Poetry pre-1900, 2.5 hour paper worth 40%

Component 02: Comparative and Contextual study, 2.5 hour paper worth 40%

Component 03: Post-1900 literature Coursework, worth 20%

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

For admission to A Level English Literature, our usual minimum requirements are:

  • Students will need to have achieved a grade 6 or above in English.