English Literature

Studying English Literature at Bow Sixth Form

Exam Board: Edexcel

Entry Requirements: A minimum of a grade 6 in five subjects at GCSE, including English Language and English Literature.

Why study this course?

A-Level English Literature offers the opportunity to engage critically and inquisitively with influential literary works across different periods and genres. Throughout this course, you will explore complex themes, contrasting perspectives and the ways in which writers shape meaning. This course also develops analytical and evaluative skills, while encouraging you to construct well-supported arguments. Beyond the study of literature, you will strengthen your communication, essay-writing and critical independent thinking skills.

What will I study?

Early on in your course, you will study three main literary components: Poetry, Drama, and Prose, with texts chosen from Edexcel’s prescribed reading list, such as A Streetcar Named Desire, Frankenstein, Othello, and Poems of the Decade and The Handmaid’s Tale. In Year 13 you are encouraged to take ownership in your own views and arguments, and you will consolidate your skills Romantic Poetry and your NEA coursework. This allows you to engage with literature at a greater depth and develop sophisticated and investigative interpretations. Your non-examination assessment literary study worth 20% of your final grade, comparing Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe with your chosen text, allowing you to develop your own arguments and investigate different themes independently.

What skills will I gain and where will this take me?

You will develop much more than an appreciation of writing. You will become a confident, critical thinker, being able to construct persuasive arguments and communicate your views with clarity and precision. Your ability to develop research, problem-solving and independent thinking skills, whilst taking into consideration different perspectives will be increasingly strengthened whilst it will provide a strong foundation for careers in law, journalism, teaching, marketing, communications and public relations.