english literature a level aqa coursework

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AS and A-level English Literature A

• Specification
• Planning resources
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• Introduction
• Specification at a glance
• 3.1 Love through the ages
• 4.1 Love through the ages
• 4.2 Texts in shared contexts

4.3 Independent critical study: texts across time

• Scheme of assessment
• Non-exam assessment administration (A-level only)
• General administration

In Texts across time, students write a comparative critical study of two texts.

This specification is committed to the notion of autonomous personal reading and Texts across time provides a challenging and wide-ranging opportunity for independent study. Possible themes for the comparison are indicated below, but this is not a set list and students are free to develop their own interests from their own wider and independent reading.

Texts chosen for study must maximise opportunities for writing about comparative similarity and difference and must allow access to a range of critical views and interpretations, including over time . Students should take an autonomous approach to the application and evaluation of a range of critical views.

The title 'Independent critical study' highlights the important idea that, within a literature course, students should have the opportunity to work independently. Although one common text could, if required, be taught to a whole cohort, at least one text should be studied independently by each student. Texts should always be chosen with your guidance and support. Students should also individually negotiate their own task.

In Texts across time, students write a comparative critical study of two texts on a theme of their choice. Possible themes include, but are not limited to:

• the struggle for identity
• crime and punishment
• minds under stress
• nostalgia and the past
• satire and dystopia
• war and conflict
• representations of race and ethnicity
• representations of sexuality
• representations of women
• representations of men
• representations of social class and culture.

The spirit of this component is for independent study, with schools and colleges submitting work on a range of texts and tasks. Schools and colleges are encouraged to check the appropriateness of texts and tasks with their non-exam assessment adviser, especially where there may be some uncertainty on the approach being taken, either by the school or college as a whole or by individual students.

• The word count is 2,500 words.
• Tasks should be designed to ensure that students address all assessment objectives in their essay response.
• An appropriate academic bibliography (not included within the 2,500 word count) must be included.
• An appropriately academic form of referencing must be used.

The following conditions apply to the texts chosen:

• one text must have been written pre-1900
• two different authors must be studied
• set texts listed for the A-level exam components cannot be used for non-exam assessment, even if they will not be used in the exam
• the essay is comparative and connective so equal attention must be paid to both texts
• a poetry text could be either one longer narrative poem or a single authored collection of shorter poems. If using a collection of poetry, students must have studied the whole text and select at least two poems to write about in detail as examples of the wider collection
• single authored collections of short stories are permissible. If using a collection of short stories, students must have studied the whole text and select at least two stories to write about in detail as examples of the wider collection
• texts chosen for study may include texts in translation that have been influential and significant in the development of literature in English. The translated text should be treated as the original writer's own words for assessment purposes. Therefore, schools and colleges should ensure that they use a version recognised by academia as being a high quality translation which supports the original author's writing appropriately.

Recommended texts

Texts listed in the A-level core set text and comparative set text lists in Sections 4.1 and 4.2 cannot be studied for non-exam assessment. Texts chosen for study may include texts in translation that have been influential and significant in the development of literature in English.

Possible pre-1900 texts include, but are not limited to:

NEA prohibited texts

Students cannot use the following texts for non-exam assessment as they appear on the exam set text lists.

Examples of choices of non-exam assessment texts and possible connections

Compare and contrast the presentation of British attitudes to race and ethnicity in The Moonstone and in Zadie Smith’s White Teeth in the light of this view.

In what ways do you think the Gothic settings of these texts help the writers to shape their presentation of heroines in peril?

Compare and contrast the presentation of Sue Trinder in Fingersmith with Marian Halcombe in The Woman in White in the light of this view.

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Why is this course right for you?

Our uniquely flexible online English Literature course means that even if you're working full-time or caring for family, you can fit learning around your busy life.

You'll broaden your literary horizons, studying a wide variety of texts within their historical and cultural contexts, including works you've chosen yourself.

You'll learn different ways of reading texts, how narratives are created, and how to apply critical ideas to poetry and prose.

Your A Level English Literature will be a stepping stone to further education, a fulfilling career - and a better future.

Course Details for A Level English Literature

Entry requirements.

You don’t need any previous qualifications to take this course, but a C in GCSE English Literature is recommended.

You must be based in the UK in order to enrol and sit your exams.

If English is your second language, we recommend you have an IELTS 5.5 or equivalent, but we’re happy to review your case on an individual basis.

Course Content

This online course will teach you the AQA English Literature A Level specification (7712).

You'll study the following texts, plus some of your own choice:

• Othello by Shakespeare
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Skirrid Hill by Owen Sheers
• All My Sons by Arthur Miller 
• Spies by Michael Frayn
• A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller 
• The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The course is split into 3 units:

• Love through the ages
• Texts in shared contexts: Modern times: literature from 1945 to the present day
• Texts across time

For full details of what you’ll learn on each unit, download our A Level English Literature course guide.

A Level Exams

Please note that you’re responsible for booking your exams, and that you must be based in the UK to sit them.

You’ll arrange to sit them at a UK school or college roughly 6 months before your chosen exam date.

There are 2 exams for the AQA English Literature A Level specification (7712):

• Paper 1: Love through the ages
• Paper 2: Texts in shared contexts: Modern times: literature from 1945 to the present day

One piece of coursework will also count towards your final grade:

• Written coursework: Texts across time

As an approved AQA centre, we'll supervise, authenticate and mark your coursework. You'll sit your exams at your chosen exam centre.

Your coursework fees of £169.75 are additional to the course cost. You'll also pay exam centre fees directly to your chosen exam centre.

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Is this the same A Level qualification I'd get in school?

Yes, it’s exactly the same.

You’ll sit the same A Level English Literature exams at the same time as all the other students in the UK, and you’ll receive the same results, transcript and qualification.

Your A Level will be accepted by universities, colleges and employers worldwide, exactly as if you'd studied in school or college.

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Once you enrol, you’ll be able to log in to your course and get started by the next working day.

What will I need to study this course?

You must source the set texts for this course. Many can be found cheaply second-hand, or for free online.

The recommended editions are:

• Othello, Shakespeare (Arden, Third Series) ISBN 978-1903436455
• The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald (Penguin Modern Classics, 2000), ISBN 9780141182636
• Skirrid Hill, by Owen Sheers (Seren, 2005), ISBN 978-1854114037
• All My Sons, Arthur Miller (Penguin Modern Classics, 2009) ISBN 978-0141189970
• Spies, Michael Frayn (Faber and Faber, 2011) ISBN 978-0571268856
• A View from the Bridge, Arthur Miller (Penguin Modern Classics, 2010, introduction from the author and Philip Seymour Hoffman) ISBN 978-0141189963
• The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, from The Yellow Wallpaper and Selected Writings, (Virago), ISBN 978-1844085583

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Roughly 6 months before your chosen exam date, you should book your place at an exam centre to take the AQA English Literature A Level specification (7712)   exam.

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AQA publish  a list of exam centres  that may accept private candidates. This won’t cover every available centre, so if there’s nothing shown in your area, we recommend contacting local schools and colleges directly.

Please note that you can't sit AQA A Level exams outside the UK.

Your exam fees aren’t included in the course cost as they’re paid directly to the exam centre. They’ll vary depending on which centre you choose.

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• A Level English Literature

A-Level English Literature Guide

In A-Level by Think Student Editor October 21, 2022 Leave a Comment

A-Level English Literature can be a niche or popular subject – sometimes classes have less than 10 people, sometimes classes are full. Whether you’ve picked it for A-Level or are sitting on the fence, it can be one of the hardest subjects to get right. Think you need some help? This guide is here to help answer all your questions.

In this guide I’ll be discussing whether you should take A-Level English Literature, what the course involves and what the benefits are to taking it. Keep reading to find out more!

Table of Contents

Should you take A-Level English Literature?

Personally, I feel that A-Level English Literature is one of the most creative A-Level subjects. If you enjoyed English Literature GCSE, the chances are you’ll also enjoy English Literature A-Level.

I’d only recommended taking English Literature A-Level if you are strongly passionate about it. The workload can be intense, so if you don’t enjoy the subject, you probably won’t enjoy the A-Level course.

Most schools will hold events for future sixth form students to learn more about each subject. From these you find out more about the course the school offers, or you can ask your teachers.

Alternatively, exam board websites usually post their specifications. For example, you can find the OCR specification here .

If you know what you want to pursue beyond A-Levels, you should also consider whether English Literature A-Level is necessary for future careers. This Think Student article has information on the most respected A-Level subjects.

Alternatively, read this Think Student article if you want to read more about A-Level combinations favoured by universities.

However, if you really want to take English Literature, you should choose what you’re interested in — it will make A-Levels in general more enjoyable.

Ultimately, whether you take English Literature A-Level or not is up to you. If you have a passion for the subject or think it could help you in the future, you should definitely consider choosing it.

How hard is A-Level English Literature?

Any A-Level English Literature student will tell you that it’s not an easy A-Level . In fact, this Think Student article has a list of the top 10 hardest A-Levels to take.

However, you shouldn’t let difficulty put you off. If you achieved the GCSE grades required to take the A-Level, you’re good enough to take the subject.

I would say that A-Level English Literature is moderately difficult. What many students, including myself, like about English is that there is technically no “wrong” answer. However, this also means your knowledge has to be on-point .

Still, don’t let difficulty get you down. Your school wouldn’t let you take A-Level English Literature if they thought you couldn’t handle it. Difficulty is also subjective; what other students find hard, you may find easy.

However , if you are a few weeks into the course and you decide it isn’t for you, there will still be time to switch subjects . If you have any concerns, this Think Student article offers advice on how to know if a course is right for you.

Now that we’ve established whether A-Level English Literature is right for you, let’s look at what the A-Level actually involves.

What do you do in A-Level English Literature?

The A-Level English Literature course is different depending on which exam board your sixth form uses. Even so, most of the courses have similar structures or modules.

As I mentioned earlier, if you enjoyed your GCSE English course, you’ll probably like the A-Level course too. Keep reading to find out more about the general structure of A-Level English Literature.

Exam boards provide a list of “set texts”. This means that your school has to choose a text to study from that specific list.

Exactly which texts are chosen is entirely up to your school. Meaning that you might study a different text to someone doing the same course.

What kind of work does A-Level English Literature involve?

The literature you study will cover poetry, prose and drama, and each exam board requires an NEA (non-exam assessment) project as part of the A-Level . Across the course, you’ll be analysing texts in response to questions on specific themes, ideas, characters or events.

The kinds of questions you get can vary . Sometimes, they’ll be a statement which you’ll be asked to agree or disagree with.

As well as this, you’ll be asked open-ended questions like discussing the presentation of a particular feature. This is one of the best things about A-Level English Literature: your opinion matters!

You’ll also have a lot of new and more complex terminology to learn, to help you analyse texts. This can definitely seem daunting when you first start. Although, if English is your favourite subject, then like me, you’ll learn to love it pretty quickly!

Does A-Level English Literature involve a lot of work?

I don’t think I need to tell you that A-Level English Literature is a very essay-based subject. However, this also means that you will have lots of writing to do and you will probably get set essays regularly . Your teachers may even set you an essay every week or two.

Due to this, for English literature, the jump from GCSE to A-Level is pretty noticeable. Especially as you will generally have quite a lot of work to do. If you’re worried that you aren’t prepared enough for it, this Think Student article has tips you’ll find useful.

Like I said earlier, exactly what you do, including how much work, depends on which exam board your school has chosen. Read further to find out more about the different exam boards, and what they offer as part of A-Level English Literature.

What are the exam boards for A-Level English Literature?

All 4 English exam boards – AQA, OCR, Edexcel and Eduqas – offer A-Level English Literature as a subject. Earlier in the guide , I mentioned that each exam board offers different texts and modules.

While your specific texts will depend on your sixth form, the modules are the same for everyone under the exam board. Continue reading for more information.

What is AQA A-Level English Literature like?

AQA, unlike the other exam boards, actually offers 2 different specifications: A and B .

In specification A, there are 3 compulsory modules. These are “Love through the ages”, “Texts in shared contexts”, and “Independent critical study: Texts across time”.

In specification B, there are also 3 compulsory modules. These are “Literary genres”, “Texts and genres”, and “Theory and independence”.

The texts that are part of specification A include one Shakespeare play, one pre-1900 poetry anthology and one pre-1900 prose text in one module. As well as 3 texts (one prose, one poetry and one drama) with at least one text written post-2000 in another module.

The texts that are part of specification B include one Shakespeare play and two pre-1900 texts in one module. As well as one post-2000 prose, one poetry, and one pre-1900 text in another module. As you can see, both specifications feature similar content but divide them differently .

However, this guide can only offer you a brief overview of the A-Level course. You can find the specifications for AQA A-Level English Literature here (specification A) and here (specification B).

What is OCR A-Level English Literature like?

The OCR A-Level English Literature specification is divided into 3 sections. These are “Drama and poetry pre-1900”, “Comparative and contextual study”, and “Literature post-1900”.

The latter section is a coursework module. Some exam boards require coursework as part of A-Level English Literature, but some don’t.

In the first section, you’ll study one Shakespeare play, one pre-1900 drama and one pre-1900 poetry text. In the second section, you’ll choose one theme (from a list provided by the exam board) and two texts, with at least one text from the list provided by OCR.

The third section is a coursework module, which means you don’t sit an exam for it. Instead , you produce an essay over the course which determines a percentage of your final grade . You can find the full OCR A-Level English Literature specification here .

What is Edexcel A-Level English Literature like?

Pearson Edexcel offers 4 components as part of A-Level English Literature. These are “Drama”, “Prose”, “Poetry”, and a coursework module.

As with the components and modules of other exam boards, each module has its own exam (except for coursework). For Edexcel, the “Drama” and “Poetry” exams are 2 hours 15 minutes, and the “Prose” exam is 1 hour 15 minutes .

In “Drama”, students study one Shakespeare play and critical essays related to the play, and one other drama. In “Prose”, students study two prose texts with one text written pre-1900.

In “Poetry”, students study an anthology and a range of poetry from either a specific poet or specific period. The Pearson Edexcel specification is linked here .

What is Eduqas A-Level English Literature like?

The Eduqas English Literature A-Level specification also has 4 components. These are “Poetry”, “Drama”, “Unseen Texts”, and “Prose Study”.

The “Prose Study” component is a coursework module. All 3 Eduqas A-Level English Literature exams are 2 hours long.

In total, you’ll study two selections of poetry (pre-1900 and post-1900), a Shakespeare play, two non-Shakespeare plays (pre-1900 and post-1900), and two prose texts.

Unlike the other exam boards, Eduqas dedicates a whole module to unseen texts , so you can’t directly revise for that. If you want to read the complete specification, you can do so here .

How to do well in A-Level English Literature

Every student knows there’s no set way to do well. There are way too many changing factors to offer you a fool-proof guide to success!

However , there are definitely techniques and processes to help you secure those top grades . Continue reading for my personal advice on how to succeed in A-Level English Literature.

The best advice I received while studying A-Level English Literature is to include your work in your everyday life. This could be as simple as telling your friend about a character you liked. Alternatively, you could use a key quote in a conversation.

These things both count as revision, because it helps you remember important information. For more revision techniques, see this Think Student article.

in A-Level English Literature is to take advantage of peer review . You’ll definitely make mistakes in your work, no one is perfect!

Asking a partner, friend, or family member to read your essay is a great way to pick up on things you miss. This Think Student article has some useful advice for English literature essay writing!

How to write an English literature essay for A-Level?

Sometimes, the exam system can make it feel like you don’t have much self-expression. I know I’ve certainly felt that way.

One of the great things about essays, and English literature, is that you get to voice your own opinion in your own way . I’ll take you through some general tips on what makes a good essay.

The most important thing is to perfect your spelling and grammar as much as possible. One thing I was always told in school was that if your essay is coherent, you’re halfway to a good essay. Obviously, this is harder if English isn’t your first language, but practice makes perfect!

On top of spelling and grammar, you should make your argument as clear as possible. Teachers will often refer to this as “signposting”.

It lets examiners know exactly what you’re going to talk about. It’s also useful if you run out of time, as examiners can see what you were planning to talk about; it shows you had good ideas, you were just limited by time. For tips on how to structure an English essay, check out this Think Student article.

A third, more obvious tip is to keep your assessment objects in mind as much as possible . In your essays, it’s good to mentally check off what criteria you’ve followed. This way you can keep track of the marks you’ve achieved, and the ones you still need.

What can you do with an English literature A-Level?

Being a student who took A-Level English Literature myself, one of my biggest concerns was the pathways available to me afterwards .

English is often talked about as a subject with limited options – but don’t worry! A-Level English Literature is useful for degrees in fields like English, History, Law, Politics, Philosophy and more.

It might surprise you, but English is a subject that a lot of universities and employers like . You don’t have to want to be a writer to find English A-Level useful.

The writing skills you gain are desirable to universities and employers in a range of fields . However, if you’re still uncertain, I’d recommend researching what A-Levels you need to pursue your future degree/job.

For example, if you want to be a vet , midwife , counsellor , nurse , social worker , police officer , pilot or account , you can click on their respective links to see what A-Levels you will need.

Don’t let how useful A-Level English Literature is stop you from taking it if you really want to! The most important thing about A-Levels is that you choose the subjects you like.

From personal experience, I can tell you that if you don’t care about the subject, you won’t enjoy the A-Level. If you think A-Level English Literature is right for you, choose it!

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Background information for provisional entries for GCSE, AS and A level: summer 2024 exam series

Published 30 May 2024

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2024

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/provisional-entries-for-gcse-as-and-a-level-summer-2024-exam-series/background-information-for-provisional-entries-for-gcse-as-and-a-level-summer-2024-exam-series

This release provides information on the number of entries for GCSEs, AS and A levels for the summer 2024 exam series. Entries data are collected at the same time every year, at a point when they should be reasonably complete, although final entries are always expected to vary to some degree. These figures are therefore provisional and represent the number of entries submitted by schools and colleges (centres) to exam boards by 18 April 2024.

2. Geographical coverage

The report presents data on the number of entries in England for the summer 2024 exam series. Four exam boards offer GCSE, AS and A level qualifications in England:

AQA Education (AQA)

Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR)

Pearson Education Ltd. (Pearson)

WJEC-CBAC Ltd. (WJEC Eduqas)

3. Description

This release provides information on the number of entries broken down by subject and age of students based on school year groups. Centres enter students at qualification level ahead of the summer series according to the course of study that they have followed.

The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) assigns a code to every qualification according to a category defined by JCQ which groups qualifications in subject groups. JCQ groupings are used in this release to filter and sort the data in the data tables.

4. External influences

GCSEs are graded on a 9 to 1 scale (9 denoting the highest grade and 1 denoting the lowest grade). Legacy GCSEs, graded A* to G, are no longer available in England.

Combined science is counted as 2 GCSEs in terms of grading . It is also counted as 2 GCSEs in weighting in school accountability measures and is reported on a 17-point grade scale from 9-9, 9-8, and so on to 1-1. Therefore, entries for combined sciences are double counted in this report and associated data tables to reflect this.

The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is a school accountability measure relating to attainment in core academic subjects (English literature, English language, mathematics, history or geography, a specified combination of science GCSEs and a language). Schools are measured on the number of students that take GCSEs in these core subjects and on how well their students do.

4.2 AS and A level

AS and A level have been decoupled. This means that AS results do not count towards a student’s A level grade as they did prior to reform. This is likely to be the reason why AS entries are lower since the introduction of reformed specifications. Reformed qualifications were introduced in phases with first awards between 2016 and 2020 .

It is worth noting that entries for AS and A level in summer 2022 and summer 2023 might be affected by the exceptional nature of GCSE awarding in summer 2020 and summer 2021 , as it may have impacted on students’ progression decisions.

5. Data source

Exam boards submit data to Ofqual for GCSEs, AS and A levels they award for the summer examination series. Any provider that does not return a complete set of data within the collection period is contacted to make sure the data is as complete as possible.

Data has been collected at an appropriate point when entries are reasonably complete, in this case by 18 April 2024. Ofqual agreed these dates with the exam boards at a point when the majority of entries would have been submitted. The data is collected at around the same time each year to aid year-on-year comparisons.

6. Limitations

There is potential for error in the information provided by exam boards and Ofqual cannot guarantee that the information received is correct. Ofqual quality assures data as far as possible, performing checks on the data, for example checking for systematic issues and comparing the data over time. Summaries of the data are sent back to exam boards for checking and confirmation. However, it is still possible that some errors may remain undetected.

7. Quality assurance

Quality assurance procedures are carried out as explained in the Quality Assurance Framework for Statistical Publications published by Ofqual to ensure the accuracy of the data and to challenge or question it, where necessary. Publication may be deferred if the statistics are not considered fit for purpose.

8. Revisions

Once published, data on the number of provisional entries as at 18 April 2024 is not usually subject to revision, although subsequent releases may be revised to insert late data or to correct an error. In some cases, data may be amended to reflect any new categorisation of subjects.

9. Confidentiality and rounding

To ensure confidentiality of the accompanying data, all figures for the number of entries are rounded. In the accompanying data tables and commentary, the figures are rounded to the nearest 5. If the value is less than 5 (1 to 4), it is represented as ‘Fewer than 5’ and 0 represents zero values.

Total values of rows or columns are calculated using unrounded figures; the sum of rounded figures may differ from the total reported.

All percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number, except where smaller magnitudes are needed for meaningful interpretation. As a result of rounded figures, the percentages (calculated on actual figures) shown in tables may not necessarily add up to 100.

These statistics are classified as Official Statistics.

Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) . OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

You are welcome to contact us directly at [email protected] with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing [email protected] or via the OSR website.

11. Related publications

For any related publications for qualifications offered in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland please contact the respective regulators Qualifications Wales , CCEA and the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) .

12. Useful links

report and data tables accompanying this release

definitions of important terms used in this release

policies and procedures that Ofqual follow for production and release of its statistical releases

13. Feedback

We welcome your feedback on our publications. Should you have any comments on this statistical release and how to improve it to meet your needs please contact us at [email protected] .

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