GCSE English Literature

Interested in switching? Download our free Guide to switching for everything you need to know.

Choose Eduqas and you’ll benefit from:

• Co-teachability across English Language and English Literature
• There is a wide range of text choices to suit your particular classes
• Our ‘exploding extract’ (“source-based”) questions allow for a variety of approaches that
  enable teachers to differentiate and allow students to approach the task in the way that suits
  them best
• Question stems are straightforward and indicate the assessment objectives being assessed
  in each question

Need further information?

You can also find out more about our package of support including free teaching and learning resources, direct access to subject-specialists, expert-led CPD, and regional support team on our ‘Switch to Us’ pages.

The Eduqas GCSE in English literature encourages learners to develop knowledge and skills in reading, writing and critical thinking. It provides learners with opportunities to read widely for pleasure across a range of high quality texts in the genres of prose, poetry and drama and to develop an understanding of how literature is both rich and influential. It enables learners to make connections across their reading and develop a clear understanding of literary works and also prepares them for the study of literature at a higher level. This GCSE in English literature enables students to:

• Read a wide range of classic literature fluently and with good understanding, and make connections across their reading
• Read in depth, critically and evaluatively, so that they are able to discuss and explain their understanding and ideas
• Develop the habit of reading widely and often
• Appreciate the depth and power of the English literary heritage
• Write accurately, effectively and analytically about their reading, using Standard English
• Acquire and use a wide vocabulary, including the grammatical terminology and other literary and linguistic terms they need to criticise and analyse what they read.

It builds on the tradition and reputation Eduqas has established for clear, reliable assessment supported by straightforward, accessible guidance and administration.

The specification has been developed in consultation with practising teachers, senior examiners, and subject and assessment experts.

In developing this specification, Eduqas has been mindful to include the following features:

• Flexibility in the choice of texts to be studied
• A Eduqas produced poetry anthology
• Straightforward wording of questions
• Opportunities for breadth of study
• Analysis of unseen poetry
• Opportunities for close analysis of texts
• Opportunities for extended essay responses.

In designing this specification, careful consideration of length of examination time and the number of question papers has resulted in a balance between robust assessment and manageability. Varied question types and clear rubric aim to make this untiered assessment accessible to students of different abilities.

This specification builds on subject content which is typically taught at key stage 3 and provides a suitable foundation for the study of English literature at either AS or A level.

English Literature Resource Guide - This booklet provides an overview of the support, guidance and resources available to those teaching the Eduqas GCSE English Literature specification across our suite of websites.

Why choose Eduqas?

• Co-teachability across GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature with supporting co-teachability resource.
• Our source-based questions allow for a variety of teaching approaches that enable teachers to differentiate and allow students to approach the task in the way that suits them best.
• Our sourced based response question stems are straightforward.
• Marked exemplar available from our Online Exam Review website.