English Literature
at Canons High School, Edgware · school or sixth form
What the college says
On this OCR A Level English Literature course you will read, discuss and write about drama, poetry and novels. You will develop your critical and analytical skills to construct an argument and compare texts using evidence from them to support what you say. Component 1: Drama and Poetry pre-1900 (40%) This is an examined unit where students will demonstrate their knowledge of one Shakespeare play, one pre-1900 narrative poem, and one pre-1900 drama text. You will study Shakespeare’s The Tempest, The Merchant’s Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer and She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith. Component 2: Comparative and Contextual Study (40%) This is the second examined unit. Our chosen topic area is dystopian fiction and students are required to respond to an unseen passage related to the topic in one question and then write an essay comparing two set texts. Your set texts are Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. You will also study a wide range of dystopian literary fiction in order to prepare for the unseen passage in question 1. 11 This is the internally assessed coursework element of the A level. Students study three literary texts, including one prose text, one drama text and one poetry text. Task 1 is based on the study of one text and consists of close reading or re-creative writing with a commentary. Task 2 is a comparative essay, which explores contrasts and comparisons between two texts. You will study The History Boys by Alan Benne
What you need to get on
Mostly C's or above (including at least 4 in English and Maths)
How you are assessed
Academic subjects, mostly exams, three or four at once. The traditional route to university.
What this level means
The A-level-equivalent step, and what universities and employers ask for.
Is it open to 16 to 18 year olds?
Approved for 16 to 18 study on the government's Section 96 list.
Where it runs
Canons High School
Shaldon Road, Edgware, HA8 6AN
DaytimeClassroom basedCheck the journey
Start dates
- 1 September 2026 · Edgware
Who else teaches this exact qualification
Same qualification, different college. Entry requirements and how it is taught can differ a lot between them, which is the whole reason to compare.
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