Skip to content
  • Staff / Student Email
Go to the home page of Lady Margaret School
Lady Margaret School logo

Lady Margaret School

A Church of England School For Girls

  • Home
  • Our School
    • Welcome
    • Collective Worship
    • Facilities for Hire
    • Governance
    • Financial Publications
    • House System
    • LMX Alumnae
    • Inspections Reports
    • School History
    • The Rose Fund
    • This Year’s Charity
    • Vacancies
    • Policies
    • Travel Plan
  • Admissions
    • Year 7 Admissions
    • In Year Admissions
    • Sixth Form Admissions
  • Sixth Form
    • Introduction
    • Leavers’ Destinations
    • LMS 16/19 Bursary
    • UCAS
    • Wellbeing
  • Curriculum
    • Curriculum Overview
    • Year 9 GCSE Options
    • Subjects
    • Careers
    • Pupil Premium
    • SEND Support
  • Extra Curricular
    • Drama
    • Music
    • Sport
    • Clubs Timetable
  • Exams
    • GCSE Results
    • A Level Results
    • Exam Information
    • Exam Season: Help support your daughter
  • News & Events
    • Calendar
    • Creativity Collaborative
  • Parents
    • Covid Information
    • Keeping in Touch With School
    • PTA
    • Parents’ Evening
    • ParentPay
    • Parent Prayer Group
    • School Day
    • School Uniform
    • School Nurse
    • Safeguarding
    • Term Dates
  • Contact Us
Skip sidebar and go to content

Curriculum

  • Curriculum Overview
  • Year 9 GCSE Options
  • Subjects
  • Careers
  • Pupil Premium
  • SEND Support

Subjects

  • Art and Design
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Design and Technology
  • Drama
  • Economics
  • English
  • English Literature
  • Further Mathematics
  • Geography
  • History
  • History of Art
  • Mathematics
  • Modern Languages: French
  • Modern Languages: Spanish
  • Music
  • PE
  • Physics
  • PHSE & Citizenship
  • Politics
  • Psychology
  • Religious Studies
  • Science
  • Sociology

English Literature

English Literature A level is a highly respected academic qualification, which is classed as an ‘enabling subject’ by Russell Group universities. This means that it will help prepare you well for the most competitive degree courses. It is an excellent preparation for University study of Languages, Humanities, Law and of course, English. It can also complement Science subjects: two of our highest achieving students in A Level last year have gone on to read Economics and Biological Sciences. Studying English can lead to a variety of stimulating and rewarding careers in the arts, politics, law, journalism, publishing, media and academia. The A level is also extremely enjoyable: If you like reading and discussing books and have enjoyed your GCSE English course you are well suited to English A level.

  • Frequently Asked Questions about studying English Literature at A Level

Key Stage 5

What does A Level English Literature involve?

English Literature is a subject that develops your ability to think critically and to express yourself accurately.  It involves the study of at least eight texts (prose, poetry and drama), covering a wide range of authors and periods.   In addition to the study of literary texts, A Level English requires a sophisticated understanding of a text’s context: this requires reading around the text – other works by the same author; texts related by theme; the social and historical context.  Different critical approaches, theories and responses to the text will also be studied.  

Why study A Level English Literature?  

The study of English Literature at an advanced level develops the student’s ability to decipher layers of meaning in a text, to explore ideas in depth and to improve her written and oral communication skills.  As well as being a necessary requirement for the study of English at university, A Level English is an asset for a number of degree programmes and careers, including law, teaching, the media and management.

What is the ideal A Level English Literature student like?  

The ideal English Literature A Level student will be glad to have left behind the constraints of GCSE and will want to read more widely, covering more challenging texts from a wider range of authors and periods; she will want to develop her critical skills and the ability to explore ideas in depth.  The A Level English student needs to balance a number of qualities: she needs to be hard-working and well organised; to be prepared to contribute actively in discussion; to want to think independently and to respond to texts knowledgeably and perceptively.  

The A Level English Literature syllabus

At Lady Margaret School we study the AQA English Literature A Syllabus.

Two year A Level course
Unit Texts and topics % weighting Time / word count
Component 1:
Love Through the Ages
(Examination)
Section A: Shakespeare The Winter’s Tale
Section B: Unseen Poetry
Section C: Comparison of The Great Gatsby and an anthology of Pre 1900 Love Poetry
40 % A Level 3 hour closed book exam.
A mix of open and closed book questions.
Component 2:
Texts in Shared Contexts (Modern Literature 1945-present day)
(Examination)
Section A. Set Text Essay: You will study  Skirrid Hill  by Owen Sheers
Section B: Unseen Extract Analysis
Section C: One essay comparing The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
40% A Level 2 hour open book exam.
 Clean copies of the books may be taken into the examination hall. 
Component 3:
Independent Critical Study
(Coursework)
An essay based on the reading of two texts from two different authors:  one pre-1900. 20% A Level 2500 words
Go to the home page of Lady Margaret School
Lady Margaret Logo
Lady Margaret School is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales No. 08156535. Registered address 9-15 Parsons Green SW6 4UN.
Lady Margaret School
Parsons Green
London, SW6 4UN
020 7736 7138
admin@ladymargaret.lbhf.sch.uk
©  Lady Margaret School  2023 | Cookie Policy | Designed by The Education Space
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Cookie Policy
Cookie Settings
Accept AllReject All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by CookieYes Logo