GCSE to A-level progression
“There can be no more important subject than English in the school curriculum. English is a pre-eminent world language, it is at the heart of our culture and it is the language medium in which most of our pupils think and communicate.”
(Moving English Forward, Ofsted, March 2012)
Mastering the skills in English Language will enable students to speak, read and write fluently and communicate information and ideas with others. We see GCSE English Language as the key to successful learning, knowledge acquisition and understanding in all subjects. Command of English Language facilitates opportunities in every aspect of life, work, learning and experience. Being literate is at the heart of our creative thinking and development. It widens horizons and opens up a life-time of opportunities. It should exist not just as a distant aspiration, but as a real and tangible entitlement for all.
This GCSE English Language specification is designed to build upon and enable progression from the skills embodied in the English programmes of study in Key Stage 3. The skills in developing language and literacy will be further developed and strengthened with additional stretch and challenge being presented to candidates in terms of content, reading texts and tasks.
The GCSE English Language specification offers transition to A-level and AS English subjects as set out below:
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Feeder subject(s) |
Current subject |
Progression subject(s) |
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GCSE English Language |
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The assessment objectives for ELC Level 3 link closely with those for GCSE English Language. The level of challenge is below the level of GCSE but there is a clear progression in the skills being assessed from ELC to GCSE.
The assessment objectives for Functional Skills English Level 1 link closely with those for GCSE English Language. The level of challenge is at the lowest levels of GCSE and there is a clear progression in the skills being assessed from Functional Skills Level 1 to GCSE.
The assessment objectives for Functional Skills Level 2 link even more closely with those for GCSE English Language. The level of challenge is at the mid-range of GCSE but with a more restricted range of task. There is a clear progression in the skills and range of task being assessed from Functional Skills Level 2 to GCSE.
GCSE English Language will prepare students for the study of Language and Literature at AS and A-level by developing their skills of analysis and evaluation of literary texts, analysis and study of written and spoken language and adopting linguistic and literary approaches to a wide range of texts. Students will also have the opportunity to develop skills in producing and developing written and spoken language as well as analysing the relationships between different texts and their contexts.
Subject content
- developing learners’ ability to apply and integrate linguistic and literary approaches.
- further developing techniques of analysis, evaluation and production of texts
- show how the knowledge, understanding and skills associated with linguistic and literary studies link coherently
- develop understanding of the value and purpose of applying both literary and linguistic approaches.
GCSE English Language will prepare students for the study of language at AS and A-level by developing their skills of analysis and study of written and spoken language. The GCSE will also change to enable students to develop their skills by creatively and critically engaging with language and ways of producing and interpreting language.
Subject content
- the knowledge, understanding and skills established at GCSE level
- introduce learners to the concepts and methods of the disciplines of English Language and Linguistics in relation to a wide range of spoken and written forms of English, including electronic and multimodal forms
- base contextual study of language on sound theoretical knowledge.