Teaching from September 2023

Spark something powerful

Inspirational new texts and poetry for GCSE English Literature.


Influence change with our modern texts

Since the last reform in 2015, teachers have asked for our set text offer to be more inclusive. Our three new texts and the introduction of our new poetry cluster have helped to make our overall offer more balanced and inclusive.

All of our set texts, including the new ones, will help spark inspiration for students.

Discover our new texts and poetry

Author question and answer videos

You asked and our authors answered. Our new question and answer videos lift the lid on the inspiration behind our new texts, and reveal some interesting reasons behind the themes.

Watch now

Chinonyerem Odimba: Princess & The Hustler

Hear from Chinonyerem Odimba as she explains why the Weston-super-Mare Beauty Contest is the focus of Princess’ character development.

Watch now

Winsome Pinnock: Leave Taking

Winsome Pinnock reveals whether the mother/daughter conflict in Leave Taking will ever be resolved and shares how she hopes important messages will be conveyed in the classroom.

Watch now

Kit de Waal: My Name is Leon

Author of My Name is Leon, Kit de Waal, explains why the novel is set in the 1980s and what Leon’s life might be like now.

Support and resources

We're here to support you throughout all of your assessments, so whatever texts you choose to teach, we’ll be with you every step of the way, continuing to build up our resource offer.

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Resources

Discover resources and sample assessment materials to help support you with teaching.

companion guide

Companion guide

Explore the new texts and poems, key dates for your calendar and find out why we’ve made these changes.

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Online events

We’ve created a free, on-demand e-Learning module to explain the changes in more detail.

Want a free poetry anthology?

Get your free copy of our new Worlds and lives poetry anthology when you register your interest.

Register your interest

Our new texts and poetry

Introducing these great works of literature offering rich opportunities to engage with issues and ideas that your students can relate to.
Explore our inspirational new texts and poetry cluster:

Worlds and lives

A third poetry cluster

An exciting, modern collection of poems that include some well-known, familiar names as well as new, current voices. The collection is both personal and political and explores concerns about the world we live in.

Princess & The Hustler book cover

Princess & The Hustler

Writer: Chinonyerem Odimba

A heart-warming play about the world of a 10-year old girl and her family living in 1960s Bristol. Set against the backdrop of the Bristol bus boycott, the play brings a previously untold, yet significant chapter in Black British history into the spotlight.

leave taking book cover

Leave Taking

Writer: Winsome Pinnock

A funny and moving play about the lives and relationships of a mother and her two daughters living in North London. It centres around the three women all searching to settle their own sense of identity in very different ways.

my name is leon book cover

My Name is Leon

Writer: Kit de Waal

This coming-of-age story follows a loving and loyal 9-year old boy who is on a mission to reunite his family, after becoming separated from his mother. The novel is inspirational and empowering and positively explores foster care in the 1980s.

Princess & The Hustler book cover

Princess & The Hustler

Writer: Chinonyerem Odimba

A heart-warming play about the world of a 10-year old girl and her family living in 1960s Bristol. Set against the backdrop of the Bristol bus boycott, the play brings a previously untold, yet significant chapter in Black British history into the spotlight.

leave taking book cover

Leave Taking

Writer: Winsome Pinnock

A funny and moving play about the lives and relationships of a mother and her two daughters living in North London. It centres around the three women all searching to settle their own sense of identity in very different ways.

my name is leon book cover

My Name is Leon

Writer: Kit de Waal

This coming-of-age story follows a loving and loyal 9-year old boy who is on a mission to reunite his family, after becoming separated from his mother. The novel is inspirational and empowering and positively explores foster care in the 1980s.

Our vision is to provide a diverse and inclusive curriculum that reflects the lives of young people. These works of literature offer the opportunity to explore issues and ideas and introduce further great writers to our specification. This is just the beginning."

Pauline McPartlan | Head of Curriculum – English

Pauline McPartlan

Connect with us

Contact our team

We’re here to support you with any questions you have.

Tel: 0161 953 7504

8am–5pm Monday to Friday

Email: english-gcse@aqa.org.uk

Leave Taking by Winsome Pinnock: © Leave Taking by Winsome Pinnock, Nick Hern Books, 2018

My Name is Leon by Kit de Waal: Cover from My Name Is Leon by Kit de Waal published by Penguin. Reproduced by permission of Penguin Books Limited.

Princess & The Hustler by Chinonyerem Odimba: © Princess & The Hustler by Chinonyerem Odimba. Nick Hern Books, 2019.