English Literature

Provisional Exam Board: OCR

^{The proposed course content and exam board are provisional and may be subject to change before the start of the course.}

Our Sixth Form curriculum is currently being developed for September 2027. Course content, texts, specifications and assessment arrangements shown on this page are provisional and may be subject to change.

Read deeply. Think critically. Find your voice.

A Level English Literature is about much more than reading great books. It is an opportunity to explore ideas, question interpretations and develop your own arguments about some of the most fascinating works in English literature.

Throughout the course, you develop the confidence to read independently and ambitiously, examining how writers use language, form and structure to explore people, society and the world around them. From Shakespearean tragedy and Gothic fiction to poetry and contemporary writing, the course encourages you to look beneath the surface of a text and discover different ways of understanding it.

What will I study?

A Level English Literature allows you to undertake independent and sustained study, deepening your appreciation and understanding of literature. You study a rich range of prose, poetry and drama, spanning the early modern period through to contemporary fiction.

Provisional texts and areas of study include:

Drama and Poetry pre-1900 – including William Shakespeare's Hamlet, John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi and selected poetry by Christina Rossetti.
Comparative and Contextual Study: The Gothic – including Bram Stoker's Dracula, Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories, alongside a range of other Gothic extracts.

Studying texts from different periods gives you the opportunity to explore how literature responds to its historical, social and cultural contexts, while making connections between writers, genres and ideas.

English in a digital world

At BOA Digital, English Literature also sits within a wider specialist digital environment. Independent research and access to digital resources can support your exploration of texts, contexts and different critical perspectives, complementing the close reading, discussion and academic writing at the heart of the subject.

How will I study?

English Literature is a subject built around reading, discussion, debate and interpretation. Lessons are taught by subject specialists and encourage you to develop your own ideas, listen to alternative interpretations and support your arguments with carefully selected evidence.

Independent learning is an important part of the course. You are encouraged to read widely, research independently and engage with challenging ideas beyond the classroom, developing the study habits expected at A Level and beyond.

As your confidence grows, so does your ability to articulate complex ideas. You develop your analytical and discursive skills, learn to construct increasingly sophisticated arguments and become more confident in expressing and defending your own interpretations.

How is the course assessed?

The proposed assessment model consists of two external examinations, both taken at the end of Year 13, alongside a 3,000-word portfolio comprising two non-examination assessments completed during the course.

The portfolio provides an opportunity to undertake more sustained literary study and develop your academic writing, with guidance around the expectations and conventions of extended written work.

Throughout the two years, regular practice assessments and directed teacher feedback help you understand your progress, refine your writing and identify the areas that will make the greatest difference to your development.

Develop skills that take you further.

English Literature develops much more than your knowledge of individual texts. You learn to analyse complex information, evaluate different interpretations, construct persuasive arguments, communicate ideas clearly and write with precision.

You also develop the confidence to question assumptions, consider different perspectives and reach your own evidence-based conclusions. These are valuable skills for further study and for future pathways where critical thinking, communication and the ability to understand complex ideas matter.

Read. Question. Interpret.

A Level English Literature is for students who enjoy reading, discussing ideas and discovering that there is rarely only one way to interpret a great piece of writing. It challenges you to become a more independent reader, a more sophisticated writer and a more confident critical thinker.

Because studying literature isn't simply about understanding what writers have said. It's about developing the confidence to decide what you think – and the ability to explain why.