English Literature A- Level

Applications open: 10 November 2025

Application deadline: 13th February 2026

Entry Requirements: - 5 x GCSEs Grade 4-9 including English. Maths desirable. Please see individual courses for subject entry requirements. Please visit our website for more information https://www.maplesden.kent.sch.uk/830/welcome

Subject Choices: - You will need to select a minimum of 3 subjects to study and these can be a mixture of A Levels and BTECs with SEFA and MWBA in addition to your full time studies.

How to Apply: - Please apply via KentChoices

The AQA specification for A Level English Literature encourages independent study of a range of texts within a shared context. Studied together they create an understanding of English Literature that will deepen students’ knowledge and love of the subject.

Paper 1: Love through the ages

The aim of this topic area is to encourage students to explore aspects of a central literary theme as seen over time, using unseen material and set texts. Students should be prepared for Love through the ages by reading widely in the topic area, reading texts from a range of authors and times.

The examination consists of:

Section A: Shakespeare text, comprising of one extract-based essay on the chosen set text (closed book)

Section B: Unseen poetry, comprising of a comparative response to two unseen poems (closed book)

Section C: The AQA anthology of love poetry and set prose text. Students answer on one question from a choice of two (open book)

Closed and open book.

Written examination: 3 hours

Paper 2: Texts in shared contexts - Option B: Modern times: literature from 1945 to the present day

Areas that are explored include: wars and the legacy of wars; personal and social identity; changing morality and social structures; gender, class, race and ethnicity; political upheaval and change; resistance and rebellion; imperialism, post-imperialism and nationalism; engagement with the social, political, personal and literary issues which have helped to shape the latter half of the 20th century and the early decades of the 21st century.

The examination consists of:

Section A: Prose set text, in which students answer on one question from a choice of two.

Section B: Unseen prose extract and poetry and drama set texts. This section comprises of two parts in which students provide a critical response to an unseen prose extract followed by a comparative response referring to the drama text and two poems from a set poetry text.

Open book

Written examination: 2.5 hours

Non-exam assessment: Independent critical study: texts across time

In Texts across time, students write a comparative critical study of two texts on a theme of their choice. Possible themes include, but are not limited to: the struggle for identity; crime and punishment; minds under stress; war and conflict; representations of race and ethnicity; representations of sexuality; representations of women/men and representations of social class and culture.

One extended essay (2,500 words) and a Bibliography

Assessment is by two exams worth 80% sat at the end of year 13 with a 20% NEA component (non-exam assessment)

Grade 5/5 or higher in GCSE English Language and Literature.

Careers in the media, journalism, teaching, publishing and marketing are all well suited to an English degree. However, many other professional fields welcome candidates with a good honours degree in this subject.