English Language A Level
A Level English Language equips you with the skills to be critical readers of language, encouraging you to use academic principles when exploring and analysing all forms of written and spoken communication. Lessons take the form of seminars and workshops, allowing you to engage with diverse opinions and interpretations of a range of stimulating texts.
This particular specification aims to provide you with a natural progression from studying GCSE English. It helps you to understand how the English language has evolved, and continues to evolve, and encourages you to appreciate this through learning about its structures and its functions, its development and its variations. Furthermore, it allows you to develop your own language use, refining your ability to express yourself in speech and writing, and challenging you to produce texts for different audiences and purposes.
This course is particularly suitable if you wish to study English language, linguistics, English studies or other related subjects in higher education such as journalism, media studies, communication or politics.
Curriculum Intent
At Windsor Academy Trust we want to inspire a love of language and literature and to ensure our learners become effective readers, writers and speakers.
What you will study
This specification consists of four main topics - Language and the Individual, Child Language Acquisition, Language Diversity and Language Choice - and a Non-exam Assessment (NEA). You will develop your analytical skills and also your own writing skills, both for critique and creativity.
Language and the Individual
You will study the language frameworks, from phonetics and morphology, to discourse structures and graphology. These features will form the basis of analysis into how texts represent their topics and their readers.
Child Language Acquisition
You will learn about the earliest stages of child language development, looking at reading, writing and speaking. The study of different theoretical perspectives will allow you to critically analyse texts created by children.
Language Diversity
This unit will teach you about the diversity of language as it exists among different genders, ages, ethnicities, occupations and regions. Further theories will be studied to allow you to become expert analysts of written and spoken communication.
Language Change
You will explore how language has changed, and continues to change, in the face of new technologies and the globalisation of communication.
NEA
You will complete one Language Investigation into a language phenomenon in real-life texts, and will create one piece of original writing.
How the course is assessed
- Paper 1: Language, the Individual and Society, 40%
- Paper 2: Language Diversity and Change, 40%
- NEA: Language in Action, 20%
Entry requirements
- Five subjects at grade 4 or above, including English and maths
- Grade 6 or above in GCSE English Language or Literature
Why study English Language at Windsor Sixth Form?
- Specialist teaching - The English Department is staffed by enthusiastic individuals, all of whom are knowledgeable and dedicated professionals. Not only do they have excellent subject knowledge, but there are also specialists in a variety of areas of study including etymology and language and culture
- Partnership with University of Birmingham - We will be working closely with the University of Birmingham to deliver a range of extra opportunities and workshops which will enhance your studies and provide you with insight into university life
- Excellent results - Staff are committed to supporting students to reach their full potential - in 2021, 55% of students achieved grades A* - B and 100% of students achieved grades A* - C
Other courses that go well with A Level English Language
A Level English Language develops your abilities to analyse, communicate and read critically, therefore making it a suitable course to study alongside any subject. It will work well alongside any other course, but particularly subjects such as philosophy and ethics, history, sociology and law.
What you can do after the course
The skills you will develop studying English language are among the most transferable, meaning you will have a broad spectrum of opportunities available to you.
Further study and apprenticeships
University courses you may wish to pursue include:
- English (Literature, Language or Language and Literature)
- Creative Writing
- History
- Law
- Sociology
- Journalism
- Drama
- Business Management
- Linguistics
- Photography and Film
If you are considering an apprenticeship, you could think about working in:
- The Police Force
- Marketing
- Health and Social Care
- Quantity Surveying
- Administration
- Law
- Software development
- Education
Careers
A Level English Literature could lead you almost anywhere because the skills you will have developed are so appealing to employers. Some example careers are:
- Advertising
- Human resources and relations
- Journalism
- Publishing
- Broadcasting
- Business development
- Counselling
- Consulting
Where do our students progress to after the course?
Students often progress to university. Example student destinations include:
- Aston University to read English Language and Literature
- Worcester University to study Social Work
- University of Birmingham to read Sports and Exercise Health Sciences
- Nottingham Trent to read History and Linguistics
- Exeter University to read History
Student success stories
- One student received an A* in English Language and is going on to the University of Sheffield to read Politics and International Relations
- Having achieved an A in English, one student progressed to the University of Birmingham to read Psychology
- One student achieved and A in English Language and moved on to Aston University to read Biomedical Science