What is involved in English GCSE studies? 

English students have two English qualifications to study for:
English Literature and English Language.

The Literature GCSE is made up of a:
  • Shakespeare play
  • poetry anthology
  • 19th century text
  • modern text

These texts need to be studied and understood deeply. Students will need to write an essay on each text in the exams. 

The Language GCSE is made up of 2 papers:
  • fiction
  • non-fiction

Whilst there are no texts to study for these 2 exams, students must understand the assessment objectives well and practise their analysis skills and their creative and persuasive writing skills to do well in these exams.
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How do Ruth's courses work?

Ruth's courses have been set up to ensure students get the depth of knowledge needed to excel in the exams. 

Each course will focus on one literature text or one language paper and will run for 6/7 weeks (the duration of a half term).

It takes 6 courses to cover the entire literature and language curriculum.

Courses run weekly in Ruth's purpose-built classroom and online. Some courses run as a hybrid class with students in-class and online simultaneously.
  
Courses never exceed 8 students.

Ruth will see her own course students on a one-to-one basis if the need arises.

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What do the students learn?

To succeed in English, most students need to improve:
  •  their knowledge of the texts - particularly the themes
  • their ability to analyse language and structure
  • their own essay writing skills

The courses are structured to ensure these improvements can be made.

Where there is video content available, Ruth will share two 30 minute videos with students each week so that students can come to class fully informed. When video teaching has been used, a 30 minute group session will take place each week where students learn how to put their new-found knowledge into an essay.

Whilst Ruth is together with the students they work on past paper questions; brainstorming, discussing and planning their answers. Students then write the essays in their own time. Individual feedback is given on all written work. This is a crucial part of the learning and is something that continues from one course to the next. The development of their essay writing skills continues from course to course, up until the exams. 

Ruth has an enhanced DBS certificate, a first aid qualification and a safeguarding certificate. 

Please see the health and safety document below
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