English
“Learning is the only thing the mind never exhausts, never fears and never regrets.”
–Leonardo da Vinci
English is at the heart of what we do at Concord. It is the shared language of our community, of engagement in lessons and enrichment. English as an academic subject is also hugely important in its own right.
Students unite at Concord from many different backgrounds and join us with differing abilities in English. To ensure all students are given appropriate challenges and are able maximise their development, we offer GCSE English Literature and Language to those who are fluent in English and GCSE English as a Second Language is offered to those with a lower attainment level when they join us at Concord.
All of our English courses support students in learning to question and explore, to articulate their opinions and to engage with the world around them. The ability to express ideas in writing and speaking is the key to success at Concord. We take great pride in the progress that our students make, not only in their English exams, but also in their use of English in other subjects and their confidence when using the language in all aspects of their college life and beyond. For some, this can take them as far as national debating finals.
100%
A*/B at A Level in 2023
Public speaking and debating teams
Book clubs and talks from visiting authors
Theatre trips
Interactive learning
IGCSE English Language and Literature
Board
Edexcel International GCSE English Language (Specification A (4EA1) and Edexcel International GCSE English Literature (4ET1)
Mode of assessment
60% exam, 40% coursework
Students finish this course with two IGCSE qualifications, which are highly valued by universities. Students study poetry, non-fiction and fiction literature and complete coursework in descriptive writing. Speaking and listening coursework also allows students to improve their debating, presentation and interview skills.
IGCSE English as a Second Language
Board
Cambridge IGCSE ESL
Mode of assessment
100% exam (25% Reading, 25% Writing, 25% Listening, 25% Speaking)
This course teaches students to develop a better communicative ability and an improved capacity to understand and use English in everyday environments. Students are examined on their knowledge of formal and informal writing, which is improved by their participation in Concord’s ‘Big Read’ and other literature-related activities in class.
A Level Language and Literature
Board
AQA
Mode of assessment
80% Written Exam, 20% coursework
A Level Language and Literature combines both linguistic and literary approaches to reading and interpretation. Students engage creatively and critically with a wide range of texts, and develop their interest in and enjoyment of English literature and language.
Futures
Those who study English form strong independent thinking skills and can develop their own formal written communication style. These are valuable skills to take forward into further studies and are highly regarded in many industries. With such transferable skills, students who studied English at Concord have subsequently studied not only English but History, Law, Architecture and Criminology at universities that include Oxford, Cambridge and Durham.
