Year 4 students will follow a two-year course in English Language and English Literature and at the end of Year 5 will sit two exams in IGCSE First Language English and two exams in English Literature. The IGCSE First Language English (0990) and the IGCSE Literature in English (0992) exams are the equivalent international versions of the GCSE exams that are offered to students in the United Kingdom. 

The IGCSE courses encourage students to: 

• Communicate accurately, appropriately and effectively 

• Understand and respond appropriately to what they read and experience 

• Enjoy and appreciate the variety of language 

• Appreciate the importance and relevance of literature 

The main advantage of IGCSE is its flexibility in that it allows students to show what they are capable of, rather than penalising for the mistakes they make.
In addition, all students will be able to acquire two IGCSE qualifications at the end of their English course in Year 5. There is, therefore, no Literature option because of its inclusion within the mainstream programme of English offered.

Since this is a two-year programme, work covered in language and literature in both class and homework will be relevant in the final assessment.

The English Department views the IGCSE as a relevant, enjoyable and productive course, which students are able to contribute to effectively and creatively. 

Students will sit two papers (Paper 1 & Paper 2) in English Language: this will make up 100% of their final grade. Students will also take Component 4, which is the Speaking and Listening part and is separately endorsed. 

The length of Paper 1 & Paper 2 is two hours each. Each paper is worth a total of 80 marks. Component 4 is approximately 10-12 minutes and is worth a total of 40 marks. 

There are four questions in Paper 1 and two questions in Paper 2. 

Paper 1 is the reading paper and Paper 2 is the writing paper.  

The aims are to enable students to: 

• read a wide range of texts, fluently and with good understanding, enjoying, exploring and appreciating a variety of language 
• read critically, and to use knowledge gained from reading to inform and improve their own writing 
• write accurately and effectively, using English language appropriate to audience, purpose and form
• work with information and with ideas in language by developing skills of evaluation, analysis, use and inference 
• listen to, understand and use spoken English effectively, developing a range of spoken language strategies 
• acquire and apply a wide vocabulary, alongside a knowledge and understanding of grammatical terminology and linguistic conventions.

The assessment objectives (AOs) are: 

AO1 Reading 

Candidates will be assessed on their ability to: 

R1 demonstrate understanding of explicit meanings  

R2 demonstrate understanding of implicit meanings and attitudes  

R3 analyse, evaluate and develop facts, ideas and opinions, using appropriate support from the text  

R4 demonstrate understanding of how writers achieve effects and influence readers 

R5 select and use information for specific purposes. 

AO2 Writing 

Candidates will be assessed on their ability to: 

W1 articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined  

W2 organise and structure facts, ideas and opinions for deliberate effect  

W3 use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures appropriate to context  

W4 use language appropriate to purpose and to engage the audience  

W5 make accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar. 

AO3 Speaking and Listening 

Candidates will be assessed on their ability to:  

SL1 articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined  

SL2 present facts, ideas and opinions for deliberate effect  

SL3 communicate clearly, purposefully and fluently appropriate to context 

SL4 use register appropriate to context  

SL5 listen and respond appropriately in conversation. 

Students will sit three papers (Component 1: Prose & Poetry, Component 2: Drama and Unseen) in English Literature. These account for 100% of the final IGCSE mark. 

The length of Component 1: Prose & Poetry is one and a half hours. There are two questions in Component 1 and each question is worth 25 marks, for a total of 50 marks. 

The length of Component 2 is two hours. Students must answer one question from a choice of two on a studied play – one passage-based and one essay question, and answer one question from a choice of two, one based on an unseen poem and one on an unseen prose extract. 

The aims are to: 

• enjoy the experience of reading literature in English
• explore literary texts in different forms, from different periods, diverse cultures and societies
• communicate an informed personal response appropriately and effectively
• appreciate different ways in which writers create meanings and achieve effects
• develop the transferable critical reading and writing skills needed for future learning.

Students are expected to: 

• Communicate an informed personal response. 

• Demonstrate knowledge of the content of the texts, through reference to detail and use of quotations from the text. 

• Demonstrate understanding of characters, relationships, situations and themes. 

• Show understanding of a writer’s intentions and methods: response to the writer’s use of language. 

• Understand and respond to literary texts in different forms and from different periods and cultures. 

• Explore the contribution of literature to an understanding of areas of human concern. 

The assessment objectives for IGCSE English Literature are: 

AO1: show detailed knowledge of the content of literary texts in the three main forms (drama, poetry & prose) 

AO2: understand the meanings of literary texts and their contexts, and explore texts beyond surface meanings to show deeper awareness of ideas and attitudes. 

AO3: recognise and appreciate ways in which writers use language, structure and form to create and shape meanings and effects. 

AO4: communicate a sensitive and informed personal response to literary texts.