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 (0500) and the IGCSE English Literature (0486) 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 2 & Paper 3) in English Language: this will make up 100% of their final grade.

• The length of both Paper 2 & Paper 3 is two hours each. Each paper is worth a total of 50 marks
• There are three questions in Paper 2 and two questions in Paper 3.

Students are expected to:

• Analyse, evaluate and develop facts, ideas and opinions.
• Articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined.
• Sequence facts, ideas and opinions.
• Use a range of appropriate vocabulary.
•  Use register appropriate to audience and context.
• Demonstrate understanding of how writers achieve effects.
• Demonstrate understanding of explicit meanings and implicit meanings and attitudes.
• Demonstrate accuracy in punctuation and spelling.

The assessment objectives for First Language English are:
A01: Reading

• Demonstrate understanding of explicit meanings
• Demonstrate understanding of implicit meanings and attitudes
• Analyse, evaluate and develop facts, ideas and opinions
• Demonstrate an understanding of how writers achieve effects

A02: Writing

• Articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined
• Sequence facts, ideas and opinions
• Use a range of appropriate vocabulary
• Use register appropriate to audience and context
• Make accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar