English has been divided into two distinct and separate GCSEs; English language and English literature. There is no longer a GCSE that mixes the two. The course work no longer counts at all for the final grade. All students will take the same exam and, unlike the new GCSE in mathematics, there will be no levels.
The English language gcse focuses more on developing students' reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. In comparison, English literature GCSE focuses more on the development of knowledge and comprehension of texts in prose, poetry and theater. In short, there are many different aspects to consider when deciding which topic is most important. In terms of the skills you'll learn, both English language and literature are equally valuable.
However, from an academic point of view, it is important to know that it is mandatory to pass the gcse english Language with a grade 4 or higher. This does not apply to GCSE English literature. Find past documents, specifications, key dates and everything you need to prepare for your exams. In addition, because it is only necessary to pass the English language, some students who have academic difficulties will not be enrolled in the GCSE English literature exams, which represents part of the largest number of students enrolled in the English language exams.
If you are interested in studying English at level A, both language and literature are of equal importance, since many universities want both and ask for grades higher than the pass rate. You will need to obtain a grade 4 or higher in the English language from GCSE; otherwise, you will have to retake the exam the following year. This is apparently due to the idea that the transferable skills that the English language gcse allows you to develop are considered more generalizable. Whether you prefer language literature depends on personal preferences, and one is not necessarily more important than the other when deciding what to study in the future or what best combines with other A levels.
Universities are asking for these higher grades, as A-Levels require a lot of dedication to manage the workload. By achieving a 5 or 6 on your GCSE exams, you demonstrate that you will be able to cope with the content of the course and the exams. Any essay-based subject, specifically humanities, will require skills similar to those of English at level A, so they would be very complementary to any English subject at level A, since you can apply techniques from several subjects to improve your writing. There are three different English options at Level A; English Literature, English Language, and Combined English Literature and Language.
Despite this, it is very important to prepare well for the English language and plan to do a lot of practice work. A core subject leading to a compulsory GCSE, English will generally be taught in skill sets that are different from most other KS3 subjects. For English literature, your review will be more traditional, as you need to learn citations, understand topics and memorize key parts of the texts that will be examined. The creative aspect of English can help a lot with subjects such as film or theater studies, as you can practice your creative writing and learn about a variety of techniques used in theater and film scripts.
The English language is all about comparisons and information extraction, so by studying this subject you are really developing your analytical skills. The requirements are not that you need a pass in any GCSE English subject, but that you specifically need a GCSE English language qualification. When it comes to exam time for GCSE students, they are likely to take an exam administered through one of the country's leading awarding bodies.
