GCSE English Language (Exam Boards Covered: AQA, OCR, Edexce

GCSE English Language (Exam Boards Covered: AQA, OCR, Edexcel, Educas)

GCSE English language aims to develop a pupil’s writing skills, their ability to write for impact and their capacity to produce clear and coherent written texts. Furthermore, pupils are taught to read fluently and write effectively, demonstrate confident control of Standard English forms and write grammatically correct sentences. They will be shown how to confidently employ figurative language and analyse texts.

GCSE English Language requires candidates to read and be assessed on responses to challenging texts from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Each text will represent a substantial piece of writing, making significant demands on pupils in terms of content, structure and language.

The examined texts, across a range of genres and types, will support pupils in developing their own writing through the provision of effective models. The texts studied will include literature and extended literary non-fiction, and other writing such as essays, reviews and journalism, from both printed and online sources.

Pupils will build upon familiarity with a range of fiction and non-fiction texts and engage with creative as well as real writing contexts. Pupils will be given opportunities to develop sophisticated reading and critical thinking skills that encourage genuine enquiry into different topics and themes.

GCSE English Literature (Exam Boards Covered: AQA, OCR, Edexcel, Educas)

All our GCSE English teachers are English subject specialists who are familiar with the new specifications of both the English Literature and English Language courses.

English literature encourages students to become more enthusiastic and independent readers, allowing them to develop imaginative, critical and analytical skills. Furthermore, by aiming to increase the enjoyment of reading, it helps students to nurture a love of literature outside the classroom.

Specifications of each exam board deepen a student’s understanding and knowledge of a range of poetry, prose and drama, including texts from Shakespeare as well as modern writers. Students are taught how to explore the impact of language, structure and form in the texts, as well as how to connect ideas, themes and issues in texts.

Furthermore, students learn how to explain settings, characters, themes and plots creatively through historical, social and cultural contexts. They develop their ability to effectively research, plan and prepare their responses using their own ideas and interests, as well as critical reading.

GCSE Maths (Exam Boards Covered: AQA, OCR, Edexcel, Educas)

As with our English and science teachers, all our GCSE Maths teachers are subject specialists, making them very familiar with the new, and more challenging, specification for Maths, at both foundation and higher tier levels. In the main, GCSE Maths is getting more challenging and demanding for everyone.

The changes to GCSE Maths can be summarised as follows:-

More content to be taught with the introduction of more difficult topics.
More emphasis on higher-order skills of problem-solving and mathematical reasoning, with more marks being allocated in the exams to these skills.
The need for children to memorise formulae.
The increase in total examination time.
A new grading structure from 9 to 1, with fewer marks at the lower grades and more marks at the higher grades.

All exam boards offer a Foundation tier (grades 1 to 5) and a Higher tier (grades 4 to 9). Pupils must take three papers at the same tier. All papers must be taken in the same series.

GCSE Science (Exam Boards Covered: AQA, OCR, Edexcel, Educas)

At New Hope Education Centre, we offer GCSE Science classes that are designed for pupils taking both the Combined Science exams and the Triple Science exams. When pupils enrol onto our GCSE Science programme, we establish whether they are registered to take the Combined Science exams or the Triple Science exams. We also establish which exam board they are studying and whether they are registered to take the foundation tier or higher tier exam papers. This is to ensure that we allocate them into the appropriate GCSE Science class.

With Combined Science all three science subjects of Biology, Chemistry and Physics are covered, however, the pupil will obtain two grades as opposed to three. Also, the breadth of the syllabus for combined science is not as deep as for triple science.

National Curriculum

National curriculum in England: English programmes of study. The statutory programmes of study and attainment targets for English at key stages 1 to 4. Click the link below to learn more.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-english-programmes-of-study

National curriculum in England: Mathematics programmes of study. The statutory programmes of study and attainment targets for mathematics at key stages 1 to 4. Click the link below to learn more.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-mathematics-programmes-of-study

National curriculum in England: Science programmes of study. The statutory programmes of study and attainment targets for mathematics at key stages 1 to 4. Click the link below to learn more.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-science-programmes-of-study