English
English A Level is an intellectually stimulating and highly sought after qualification which will provide you with an armoury of skills valued by top universities, with many of our students securing places at Oxford and Cambridge every year. Our students have gone on to study a range of subjects at undergraduate level, including medicine, engineering, law, journalism, humanities, finance and commerce, to name but a few. The English course develops sophisticated research, written and communication skills, taught by a department of subject specialists. From the Canterbury to the Handmaid’s Tales, English students explore a range of literary texts from across the canon, making connections with historical, philosophical, political movements and literary criticism. Students also have the opportunity to explore their own choice of literature, with 20% of the qualification dedicated to an independent project, enabling pupils to showcase their individual research interests. In year 12, there will also be an opportunity to visit the birthplace of Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon, where we will see the latest theatrical productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company, as well as meeting with a leading lecturer in Shakespearean academia.
Watch students Esme and Jonathan in the short film below and then scroll down to learn more from from past and present students.
Like What You See?
Find out more about A-level English from our past students below …
Ana Dilley – left KEGS in 2016.
Studied Languages at Exeter University
“Even though I did not go on to study English Literature at university, the structure and requirements of the English Literature course meant I found it to be the most helpful subject when I made the transition from sixth form to university. Not only did I really enjoy the texts we got to study, as well as the flexibility in choosing your own texts and question for the personal investigation, the requirements challenged me to think independently when engaging with scholarship. I think the best testimony I can give is that I still return to my Literature texts and enjoy them even more for understanding their contexts. In my time at KEGS, the English department provided great support for an English course that was stimulating, covering a wide range of interesting Literature. From Seamus Heaney to F. Scott Fitzgerald, the English Pre-U taught me the importance of different themes and socio-political contexts. This was excellent perpetrate for essays at higher education level, and I developed a solid foundation in skills needed for successful university essays. This foundation has continued to benefit me in my new career in the world of Public Relations.”
Theo Demolder – left KEGS in 2015.
Studied Human, Social & Political Sciences at Cambridge University
“I loved the course – some of my most enjoyable lessons at KEGS were those English lessons: reading aloud, acting, discussing ideas and having the chance to explore my own interests in depth through the coursework element. In particular, practising the close reading of texts – and considering their historical contexts – was invaluable for my degree, in which I specialised in the history of political thought. More broadly, I think it definitely helped me to strengthen my own writing which is still of value each day as I try to write communicate complex information in concise and persuasive briefings for the Lords Committee I work for.”
