GCSE LITERATURE - WHOLE EXAM PRACTICE RESOURCE

I've used this resource in class recently with Year 9's who are studying MacBeth and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll. The resource applies to any KS4 Year Group. I've found that by delivering the classes, then relating individual classes to this workbook, it has provided them with an opportunity to 'draft' their exam-style responses, whilst drilling down to the types of response required to hit high-level GCSE. I am becoming more aware, as a teacher working between two outstanding schools, that the level of resource, matched to superb teaching, can help raise the aspirations of the students in a quite straightforward manner, i.e. pitching high from the start and working hard to maintain this level of dedication to task (for student and teacher) - Note: this is but a personal view, though the students I am working with are both responding and flying.

This resource contains whole exam content (Edexcel) and can be printed as a double-sided A4 booklet of 22-pages, or in individual sections, i.e. per Play, Book or Poem.
The resource combines student tasks + key information relating to the texts (Macbeth/An Inspector Calls/Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde/Poetry) + technical information relating to the Edexcel Indicative Content and Descriptors.
The resource was designed in line with the Edexcel sample assessment materials (First Certification from June 2017).
It comprises:
COMPONENT 1/SECTION A
Shakespeare
Part A and B – Extract/Whole 1 hour 45 minutes 80 Marks
MACBETH (Control and Conflict)

SECTION B
Post 1914 Play or Novel
Essay question from quote
AN INSPECTOR CALLS (Experiential Learning and Exploitation)

COMPONENT 2/SECTION A
19th Century Novel
Part 1 and Part 2 – Extract/Whole 2 hours 15 minutes 80 Marks
THE STRANGE CASE OF DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE (Atmosphere and Settings)

SECTION B
Poetry since 1789
Part 1 – Named poem/Poem of choice
Part 2 – Two unseen poems
POETRY (Tension and Character Presentation)
Ideas, Context, Language, Form and Structure
Catrin by Gillian Clarke is used in this resource with option boxes for the additional
+ UNSEEN POETRY

This resource fluidly combines the technical information with guidance tools and student tasks so, in theory, a student can:

- Work through the entire content of all parts of a trial exam in a single day/week
- Understand the Indicative Content suggestions and gain insight into Exemplar Responses
- Gain insight into the Descriptor-language and comprehend the level of dedication to achieve a high grade