Hi Reader

As an English tutor and examiner, I keep a close eye on GCSE English examiner reports.🧐

They are a treasure trove of information on where students excelled, and where they struggled.💎💰

On 31st October, the AQA exam board released its examiner reports on the 2023 GCSE English exams. They're accessible to the general public: parents can access them, digest them and pass on any useful advice onto their children.

But to save you the trouble, I've extracted the key takeaways on the AQA Language and literature papers, as well as on the Edexcel iGCSE papers.

AQA GCSE English Language

• Paper 1 (Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing)​(AQA-87001-WRE-JUN23)
  • Plan your answers: Respond to questions in sequence; skipping can lead to less insightful responses in question 4, as students need to do the language analysis in earlier questions in order to score highly in the later tasks.
  • Use specific language analysis: In Q3, focus on structural phrases to guide your comments, rather than only individual words. The report highlights that students still struggle with identifying structural techniques. They tend to be undertaught in schools.
  • Creative writing tips: For Q5, let the image inspire, but create your own ideas. The picture needs to be used as a springboard.
  • Vocabulary matters: Avoid complex, literary words that don't match the tone (e.g., "lackadaisical"); complex vocabulary is important to use, but students must use it precisely and appropriately.
• Paper 2 (Writers' Viewpoints and Perspectives)​(AQA-87002-WRE-JUN23)
  • Attention to inference: Misinterpretations arise when students overlook the writer’s tone. Students should always read the whole text first, to detect the writer's attitude, before going into depth about specific quotations.
  • Answer chronologically: For comprehension, tackle statements in the order they appear in the text to keep your responses clear and correct.
  • Focus on comparison: In Q2, ensure that you stick to the focus of the question. Do not be tempted into language analysis. Reserve this for Q4.

AQA GCSE English Literature

• Paper 1 (Shakespeare and the 19th-Century Novel)​(AQA-87021-WRE-JUN23)
  • Focus on the question theme: Look for central themes like "masculinity" or "change" in Macbeth. Always start your essay with a thesis statement, which clearly shows your opinion in response to the essay. This will give your essay a clear direction.
  • Use context carefully: Brief historical insights help, but avoid long introductions—get straight into answering the question.
  • Adapt structure to the question: Don’t feel limited by formulaic paragraph structures. Thoughtful, flexible responses that link different moments in the text often come across as more insightful.
• Paper 2 (Modern Texts and Poetry)​(AQA-87022-WRE-JUN23)
  • Develop personal interpretations: Avoid general responses like "this makes the reader feel." Discuss your own understanding of the text.
  • Poetry comparisons: Choose poems with similar themes for better responses. When discussing "power," pick examples that emphasize an aspect of this theme, for example 'tyranny', or the power of 'memory'.
  • Plan responses: Start your essay with a clear thesis statement, which sets the focus of your response, and outlines the aspect of the theme you're focusing on. This advice applies especially for high-mark poetry and essay questions.

Edexcel iGCSE English Language

• Paper 1 (Non-fiction and Transactional Writing)​(Edexcel igcse english l…)​(Edexcel igcse english l…)
  • Be precise with quotes: For Q1 and Q2, brief, accurate quotes are best. Stick to key words or short phrases rather than long sections to show focus and clarity.
  • Summarize in your own words: In Q2, rephrase points to show you fully understand the passage. In Q3, aim for short, distinct points for each answer rather than combining ideas.
  • Structure longer responses: When writing the longer tasks, start with an outline or main points to keep your answer clear and on track. This is especially helpful for transactional tasks.

Edexcel iGCSE English Literature

• Paper 1 (Poetry and Modern Prose)​(Edexcel igcse english l…)
  • Take a balanced approach: For unseen poems, focus on understanding the main message before diving into metaphors or symbols. Often, starting with simpler meanings can build a stronger foundation for analysis.
  • Thematic focus: In questions about relationships or growth, organize your answer around the main theme, using quotes to support your ideas.
  • Plan for comprehensive analysis: For poetry questions, try to cover the whole poem rather than just the opening lines, to show a complete understanding.
• Paper 2 (Modern Drama and Literary Heritage Texts)​(Edexcel igcse english l…)
  • Balance analysis across themes and structure: When exploring themes like violence or family, balance your discussion of the text’s language and structure for a well-rounded response.
  • Contextual relevance: For plays, brief context adds depth but should directly relate to the theme or character being discussed.
  • Show understanding of the plot and its impact: Emphasize your grasp of the play’s progression and dramatic moments, especially in open-book exams.

In my lessons, I integrate the advice from the reports, so that students adopt the most helpful strategies. For example, as the AQA Language Paper 1 report found structural analysis to be weak in general, a focus of my lessons is identifying structural techniques, and explaining their use in a text.

If you'd like me to guide your child to adopt the strategies which are most likely to get them the highest marks in the GCSE and iGCSE English exams, just get in touch.

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Looking forward to hearing from you,

All the best,

Verity