Hi Reader

As we move through January and Year 11 students have their mock results in hand, one area that consistently causes anxiety is unseen poetry.

Unlike set texts or the anthology, unseen poetry gives students no chance to prepare content in advance. They are expected to read, interpret, analyse and often compare poems they have never seen before, all under time pressure. For many students, that feels intimidating rather than exciting.

This is why the 2025 GCSE English Literature examiner’s report is so useful. It gives very clear guidance on what actually earned marks in unseen poetry, and where students commonly lost them.

What went well in 2025 (according to examiners)

The examiner report highlighted that:

• At higher levels, students showed sensitivity and insight, supported by judicious references to the poem.
• At lower levels, students were still able to explore emotions successfully.
• The strongest comparative responses focused on tone, symbolism and the speaker, and, crucially, the effects of these choices.

In other words, successful students were not trying to say everything. They were making thoughtful points and supporting them carefully.

Where students lost marks

Examiners were equally clear about what needed improvement:

• Technique spotting without explanation was still common.
• In both single poem analysis and comparison, students often focused on methods without linking them to meaning.
• Comparison technique spotting reappeared, rather than discussion of what the poems were saying and how those meanings were created.
• Terminology was sometimes used without being fully understood.

The key message from the report is this: analysis must be linked to the big ideas in the poem, not isolated words or devices.

What this means for students preparing now

Unseen poetry is not about guessing what the examiner wants or listing techniques. Examiners reward students who:

• focus on meaning first
• analyse how language and structure create those meanings
• select evidence carefully and explain its effect
• keep comparison focused on ideas, tone and perspective

This is especially important for students who feel overwhelmed by comparison, even with familiar anthology poems.

Unseen Poetry Workshop

This examiner feedback is exactly what my upcoming Unseen Poetry workshop is built around.

In the session, students are taught a clear, repeatable method for:

• approaching an unseen poem calmly
• identifying the big ideas quickly
• choosing quotations that actually support those ideas
• analysing effects rather than listing techniques
• handling comparison without panic

There is no pressure and no requirement to turn cameras on. The aim is to replace uncertainty with a clear plan.

If unseen poetry has been a weak area in mocks, or a source of stress, you can find the workshop details, with a built-in discount for my lovely subscribers, here:
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£35.00 £31.50 Unseen poetry: From Confused to Confident analysis in 2 hours For AQA and Edexcel GCSE literature (Paper 2): Thursday 19th February, 10.30–12.30 (UK time) Does your teen freeze when... Read more Get it now!

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If you are unsure whether it would suit your child, you are very welcome to reply to this email and ask.

Finally, later this term I will also be sharing details of a Macbeth hybrid course, focused on developing clear arguments and question-specific essays. More on that soon.

Warmest wishes,

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Verity