All pupils in Years 8-10 follow the revised Northern Ireland curriculum and complete Key Stage 3 examinations at the end of Year 10. Year 8 pupils are streamed to ensure that each pupil is working at a pace commensurate with their ability. The exam board that we use is for Key Stage 3 is CCEA.

Pupils study English because it is a compulsory part of the Common Curriculum.  Moreover, the ability to communicate effectively, either in written or oral form, is central to success in the majority of subjects.
All pupils will follow the GCSE syllabus.

The course will be assessed through the 3 attainment targets:

1. (i) Talking and Listening
2. (ii) Reading

(iii) Writing
The final subject level will be awarded following the review of performance of candidates in each attainment target at the end of the course.

Written Terminal Examination (60%)
There are 2 tiers of entry for this examination.
Foundation Tier -Grades C - G Higher Tier -Grades A* - D (E)
In both tiers there are 2 papers in the terminal examination.

Paper 1 (30%) 2 hours Paper 2 (30%) 2 hours

Coursework (40%)
Students will be provided with opportunities to read, write and talk about a wide range of material based on 3 areas of study: prose, drama and poetry.

Reading and Writing
4 written assignments will be required as evidence of attainment in Reading and Writing, with an overall word limit of approximately 2,500 words.

Talking and Listening
Talking and listening is an intrinsic part of GCSE English enabling pupils to receive credit for the ability to respond orally as well as in written form.
This will be assessed by the teacher throughout the course, in a variety of situations.  The final assessment will be based on the candidates’ 3 best performances within the contexts specified.