GCSE English Literature | Distance Learning | Oxford Open Learning

GCSE English Literature Online

Course Price

English Literature GCSE Key Facts

  • PRICE: £375
  • TIME REQUIRED: 200 hours
  • EXAMS: Summer only
  • SPECIFICATION: AQA GCSE English Literature 8702
GCSE English Literature Online

English Literature GCSE

Few subjects inspire and encourage personal creativity like English Literature.  The study of some of the finest pieces in literature will show you how we make sense of the world through stories in the form of novels, poetry or plays.

Many adults already have a love of literature and they choose to enhance this with a formal study programme. During our course, you will have the opportunity to explore a range of literary interests.

Please note that if you need an “english” qualification then English Literature is unlikely to be suitable and you should look at the English GCSE or IGCSE. If you have the time and resources then the two together are an ideal combination.

 

You will learn

  • to read a wide range of classic literature fluently  and make connections across your reading
  • to read in depth, critically and evaluatively, so you are able to discuss and explain your understanding and ideas
  • to appreciate the depth and power of the English literary heritage
  • to write accurately, effectively and analytically about your reading, using Standard English
  • to acquire and use a wide vocabulary, including the grammatical terminology and other literary and linguistic terms needed
    to criticise and analyse what you have read.

The Course

The Oxford Open Learning English Literature GCSE course is divided into six modules and 22 lessons in all. It contains the following;

Literary Analysis

  • Writing about Yourself
  • Comparing Different Versions of an Event
  • Imagery and Setting
  • Character
  • Point of View

Essay Technique

  • Persuasion
  • Paragraphing
  • Planning Essays
  • Argument

Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet

  • Studying Shakespeare
  • Acts I and II
  • Acts III, IV and V
  • Characters and Themes

J.B. Priestley: An Inspector Calls

  • Act One and Characters
  • Act Two and Structure
  • Act Three and Language
  • Themes of the Play

Unseen Texts and Poetry Anthology

  • Analysing Poems
  • Anthology Worksheets 1-15

 Mary Shelley: Frankenstein

  • The Plot of Frankenstein
  • Mary Shelley and the Gothic Novel
  • Characters and Themes
  • More on Themes

Paper 1:

1 hr 45 mins, 40% of marks Section A: Shakespeare: students will answer one question on their play of choice. They will be required to write in detail about an extract from the play and then to write about the play as a whole.  Our choice: Romeo and Juliet. Section B The 19th-century novel: will answer one question on their novel of choice. They will be required to write in detail about an extract from the novel and then to write about the novel as a whole.   Our choice is Mary Shelley: Frankenstein.

Paper 2

2 hrs 15 mins, 60% of marks Section A: Modern texts: students will answer one essay question from a choice of two on their studied modern prose or drama text. Our choice is J.B. Priestley: An Inspector Calls. Section B: Poetry: students will answer one comparative question on one named poem printed on the paper and one other poem from their chosen anthology cluster. Students will study one cluster of poems taken from the AQA poetry anthology, Poems Past and Present. There is a choice of two clusters, each containing 15 poems. The poems in each cluster are thematically linked and were written between 1789 and the present day. The titles of the two clusters are:

  • Love and relationships
  • Power and conflict.

Students should study all 15 poems and be prepared to write about any of them in the examination.  Our English Literature GCSE course will cover the Power and Conflict cluster.


The AQA GCSE English Literature (8702) will prepare students for exams from June 2022. This course has been chosen because it is very suitable for distance learning in having no coursework component.

Online Course or Paper Based? Additional Tuition? It’s your choice!

All of our GCSE English Literature students receive:

  • Traditional printed learning materials
  • Access to our online resources with on-the-go access to all your regular lessons
  • The support of a fully qualified teacher online and by phone
  • You will have the same tutor through your course which will enable you to build a good working relationship. They generally work some evenings and weekends as well as through the holidays.
  • You also have the choice of purchasing extra one to one tutor time on an ad hoc basis for those few occasions when you may feel you need it.
More info

Hi! We are currently open and an experienced Student Adviser is available to answer any questions you may have. Our number is 0800 9 757575

Supporting Resources

FAQs

  • Oxford Open Learning is a long-established educational trust. We take pride in;
    • treating every student as an individual
    • our friendly and knowledgeable customer service team
    • the quality of our courses
    • we’re rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot by students who have studied with us.
    • we provide online and printed resources so you can study your way – other providers do not give you that choice.
    • we make studying your online course easy with our flexible schedule, tutor support, and interest-free payment plan.

    Oxford Open Learning is a not-for-profit trust, so you can be sure that your course fees are spent on either your education and tuition or on improving our courses.

    Press the “apply now button”  and you will find that we certainly do not employ any high-pressure sales techniques. We want you to be comfortable with your choice before committing to a course and so we encourage questions and discussion before you start your journey with us.

    Once you are studying, our friendly and experienced staff are always available to give help and advice in person on the ‘phone or by email if you prefer.

Both qualifications are level 2 qualifications of the same standard. Both are recognised by Colleges of Further Education as a suitable preparation for further study but if you need “english” for a job then the literature course is not ideal. Look at English GCSE or IGCSE instead.

The IGCSE is accredited by Edexcel and can be both studied and examined from abroad.  The GCSE is accredited by AQA and can be studied from abroad but students will need to be in England in order to sit the exam.

You can enrol any time you like, the earlier the better. The important thing to think about is when you wish to sit your exam and to give yourself plenty of time to work through your materials and revise successfully. Our cut-off date for enrolment is November for the following summer exams. There are only summer exams for AQA Literature.

Once you have enrolled, you will get immediate access to your course online and your printed course materials will arrive a few days later.

All the information you need to book your exam with an exam centre can be found in the Student Information section of our website. Here you will find

  • detailed instructions on what to do and how to approach exam officers if there is no online booking system
  • the entry codes needed to book exams
  • our map of examination centres that have helped our students in recent years.

Our experienced Advisers are also always available with a wealth of knowledge about how to locate exam centres and book exams.

OOL students have the advantage of not being tied to sitting with any one centre or organisation and several will offer discounts to our students. Tutors & Exams is one of the biggest operators. They have nine exam venues across the UK in; Birmingham, Bolton, Coventry, Doncaster, High Wycombe, Romford, St Neots, Taunton and Wimbledon.

Our map also shows plenty of other centres that are also very likely to help our students, they may also offer a discount and they could be cheaper. If you have the time it is always worth shopping around.

You should start to look for an exam centre as soon as possible after enrolling and preferably in the Autumn term before your summer exam. There is a lot of demand for Private Exam places and many centres are already booked up well before Christmas. The AQA Exam Board’s final date for booking summer exams without incurring late entry fees is the 21st of February, but do not expect to find many places willing to help at this late stage.

First fill out our website application form giving as much relevant information as possible and at this stage you have not committed to anything. Once the application has been received and assessed by our Admissions Department, a Student Adviser will contact you to discuss the application, answer any more questions you may have and confirm your subject selections and cost before you get started.

We want you to be comfortable with your choice and clear about the way forward, therefore we do not employ any high pressure sales techniques and you are free to take your time before you commit to investing in any study programme.

Once you are ready, you can pay your Student Adviser in full or arrange to pay in instalments.

There is no upper age limit to studying for a GCSE and we get students who are retired and in their 70’s even 80’s. They often just want to study to keep their brains active and many don’t actually go the expense of sitting the exam. Our tutors love what they can learn from these students

However, most students have just started work and need an extra GCSE to progress or want to switch to a job which requires a qualification they do not have.

If you are under 18 years old then you need our sister company Oxford Home Schooling.

Not surprisingly, many people find the idea of sitting a GCSE with a group of 16 year olds very intimidating but you are quite likely not to be alone.

There is no denying that it can be uncomfortable for a grown up to sit in what is likely to be the cheapest place; a school. Also because of safeguarding, many schools will no longer allow unknown grown ups in to their premises, but there are other options.

The private commercial exam centres all allow grown ups to sit and consequently although you will be in the minority, you will probably not be the only one. Some private schools are still happy to accommodate adults and they will be likely to have the most experienced exam officers.

Exams are not easy for anyone but at least as an adult you will probably have done it before and have the life experience not to panic.

We can print your materials on different coloured paper and because you are studying at home you will be able to take all the time you need to complete your work, but unfortunately we do not have special needs teachers.

When it comes to exams, you may be able to apply for extra time, but if you do not have a current diagnosis then you will need to go through the process of getting one. This can be expensive and time consuming, so please let us know of any special requirements when you apply.

Most of our GCSE and IGCSE courses are fairly self contained and you should not need many if any extra books to complete successfully.

Having said that all students will benefit from reading around a subject and your tutor will be able to advise if any additional reading would useful. These days the internet is an enormous resource both for accessing free materials and buying cheap or second hand books.

The English Literature course obviously majors on books and therefore you should really obtain copies of the set texts. Your tutor will advise.

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