AQA English Language Paper 2 Question 2   PROBLEMS This is a question on the new paper that is deceptive for a number of reasons: It involves a lot of work for relatively few marks. Students have to read two texts and become confident in their understanding of their main points.  They have to…

‘All Systems Go!’ for the new GCSE specifications. We spent last year building up to these new exams by trialing our resources with Year 9 classes; we’ve refined and perfected our approach ready for the challenges of the different skills that these new exams demand. From the AQA meetings, it’s clear that, as well as…

We’ve had an avalanche of enquiries in the past week about iGCSE.  It sounds like another chance for Year 11 to attain their potential in English this year, but what’s the best way to prepare for it in the midst of an English Department’s planned programme of study full of preparation for end of year…

The Pupil Premium is in the news again and had us reflecting on what really works to raise the achievement of disadvantaged students.  The Sutton Trust Teaching and Learning Toolkit confirms our own experience: the most cost effective intervention is feedback. One of the techniques we teach is paragraphing.  I thought the one I’d share…