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About AS Level English Literature
AS Level English Literature is the first year of A Level English Literature, usually taken in Year 12. Students sit the exams at the end of that year. It is built around close reading of set texts, covering drama, poetry and prose, plus unseen material. It works two ways: as a qualification in its own right, or as the first half of a full A Level.
The subject is not really about understanding the texts. Most students already follow the plot and the themes. The marks come from something harder: building an argument under time pressure, choosing the right quotation, and writing about how language creates meaning rather than what happens next.
We teach the AS as its own qualification, not a warm-up for the second year. Lessons follow the set texts and specification your child's school uses, we work from real past papers from their board, and we mark essays the way an examiner would. Parents can follow progress in the Centaurus Academy LMS all year.
Who AS Level English Literature Is For
This course suits Year 12 students who want an AS English Literature grade they can rely on.
- Year 12 students sitting AS English Literature this summer
- Students aiming at English, law, history or journalism degrees
- Learners pushing from a B up to an A
- Students who understand the texts but lose marks in essays
- Students who struggle to find enough to say in a timed answer
AS Level English Literature Exam Boards We Cover
Every board here examines through essays, but the rules differ in ways that change how your child should revise. Some papers are open book and some are closed, so a quotation sheet helps on one paper and is useless on the next. Edexcel does not even weight its two papers equally. We teach the exact papers your child sits.
AQA
Two papers, each 1 hour 30 minutes and 50 marks, worth 50% each, both built on one theme: Love through the ages. Paper 1 is Shakespeare and poetry, and it is closed book, so students cannot take their texts in. They study one Shakespeare play and one AQA anthology of love poetry. Section A is a passage-based question with a linked essay, and Section B is one question on a printed poem, 25 marks each. Paper 2 is prose, and it is open book. Students study two prose texts and also answer on an unseen prose extract in Section A, then compare their two texts in Section B, again 25 marks each.
Edexcel
Two papers, both open book, so clean copies of the texts go into the exam. They are not weighted equally, which is unusual. Component 1, Poetry and Drama, is the larger paper: 2 hours, 72 marks and 60% of the qualification. Section A is a comparative essay on a named poem plus a poem of the student's choosing, worth 24 marks, and Section B is one drama essay worth 48 marks. Component 2, Prose, is 1 hour 15 minutes, 44 marks and 40%: one comparative essay on two prose texts from a chosen theme, at least one of them pre-1900. Four texts are studied in total, and all assessment is in May or June of a single year.
Cambridge
Two compulsory papers make up the AS, each 2 hours, 50 marks and worth 50%. Paper 1 is Drama and Poetry, where candidates answer one question from Section A on drama and one from Section B on poetry. Paper 2 is Prose and Unseen, with one question from Section A on prose and one from Section B on an unseen text. AS students study three set texts and prepare for one unseen text. Exams run in the June and November series. Students can carry their AS marks forward into the full A Level, within the rules and time limits.
OxfordAQA
Two units, each a 2-hour exam worth 50 marks and 50% of the AS. Unit 1 is Aspects of dramatic tragedy, studied through two drama texts, and it is closed book. Section A is a passage-based question on Elizabethan and Jacobean tragedy, and Section B is an essay on later dramatic tragedies, 25 marks each. Unit 2 is Place in literary texts, studied through one prose text and one poetry text, and it is open book. Section A is a prose essay and Section B is a poetry essay, again 25 marks each. The AS is worth 40% of the full International A Level. Exams run in May/June and January, and units can be retaken.
How Centaurus Helps AS Level English Literature Students Excel
Essay Structure That Earns Marks
Examiners reward a clear line of argument. We teach a repeatable structure that gets students to a judgement, rather than listing everything they know about the text.
Quotations and Textual Detail
Short, well-chosen quotations earn more than long ones. Your child builds a bank of usable evidence for every set text, and learns to embed it in a sentence.
Open Book and Closed Book Practice
Some papers allow the texts and some do not. We practise both ways, so your child is not caught out by suddenly having no book to rely on.
Unseen Texts
AQA and Cambridge both ask students to write on a text they have never seen. It is a skill, not luck, and we practise it until the method is automatic.
Classes in Your Local Time
Live sessions scheduled around your time zone, so no late nights or early mornings just to make a class.
24/7 Progress Reporting
Families get access to the Centaurus Academy LMS, with attendance, progress and lesson notes available to parents, students and teachers at any time.
Why Centaurus Stands Out
Choosing the right AS Level English Literature support makes a real difference. Here is how Centaurus Academy compares with typical online providers.
Meet our Team Of Experts
Our expert tutors bring deep subject knowledge and a passion for teaching — helping every student reach their full potential.
What Parents Say About Us
Hear from the parents and students who have experienced our personalised teaching first-hand.
Excellent long-term experience
We have an excellent long-term experience with the academy and Sir Awais. Our three children studied with them during different periods and succeeded well. We highly recommend the academy.
Excellent academy
Centaurus Academy is truly one of the best educational institutions I've come across. The environment is nurturing, the staff are incredibly dedicated, and the quality of education is outstanding. They focus not only on academic excellence but also on character building and personal growth. The teachers are supportive and go the extra mile to ensure every student feels confident and motivated.
My child has gained confidence
I'm very satisfied with the dedication and teaching approach. My child has gained confidence and improved significantly in understanding math concepts, thanks to the teacher's clear explanations and supportive guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions About AS Level English Literature
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