English Literature
Which schools in England make English Literature a big part of the curriculum, and where results are strongest. Entries and grades from the 2025 performance tables.
English Literature GCSE was taken in 3,972 schools in England in 2025, with 604,559 entries — about 86% of the Year 11 cohort.
Nationally 21% of entries achieved grade 7 or above. The tables below show the schools where the largest share of pupils take the subject, and where grades are highest (schools with at least 20 entries).
At Saint Mary Magdalene Church of England All Through School (Greenwich) 100% of the year group took English Literature.
At A level, English Literature was offered in 2,265 schools and colleges, with 32,241 entries — roughly 11% of A level students.
GCSE: schools with the highest share of grades 7–9
Schools with at least 20 entries. England: 21% of entries graded 7–9. High grades often reflect who is admitted (selective and independent schools) as much as teaching.
A level: schools and colleges where the largest share of students take English Literature
Entries as a share of A level students (at least 30 A level students and 10 entries). England: 11% of A level students.
What pupils learn in English Literature, stage by stage
England has no national year-by-year syllabus: exam boards and schools set the order within each stage. These are the statutory blocks from the Department for Education, so a parent can see what a child meets in Years 7–9, what every GCSE candidate must cover, and what waits in the sixth form.
What GCSE English Literature teaches · Years 10–11
40 learning outcomes from the Department for Education’s statutory subject content, grouped by topic. Each outcome belongs to one of twelve fields of knowledge used across startfrom.today: Arts & Humanities (40). Exam boards add detail on top of these; the outcomes themselves are the same whichever board a school uses.
Reading comprehension9
- explain the meaning of a word, phrase or sentence in context — context, word meaning
- explore the plot of a text — plot
- explore events in a text — events, plot
- explore characterisation in a text — characterisation
- explore the setting of a text — setting
- distinguish between what is stated explicitly and what is implied — explicit meaning, implicit meaning
- explain a character's motivation — characterisation, motivation
- explain the sequence of events in a text — plot sequence
- explain the relationship between actions or events in a text — causation, plot
Reading critically15
- identify the theme of a text — theme
- distinguish between themes in a text — comparison, theme
- support a point of view with evidence from a text — point of view, textual evidence
- recognise the possibility of different responses to a text — reader response
- evaluate different responses to a text — evaluation, reader response
- use social, historical and cultural context to evaluate a text — cultural context, historical context, social context
- make a personal response based on analysis of a text — analysis, personal response
- analyse how language contributes to a text's quality and impact — figurative language, impact, language
- analyse how structure contributes to a text's quality and impact — impact, structure
- analyse how form contributes to a text's quality and impact — form, impact
- evaluate how presentation contributes to a text's impact — impact, presentation
- use literary terminology to evaluate a text — figurative language, literary terminology
- compare and contrast texts by theme and characterisation — characterisation, comparison, theme
- compare and contrast texts by context and style — context, literary quality, style
- compare two texts critically — critical comparison
Writing9
- write to describe, explain and summarise a text — description, explanation, summary
- write to argue, analyse and evaluate a text — analysis, argument, evaluation
- discuss and maintain a point of view about a text — argument, point of view
- select and emphasise key points in writing about literature — emphasis, key point
- use relevant quotation to support a written response — quotation, textual reference
- use detailed textual references in writing about literature — textual reference
- use accurate spelling in writing about literature — spelling
- use accurate punctuation in writing about literature — punctuation
- use accurate grammar in writing about literature — grammar
Set texts7
- read and analyse a Shakespeare play in full — drama, shakespeare, whole text
- read and analyse a 19th-century novel in full — 19th-century novel, whole text
- read and analyse a selection of poetry since 1789, including Romantic poetry — poetry since 1789, romantic poetry
- read and analyse a work of fiction or drama from the British Isles from 1914 onwards — british isles, post-1914 drama, post-1914 fiction
- read widely beyond set texts to prepare for unseen extracts — unseen text, wide reading
- read poetry by at least five different poets — author range, poetry
- read whole texts in detail rather than extracts — close reading, whole text
Source: DfE GCSE English literature subject content (2013), Open Government Licence v3.0. Outcomes are split into single actions and rewritten only where the original bundled several; wording otherwise follows the DfE text. Methodology.
What A level English Literature teaches · Years 12–13
25 learning outcomes from the Department for Education’s statutory subject content, grouped by topic. Each outcome belongs to one of twelve fields of knowledge used across startfrom.today: Arts & Humanities (23), Language & Communication (2). Exam boards add detail on top of these; the outcomes themselves are the same whichever board a school uses.
Knowledge and understanding8
- explore relationships between texts using detailed knowledge of individual worksYear 13 — individual works, intertextuality
- explain the significance of cultural and contextual influences on readers and writersYear 13 — cultural context, literary context
- analyse how writers shape meanings in textsYear 13 — authorial technique, meaning
- analyse how individual texts are interpreted differently by readersYear 13 — reader interpretation
- compare texts with one anotherYear 13 — intertextuality
- explain how texts relate to the contexts in which they were written and readYear 13 — literary context, reception
- analyse how texts have been interpreted differently by readers over timeYear 13 — reception history
- explain how texts relate to literary traditions, movements and genresYear 13 — genre, literary movement, literary tradition
Range and choice of texts8
- study at least two texts from each of prose, poetry and dramaYear 13 — drama, poetry, prose
- study at least one text from each of prose, poetry and dramaYear 12 · AS — drama, poetry, prose
- read a minimum of eight literary texts spanning poetry, prose and dramaYear 13 — drama, poetry, prose
- read at least three texts published before 1900 including one Shakespeare playYear 13 — pre-1900 literature, shakespeare
- read at least one text published or performed after 2000Year 13 — contemporary literature
- read a minimum of four literary texts spanning poetry, prose and dramaYear 12 · AS — drama, poetry, prose
- read at least one text published before 1900Year 12 · AS — pre-1900 literature
- analyse an unseen literary text under examination conditionsYear 13 — close reading, unseen text
Skills9
- read texts in a variety of ways depending on purposeYear 13 — reading strategy
- vary reading strategies such as skimming for gist or reading for detailYear 13 — close reading, reading strategy, skimming
- identify thematic and stylistic connections across textsYear 13 — intertextuality, thematic connections
- identify how attitudes and values are expressed in textsYear 13 — attitudes, value
- evaluate texts drawing on different critical interpretationsYear 13 — interpretation, literary criticism
- communicate knowledge and judgement of texts fluently and accuratelyYear 13 — literary judgement, written communication
- use literary critical terminology accuratelyYear 13 — critical terminology
- reference sources and quotations accurately in literary essaysYear 13 — academic conventions, quotation, referencing
- synthesise knowledge of a range of literary texts and reading approachesYear 13 — independent study, synthesis
Source: DfE GCE AS and A level English literature subject content (2014), Open Government Licence v3.0. Outcomes are split into single actions and rewritten only where the original bundled several; wording otherwise follows the DfE text. Methodology.