(Written by Tim Shortis in February 2009 for CLIE.)
These pages are to help CLIE members find details of the current GCE Advanced Level English Language ‘specifications’ including past papers (and exemplar papers for new specifications), mark schemes, exam reports, teacher guidance and awarding body contacts. In this document, ‘New’ refers to the specifications which started in September 2008; ‘legacy’ refers to the specifications running since 2000 and being phased out in 2010.
The percentages in brackets indicate the approximate share of the cohort of A Level Language students based on the 2007 A Level figures set out at http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/dick/ec/stats.htm : the AS figures would typically be in the same proportions but about one third larger.
AQA B specifications (about 60%) http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/eng_lang_b_new.php Exemplar AS paper
http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/pdf/AQA-ENGB1-W-SQP-07.PDF Exemplar A2 paper
http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/pdf/AQA-ENGB3-W-SQP-07.PDF Legacy specification exam papers and mark schemes going back 3 years
http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gceasa/englab_assess.php Exam Reports
http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gceasa/englab_exam.php
AQA A specifications (about 20%) http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/eng_lang_a_new.php Exemplar AS paper
http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/pdf/AQA-ENGA1-W-SQP-07.PDF Exemplar A2 paper
http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/pdf/AQA-ENGA3-W-SQP-07.PDF Legacy specification exam papers and mark schemes going back 3 years
http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gceasa/englaa_assess.php Exam Reports
http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gceasa/englaa_exam.php Edexcel (aka Pearson) specifications (about 10%) Awarding body homepage
http://www.edexcel.com/ Guide to new specification
http://developments.edexcel.org.uk/VirtualContent/103289/Summary_Spec_Eng_Lang.pdf Exemplar AS paper (enter a centre number such as 50739 to access)
https://eiewebvip.edexcel.org.uk/Reports/Confidential%20Documents/0801/6371_01_que_20080111.pdf Exemplar A2 paper (enter a centre number such as 50739 to access)
http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/pdf/AQA-ENGA3-W-SQP-07.PDF Shop for buying past papers and other legacy specification paraphernalia at £3 a go…
https://shop.edexcel.org.uk/search.asp?searchbox3=English+Language&subcategory;=English&category;=A2+level&templateid;=10 WJEC specifications (About 10%) WJEC English Language Homepage
http://www.wjec.co.uk/index.php?subject=51&level;=21&imageField2.x;=46&imageField2.y;=6 New specification Teacher Guide
http://www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/publications/3876.pdf New Specification sample exam papers
http://www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/publications/2376.pdf Legacy specification including past papers
http://www.wjec.co.uk/index.php?subject=51&level;=21&list;=docs&offset;=0 Exam Reports
http://www.wjec.co.uk/index.php?subject=51&level;=21&list;=docs&offset;=1
OCR Specification (Under 3%) Details of new specification
http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/AS_ALevelGCE/English_Language/ http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/asa_levelgceforfirstteachingin2008/english_language/index.html Exemplar AS paper
http://www.ocr.org.uk/Data/publications/assessment_materials/AS_Level_English_Language_SAM_Unit_F651.pdf Exemplar A2 paper
http://www.ocr.org.uk/Data/publications/assessment_materials/AS_Level_English_Language_SAM_Unit_F653.pdf Current specification exam papers and mar schemes going back 3 years
http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/AS_ALevelGCE/English_Language/documents.html#Past_papers_2007_-_January_series http://www.ocr.org.uk/Data/publications/past_papers_2007_january/L_AS_Level_English_Lang_2701_Jan_2007_Test_paper.pdf Advanced Extension Award (‘S’ Level replacement) (only run by OCR and for all English GCE English candidates from all boards) New AEA