English Literature GCSE Course

This English Literature GCSE Course gives students the opportunity to explore their literary interests through reading a wide range of classic literature and is designed to show the depth and power of the English literary heritage. Students will read extensively and critically so that they are able to discuss and explain their understanding and ideas fluently, and make connections across their reading.

This specification is designed to show the depth and power of the English literary heritage and students will need to write accurately, effectively and analytically about their reading, using Standard English and will acquire and use a wide vocabulary, including the grammatical terminology and other literary and linguistic terms they need to criticise and analyse what they read.

The English Literature GCSE Course covers the Pearson Edexcel 1ETO specification, and it includes 10 assignments (one introductory).

The English Literature GCSE course prepares students for the Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Literature 1ETO Specification.

The English Literature GCSE assessment is by two written examinations:

• Paper 1 -  Shakespeare and Post-1914 Literature

This paper is 1 hour, 45 minutes is 80 marks in total (50% of the total GCSE).

• Paper 2 - 19th-century Novel and Poetry since 1789

This paper is 2 hours, 15 minutes is 80 marks in total (50% of the total GCSE). Paper 2 is longer because it covers the 19th-century novel, the Poetry Anthology comparison, and Unseen Poetry.

There are no specific academic requirements for this course. The learner will require the ability to read and write in English.

Please Note: The minimum age for applicants is 13 years old, and learners under 18 years old will require parental or guardian consent.

All GCSE and IGCSE Courses are delivered online through the NEC online learning platform which is available 24/7 and where you will find everything you need to complete your studies.

The Learning Platform Includes: 

• Your complete course materials covering the full syllabus
• Additional study resources
• Exam and assessment information
• Direct communication with your tutor
• Support from the Student Support Team
• Connect with other learners in the portal community

As this is an online course, you will need a computer operating system, internet access and a browser. Google Chrome is recommended, but the latest versions of Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Microsoft Edge can be used. Some content will be in video format via YouTube, so a suitable internet connection is required, and you will be required to work with PDF documents during your course. If your browser does not support PDF display, you can use Adobe Acrobat Reader.

The course notes are all supplied in the course platform as shown in the below video:

Additional Reading:

A copy of Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) English Literature ‘Relationships’ Poetry Anthology, Pearson Education Limited (2014) will be posted to you.

Learners will require copies of the following books which are not included in the course fee:

• Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, Penguin Classics (2003) (or any equivalent edition)
• Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare, Arden Shakespeare edition (2008) (or any addition with numbered lines)
• An Inspector Calls, by J.B. Priestly, Heinemann (1992)

You will receive support from the designated Student Services team and a course tutor through the online platform. 

Student Support Team: Your first point of contact. The team ensures every student is enrolled correctly, has access to their course materials, and can log in smoothly. They will also handle any technical queries.

Tutor Support Team: Manages all academic queries. Our subject tutors provide expert marking, feedback, and guidance, helping students stay on track and motivated.

Your allocated tutor will send a welcome message via the learning platform after you have enrolled on a course and will provide support, feedback, and mark assignments as you progress through your course. All tutors are subject-qualified experts with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and have been teaching in a school for a minimum of 3 years, and they are also required to have an enhanced DBS. Many are experienced teachers or trainers, and several serve as examiners for major awarding bodies.

You can contact the support teams through the secure messaging platform and you can also post messages in the course forum. There is no limit on how often you can contact support.

Please Note: If a learner requires live one-to-one support from a tutor, then this can be arranged at an additional charge.

Registered learners have course access and are supported on each course for 2 years from their enrolment.

Please Note: We recommend that learners aiming for the Summer 2026 exams are enrolled on their course by 31 October 2025.

It may be possible to complete a course if you enrol after this date, or you are using the course as a resit guide, but we would only recommend doing this if you are confident that you have the time to complete the estimated study hours, have an understanding of the work required and have researched closing dates set by exam centres for exam entries.

All GCSE and IGCSE examinations must be taken at an external examination centre registered with the appropriate Awarding Body on the set exam dates.

Finding Exam Centres:

All exams must be booked directly by the learner with an appropriate examination centre. The student support team can guarantee exam places at a partner exam centre, but they cannot guarantee which centres will be available or whether the location will be suitable for learners. If you have specific requirements regarding travel or distance from a centre, then it is recommended that you research and contact centres prior to enrolling on a course.

You can research and contact possible exam centres prior to enrolment by visiting the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) private candidates page, which provides a search facility for centres in the UK. You can also try Tutors & Exams who have 9 exam centres listed, and pricing is displayed on their website.

Please Note: IGCSE examinations can be arranged at overseas exam centres, although there are no search facilities that can assist with finding centres. If learners are looking to sit exams outside of the UK, then we would recommend contacting the Awarding Body to see if they know of any suitable exam centres. International centres will usually be international schools or a British consulate.

Examination Dates and fees:

All GCSE and IGCSE examinations are available in the summer examination window (May/June) and all examination fees need to be paid direct to your chosen centre. The cost of exams will vary depending on the Awarding Body and the exam centre's administration costs.

Each exam centre will set its own dates for when you need to have booked your exams, but the earlier you book, the better the chance you have of guaranteeing a place. We would recommend contacting centres as early as possible to arrange your exams and this can usually be done as early as September/October for the following summer exams. Many exam centres will fill up and will have closed exam bookings by early February.

There is a winter examination window (November) available for some IGCSE subjects, although it is usually more difficult to find centres for these exams, so we recommend aiming towards summer exams when possible.

• Summer 2025 Exam Timetable
• Summer 2026 Exam Timetable (Not Yet Available)
• Information for Private Candidates
• Booking GCSE and IGCSE Exams
• The New GCSE and IGCSE Grading System
• What is the difference between GCSE and IGCSE

The course developer is a registered UCAS centre and can facilitate predicted grades, references and any personal statement support if required.

Each A Level Course has a minimum number of assignments required to receive predicted grades, but on average 50% of the course assignments would need to be completed to be eligible, and information on applying to universities is included on the learning platform.

For standard university entries, learners will be expected to have completed the required assignments by mid-December. Some universities will have earlier applications, and assignments may need to be completed much earlier, e.g. Oxbridge would be 15 October.

The following services are available for registered learners:

• Official confirmation of predicted grades and a reference: £60.00

This service provides official confirmation of predicted grades for each subject and a reference. Your predicted grades and reference can be uploaded to your UCAS application either via a link (if you are applying as an individual), or via the dashboard if you are using the course developer as your UCAS centre, or they can be sent directly to another educational provider or external referee if required.

• Official confirmation of predicted grades: £20.00

The course developer can provide official confirmation of predicted grades in PDF format which can be sent to external referees or directly to universities/colleges.

• Personal statement review service: £45.00

A personal statement review is a chance for you to gain additional support by submitting a draft of your personal statement to one of the experienced tutors for feedback. You will be matched with one of the tutors who has a background in the area you want to study.