Hello Nat 5!

You have been working hard to get your folio drafts in and I am pleased that 99% of the class have managed to get their first drafts in before the deadline. Well done. You are aware that this is an intensive course which is deadline driven, and I appreciate your hard work. (Because of this, enjoy the photo of a cute hedgehog!)

In your prelim and exam, you have to write one essay in exam conditions (no notes &c.) and you don’t know what question will be there. You need to be comfortable enough with your texts so that you can answer on any question that’s there. Sometimes though, as there are only two questions under each heading, there may not be a question which is suitable for the text you have studied. This is why you will be studying a few things so that in the exam you have options. YOU ONLY HAVE TO ANSWER ONE CRITICAL ESSAY IN THE EXAM. YOU WILL HAVE ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO DO SO.

We will be working on Angelica Gibbs’ short story ‘The Test’ for the next few weeks which you can use as an essay option for your prelim/exam. You will look to answer a question under the heading of PROSE in the exam for The Test. Later in the term, we will be analysing Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. This will also be an option for a critical essay and you will find the questions under the heading FILM AND TELEVISION DRAMA.

I will be setting aside one period a week to work on ‘Sailmaker’ which is to be your Scottish text option. This involves similar skills to close reading so working on that text will hone those skills too and we will have close reading practice throughout the year.

Remember, there are 4 assessments to tackle before the exam too, but if you work as hard as you have been doing, I have every faith in you passing this course, and passing it well.

Any questions, just ask!

Miss Purdon