AQA GCSE Lit: poetry example responses (power and conflict cluster)

Two level 9 responses to the GCSE AQA power and conflict poetry cluster. Responses are colour coded by assessment objective.

The first answers the following question: Compare how poets present anger in the poem ‘Checking Out Me History’ by John Agard and one other poem from the power and conflict cluster. This response uses ‘London’ by William Blake as the second poem.

The second response answers the question: Compare how poets convey the moral problem of war in ‘War Photographer’ by Carol Ann Duffy and one other poem from the power and conflict cluster. This response uses ‘Remains’ by Simon Armitage as the second poem.

These models could be used with a top set or parts of each response re-written to show a pupil moving up the mark scheme. It also offers one way of structuring a response - comparative intro/first poem/comparative point/second poem/conclusion - something which might help students organize their ideas.