An extract from George Bernard Shaw’s classic play ‘Mrs Warren’s Profession’, perfect for analysis as an example of political and social protest writing for Section A of the AQA A level exam. It can be challenging to find great resources for this part of the exam, but this extract (with the accompanying exam question) always work fantastically.

A worksheet which presents students with visual stimuli to prompt critical thinking about the key themes and imagery in Dickens’s ‘A Christmas Carol’. Students annotate the worksheet with their knowledge of the theme; they may wish to write down key quotes, important ideas, or significant plotpoints/staves of the novella which apply to each image. It’s up to you how you use this versatile resource. This is an ideal starter or revision activity for studying the text.

A superb extract from Patrick Marber’s ‘After Miss Julie’, perfect for analysis as an ‘unseen’ text for Section A of AQA’s Political and Social Protest Writing A level paper. Extract is attached with PowerPoint featuring questions for students to consider/discuss/answer and an exemplar INTRODUCTION to an essay response. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This lesson is focused on helping students to analyse literary ‘structure’ using an extract from Suzanne Collins’ ‘The Hunger Games’. The lesson is focused on Question 3 (‘How has the writer structured the text to interest you as a reader?’) from AQA’s GCSE English Language Paper 1. Students are presented with methods of tackling this notoriously challenging question. Exemplar paragraphs on ‘The Hunger Games’ are also included. The resource includes a lesson PowerPoint and the extract from the novel. This lesson is aimed at GCSE pupils but could be used for KS3. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This resource includes an extract from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel ‘The Great Gatsby’, along with 4 exam-style questions based on AQA’s GCSE English Language Paper 1. An ideal mock or practice paper to study in class for high-attaining GCSE groups.

A great double-sided lesson worksheet or homework task designed to consolidate students’ understanding of apostrophes (denoting both contraction and possession). Ideal for UKS2 as well as KS3.

A great lesson activity or homework task designed to test and consolidate students’ understanding of homophones. This is a fun visual activity with an element of critical thinking/problem solving involved. Ideal for KS2 or KS3.

A great lesson activity or homework task designed to test and consolidate students’ understanding of proper nouns and common nouns. 15 questions included. Ideal for KS2 or KS3.

An invaluable resource designed to build a picture of how Shakespeare presents Macbeth via other characters in the play. Taking key quotes from a variety of characters, we can see how Shakespeare’s characters speak about and to Macbeth throughout the play. This not only unveils how loyalties change and develop throughout the play, but also how Macbeth himself changes and how characters may behave differently in private versus public settings. This is ideal for supporting study of the play at GCSE.

This resource - for teachers/students of AQA GCSE English Language - is a series of questions based upon an extract from Franz Kafka’s iconic story ‘The Metamorphosis’, in which Gregor Samsa wakes up to discover himself transformed into a giant insect. Questions are based on Paper 1 of the AQA GCSE Language exam. The questions are included on the PowerPoint, along with tips for how to answer each question. This is an ideal mock or structured support resource for GCSE students.

This resource includes an extract from Ian Fleming’s ‘Dr. No’ with an accompanying PowerPoint featuring language analysis questions. This resource is based on AQA’s GCSE English Language Paper 1. Two 8-mark language questions are featured to help students practise close linguistic analysis. This resource is ideal for KS3 students preparing early for GCSEs, or for GCSE students in need of accessible and scaffolded learning.

A wordsearch designed to support the study of Stevenson’s ‘Jekyll and Hyde’.

A crossword on Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Ideal for KS3.

What kind of king is Macbeth? The perfect holistic study of how power corrupts Macbeth in Shakespeare’s tragedy, this detailed lesson traces what happens to Macbeth after he chooses the heretical path of regicide. This is an ideal lesson for GCSE students. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

An excellent companion resource for studying the context of ‘Macbeth’, James I’s speech to Parliament in 1610 elucidates his views of the monarchy and the Divine Right of Kings. Studying this speech will provide a solid understanding of attitudes to Kingship in Shakespeare’s time.

This 30-slide lesson offers the perfect introduction to the context of Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’. In the lesson, students explore Jacobean ideas of Kingship, looking closely at the reign of James I, the Divine Right and Great Chain of Being, and the atmosphere created by the Gunpowder Plot. We then look at Renaissance and Medieval ideas of gender (especially on the stage) and Aristotle’s rules for tragedy. The play’s key themes and ideas are explored, and students are encouraged to reflect on power and its relationship to corruption and even tyranny. Important vocabulary is explained, and students are tasked with researching other key words and ideas. Questions, discussion points and tasks are included for students. Also included in this resource is a copy of James I’s speech to Parliament in 1610 for the purpose of analysing the King’s attitudes to his Divine Right. Ideal for students reading the play at GCSE or upper-KS3. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This 30-slide lesson analyses William Blake’s ‘The Tyger’ from the ‘Songs of Experience’. Blake’s ambiguous poem is deconstructed via its various interpretations - as an exploration of faith, revolution, and industrialisation. Key themes, language, and imagery are unpicked, and Blake’s political context and radical views are explained. Discussion points, questions, and tasks are included throughout, and the lesson ends with an extended essay question in which students compare ‘The Tyger’ to other poems in Blake’s ‘Songs’. This lesson is perfect for A level students studying the collection as part of AQA’s Political and Social Protest Writing course. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

A lesson focused on how Scrooge is affected by reliving the memory of his lost love, Belle. Perfect for those studying the text at with AQA at GCSE.

This resource includes an extract from and questions on Louis Sachar’s ‘Holes’, based on AQA’s English Language GCSE Paper 1. The bundle includes the extract from the novel and a PowerPoint with questions and tips for how to answer three questions. Two exemplar paragraphs are given in response to Question 2 (analysing the writer’s use of language). The focus is on the first three questions of Paper 1 in the exam. This resource is perfect for introducing students to the exam specifications. It works well for a LA set or SEND GCSE group. It is also suited KS3 groups, if your school chooses to get students used to the exam early.

An analytical summary of how Gradgrind’s language changes throughout ‘Hard Times’. Gradgrind’s famous character metamorphosis is a key part of the novel; one way to mark his significant change is through his language. This is an excellent resource for challenging students.