English
November 2026 teaching English update
Welcome to the November teacher English update.
I wish all students sitting GCSE and Int GCSE exams this month every success.
What's in the update?
-November 2026 exam series: all the key information
-SLE Refresher: can my students use AI? How do I cater to the needs of SEND students?
-Media literacy webinar
-Int GCSE: new exemplars for ‘Klara’ and ‘Western Lane’; movie release and survey.
-A level English Language: June 2027 pre-release subtopic release
-A level English Literature: what do students and teachers like about the course?
-ELC: new Facebook group
-Training in November
Key dates
GCSE
Entry deadline for November 2026: 4 October 2026.
Coursework and SLE submission deadline: 5 November 2026.
Exam dates (based on UK time zones)
1EN0 01 and 1EN2 01: 3.11.26
1EN0 02 and 1EN2 02: 5.11.26
Int GCSE
Entry deadline for November 2026: 12 September 2026.
Coursework and SLE submission deadline: 5 November 2026.
Exam dates (based on UK time zones)
4EA1 01, 4WEA1 01, 4EB1: 3.11.26
4EA1 02, 4WEA1 02: 5.11.26
4ET1 01 and 4WET1 01: 4.11.26
4ET1 02 and 4WET1 02: 16.11.26
Access full exam timetables for UK and international centres.
Changes to release of results, GCSE November 2026 series
Following feedback from teacher associations, JCQ is making an exceptional change to the date for the publication of GCSE results, November 2026 series. This will ensure students applying to UCAS in January 2027 for undergraduate courses can include their GCSE English Language and/or GCSE Mathematics result(s).
Restricted release of results to centres only
Original date: Wednesday 13 January 2027
New date: Tuesday 12 January 2027
Release of results to candidates
Orginal date: Thursday 14 January 2027
New date: Wednesday 13 January 2027
Come along for support and guidance on:
-Setting up your SLE teaching and assessment
-Meeting the needs of students with SEND
-Advice on monitoring and managing AI use and the new authentication sheet
-Standardising your assessments across teaching groups/teaching locations
-Managing recordings
-Making grade and sample submissions.
Book now
How to make media literacy matter
Join us for a free webinar with leading experts:
- Anthony Cockerill, Director of the National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE)
- Claire Pollard, Advisory Teacher for Media Studies at the English & Media Centre
- Lisa Hobson, Media Studies and Teacher of English at Sutton Coldfield Grammar School For Girls
We'll explore how to support students in evaluating a rich range of media sources, recognising bias, questioning different forms of media and understanding how language shapes meaning.
Date: Tuesday 10 November 2026
Time: 16:00–17:00
Cost: Free
Register today to secure your place.
We want to keep supporting all the teachers who have chosen to teach our two ‘new’ 4ET1 texts, ‘Klara and the Sun’ and ‘Western Lane’. Exemplars are a great way of helping students understand what they’re aiming at.
Access the new exemplars from the June 2026 exam series (with Edexcel Online login).
We were excited to see Waititi’s adaptation of ‘Klara and the Sun’ go on release in the UK. We’ll soon be releasing a great, new, free resource to help you use the film in your teaching to further engage students.
Don’t forget to let us know how you feel about the new texts.
Complete the survey on the new 4ET1 Modern Prose texts.
On 1 December, we will be releasing the subtopics for the June 2027 exam.
Access the pre-release materials (Edexcel Online login required)
If you’re new to the specification, get ready by reading the 9EN0 03 delivery guide.
It’s also useful to read the general guidance in the subtopic support from December 2025 to get an overview of how to manage the ‘research’ and ‘investigation’ phases of the component.
Read the teacher support from 2025 for general guidance.
Publication schedule (Edexcel Online login required for all documents)
1 December:
-Pre-release subtopics
-Guidance on how to locate the resources referenced in the pre-release materials
-Guidance on possible approaches to the subtopics
Access the teacher support materials for the June 2027 subtopics.
-Form to submit questions not covered by the support until 15 January 2027.
1 February 2027:
-Publication of summarised responses to questions submitted on the subtopic.
Hear directly from teachers and students at Aquinas College (Stockport) about the upsides of Pearson Edexcel’s A Level English Literature:
-Equipping students with the skills they need for HE
-Great variety of texts catering to the needs of a diverse range of students
-Students feel the qualification prepares them well for the world of work & develops their ability to empathise
-Open book exams allow students to focus on the higher-level skills.
Watch the video.
We have many teachers/schools offering Entry Level Certificate in English, but you’re often in small departments or sole teachers. We’ve set up this Facebook group to facilitate supporting each other.
Becoming an examiner
Find out what it means to be a Pearson Assessment Associate, what the benefits are and how to apply at our free virtual webinar on Wednesday 18 November, 4-4:45pm (GMT).
Sign up now.
GCSE
-Using the Exam Practice Assistant in Pearson Revise Online to support stronger AO2 performance
-SLE refresher course: with AI update and support for SEND learners
-How to apply the mark scheme
-Dyslexia focus II
International GCSE
-Achieving Grades 5-5 and 8-9
A level
-Coursework marking
Subject advisor
Clare Haviland
English
Subject updates
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October 2026 teaching English update
Celebrating all things poetic on National Poetry Day 2026 and beyond
Poetry is a form that particularly lends itself to expressing ‘wonder’ and what better way of spending some classroom time on National Poetry Day, 1 October, than in helping students to do just that, either by producing their own poems or finding their experiences and feelings expressed in poems by others. Thank you to all those organisations offering inspiration on National Poetry Day 2026, especially those we work with at Pearson.
My workspace is enriched by Poetry By Heart poetry posters and National Poetry Day and the Forward Prizes from Forward Arts Foundation 'Dream Like a Poet' posters which appear in the 'swirl' below.