Year 11 English: What to Teach (England)

Your Teacher Information Pack for Year 11 English: every national curriculum statement, the tests and dates that matter, and trusted links. Tick what you're teaching and send it straight into the lesson plan maker.

The KS4 programme of study covers the whole key stage; it is not split by year.

Current. The government response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review (Nov 2025) says a revised national curriculum will be published by spring 2027 for first teaching from September 2028.

What to teach

Below is the official programme of study for Year 11 English: the statutory statements first, then any non-statutory notes and guidance, which schools don't have to follow.

Key stage 4 38 statutory statements

Reading Statutory

Pupils should be taught to:

• read and appreciate the depth and power of the English literary heritage through:
  • reading a wide range of high-quality, challenging, classic literature and extended literary non-fiction, such as essays, reviews and journalism. This writing should include whole texts. The range will include:
    • at least one play by Shakespeare
    • works from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries
    • poetry since 1789, including representative Romantic poetry
  • re-reading literature and other writing as a basis for making comparisons
  • choosing and reading books independently for challenge, interest and enjoyment
• understand and critically evaluate texts through:
  • reading in different ways for different purposes, summarising and synthesising ideas and information, and evaluating their usefulness for particular purposes
  • drawing on knowledge of the purpose, audience for and context of the writing, including its social, historical and cultural context and the literary tradition to which it belongs, to inform evaluation
  • identifying and interpreting themes, ideas and information
  • exploring aspects of plot, characterisation, events and settings, the relationships between them and their effects
  • seeking evidence in the text to support a point of view, including justifying inferences with evidence
  • distinguishing between statements that are supported by evidence and those that are not, and identifying bias and misuse of evidence
  • analysing a writer’s choice of vocabulary, form, grammatical and structural features, and evaluating their effectiveness and impact
  • making critical comparisons, referring to the contexts, themes, characterisation, style and literary quality of texts, and drawing on knowledge and skills from wider reading
• make an informed personal response, recognising that other responses to a text are possible and evaluating these

Read this on GOV.UK

Writing Statutory

Pupils should be taught to:

• write accurately, fluently, effectively and at length for pleasure and information through:
  • adapting their writing for a wide range of purposes and audiences: to describe, narrate, explain, instruct, give and respond to information, and argue
  • selecting and organising ideas, facts and key points, and citing evidence, details and quotation effectively and pertinently for support and emphasis
  • selecting, and using judiciously, vocabulary, grammar, form, and structural and organisational features, including rhetorical devices, to reflect audience, purpose and context, and using Standard English where appropriate
• make notes, draft and write, including using information provided by others [e.g. writing a letter from key points provided; drawing on and using information from a presentation]
• revise, edit and proof-read through:
  • reflecting on whether their draft achieves the intended impact
  • restructuring their writing, and amending its grammar and vocabulary to improve coherence, consistency, clarity and overall effectiveness
  • paying attention to the accuracy and effectiveness of grammar, punctuation and spelling

Read this on GOV.UK

Grammar and vocabulary Statutory

Pupils should be taught to:

• consolidate and build on their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary through:
  • studying their effectiveness and impact in the texts they read
  • drawing on new vocabulary and grammatical constructions from their reading and listening, and using these consciously in their writing and speech to achieve particular effects
  • analysing some of the differences between spoken and written language, including differences associated with formal and informal registers, and between Standard English and other varieties of English
  • using linguistic and literary terminology accurately and confidently in discussing reading, writing and spoken language

Read this on GOV.UK

Spoken English Statutory

Pupils should be taught to:

• speak confidently, audibly and effectively, including through:
  • using Standard English when the context and audience require it
  • working effectively in groups of different sizes and taking on required roles, including leading and managing discussions, involving others productively, reviewing and summarising, and contributing to meeting goals/deadlines
  • listening to and building on the contributions of others, asking questions to clarify and inform, and challenging courteously when necessary
  • planning for different purposes and audiences, including selecting and organising information and ideas effectively and persuasively for formal spoken presentations and debates
  • listening and responding in a variety of different contexts, both formal and informal, and evaluating content, viewpoints, evidence and aspects of presentation
  • improvising, rehearsing and performing play scripts and poetry in order to generate language and discuss language use and meaning, using role, intonation, tone, volume, mood, silence, stillness and action to add impact

Read this on GOV.UK

Assessments and key dates

There are no national tests or checks in Year 11. Your school will use its own assessments.

Official documents

• National curriculum: english programmes of study (GOV.UK)

Trusted free resources

• Oak National Academy – Free, full lesson sequences for KS4 (government-funded).
• BBC Bitesize – Short videos and quizzes by key stage and subject.

Links only: we don't copy their content and we aren't connected to these organisations.

More packs

Exams: GCSE English language exam structure · GCSE English literature exam structure.

Other subjects in Year 11: Maths, Science, Citizenship, Computing, PE.

Find another TIP · National curriculum overview

Questions teachers ask