CREW A2

the continuing story…

This year, you will: develop your expertise as writers by writing independently in your preferred forms

through workshops, develop your ability to share work and give and receive feedback

learn to reflect critically on your own creative processes

learn to apply your knowledge of the writer’s craft to your own work

develop redrafting and editing skills

develop critical and analytical skills

Unit 3 – CREW3From Reading to Writing20% of A-level3 hour written examination60 marksYou will answer two questions based on one stimulusfrom a choice of five. 

 Unit 4 – CREW4The Writing Portfolio30% of A-levelCoursework, marked by SS and SB, and externally moderated90 marksYou will produce a portfolio of creative work (max 4000 words orequivalent) and a full reflective commentary (max 2000 words), withbibliography and evidence

CREW3: From Reading to Writing

Reading is essential this year. Not only for the commentary, but for the exam too. Now you will develop your knowledge of writing craft, analytical skills and your own writing ability. To do this, you will: Recognise the learning that can be gained from reading the work of othersAnalyse the authorial craft of other writers through a programme of reading and class discussion Apply this learning to your own workProduce a single extended piece of original creative writing in the exam Produce an extended commentary in the exam that demonstrates the links between reading and writing.You will need to show awareness of the writer’s craft in developing your own creative writing skills.

The examination is designed to replicate a writing workshop exercise. You will work with published texts throughout. You will respond to writing prompts and produce creative work to a deadlinewithin time limits will all be important here. AO4 is crucial.

By A2, you will show an understanding of a wide range of techniquesand effects. You must be fully familiar with the conventions of form and genre.  

EXAM

• language choices• point of view• speech and dialogue• generic conventions• style and voice• characterisation• presentation of ideas• narrative techniques• poetic techniques• structural control• metaphor• imagery

Mode of Assessment

Assessment will be by one written paper of 3 hours’ duration. You will answer twoquestions. Each question is marked out of 30, giving an overall mark for the unit of 60.The two questions are closely linked.The question paper will include five piecesof published creative work across the range of forms. One piece will always be includedfrom each of the four key forms: • prose fiction• prose non-fiction• poetry• script,+ one other, which may be in any of the forms above.

CREW4: The Writing Portfolio

The aims of this coursework unit are to:build on the broad exploratory work of Unit 2; deepen creative use of language and technical mastery of one chosen form; develop expertise in responding to critical feedback and redrafting creative work; extend ability to reflect critically on your own creative process and achievements; and use systematic referencing of sources and influences

You will be expected to develop your own programme of reading and writing, alongside assignments set in class.

Ultimately, you’ll choose one form in which to specialise for your coursework from prose fiction, prose non-fiction, poetry and script.

We will have plenty of regular workshop sessions. You must adhere to your slot, providing the class with your work 3 days in advance of your workshop.

Peer feedback and redrafting is an essential part of the production process.

AO3 relatesto critical awareness of personal writing processes.

AO4 looks at asophisticated understanding of how existing published work is a source oflearning and inspiration,

Coursework portfolio - two elements: original creative work (60) and a reflective commentary with bibliography (30).

The creative work submitted shoulddemonstrate a developed under-standing of the craft of writing within a chosen form.

In AO1 this will beshown through writing that demonstrates successful development and realisation of ideas, an imaginative approach to language and the sustained use of a single form, and is original rather than merelyimitative.

In AO2 is all about the technical control necessary forwell-constructed writing. AO3 relatesto critical awareness of personal writing processes.

• The creative work must be in one of the following forms: prose fiction; prose non-fiction; poetry; script.

• The chosen form may be one of the two forms assessed at AS but the work must be entirely new.

• The creative work may be one piece or a number of pieces.

• The word guidance for the creative work in prose fiction and prose non-fiction is 3000–4000 words.

• The equivalence for poetry submissions is approximately 6–8 poems.

• The equivalence for script submissions is approximately 15 pages (15 minutes’ playing time).

The reflective commentary should build on last year - to show a sophisticated grasp of how a piece of writing is developed from inspiration to final draft. As with Unit 2, it should include: inspiration and aims; influences; choice of form; creative problem solving; responding to feedback and editing.

Additionally, it should include an evaluation of the success of the piece(s) in terms of the author’s aims and intentions.

The commentary has a word guidance of 2000 words, and must be accompanied by a bibliography.

The aim of the bibliography isto evidence your readingand to develop academic referencing skillsthat may be used in further study.

READING

Our first task will demonstrate the way we mean to go on…

Workshop

We are going to do even more. We are going to do it better.