GCSE
ENGLISH LITERATURE
8702/2
Paper 2 Modern texts and poetry
Mark scheme
June 2023
Version: 1.0 Final
*236g 702/2/MS*
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, MARK SCHEME – GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE – 8702/2 – JUNE
2023
Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with
the relevant questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any
amendments made at the standardisation events which all associates participate in and is
the scheme which was used by them in this examination. The standardisation process
ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’ responses to questions and that every
associate understands and applies it in the same correct way.
As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts.
Alternative answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated
for. If, after the standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have
not been raised they are required to refer these to the Lead Examiner.
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, MARK SCHEME – GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE – 8702/2 – JUNE
2023
Statement of importance
GCSE English Literature is the study of how writers communicate their ideas about the
world, and how readers might respond to these ideas. It aims to develop a critical
understanding of the ways in which literary texts are a reflection of, and exploration of, the
human condition, the study of which develops empathic understanding of human nature.
High-quality English literature is writing which displays recognisable literary qualities and,
although shaped by particular contexts, transcends them and speaks about the
universality of the human condition. GCSE English Literature aims to enable students to
appreciate these qualities, developing and presenting informed, critical responses to the
ideas in literary texts and the ways writers present these ideas. It aims to enable students
to make links between a variety of written texts and between the text and the context
within which it was shaped.
Principles of mark scheme construction
Each mark scheme is driven by the task and by the statement of importance about
GCSE English Literature. It aims to do two things:
to describe typical features of response in order to decide on a mark
to identify typical features of proficiency in order to aid discrimination between levels of
performance.
Each long form answer mark scheme is constructed using six levels. This is to reflect the
ability level of the whole cohort. There are four or five marks within each level to allow for
levels of proficiency and to allow for discrimination between levels of cognitive ability
across the whole cohort.
Each mark scheme places assessment objectives AO1 and AO2 as the key skills. This is
driven by the statement of importance of the subject, in that the study of great literary
texts is the study of the interrelationship between the reader and the writer of the text and
that the communication and reception of these ideas is an inherent feature of English
literature. It is also driven by the acknowledgement that GCSE English Literature assesses
cognitive levels of ability; the level of response to ideas will have parity with the level of
response to the methods of communicating those ideas.
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, MARK SCHEME – GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE – 8702/2 – JUNE
2023
How to apply the mark scheme
The mark scheme is constructed using six levels of attainment that span the whole range of
ability at GCSE. The descriptors of attainment reference the assessment objectives for that
particular question. Examiners are required to use the mark scheme to consider the whole
response and decide upon the most appropriate level. The mark scheme provides two
descriptors: a description of typical features of a response in each level, and a description
of the kinds of skills candidates in that level will be proficient in. This is in order to support
examiners in making their judgement of the extent to which the qualities and skills being
demonstrated merit a particular level of attainment. As each response being marked is a
response to a particular task, examiners are assessing the extent to which the candidate
has responded to the task, and also the level of skill that the candidate has demonstrated.
Each level has four or five marks available and four or five skills descriptors. Fair application
of the mark scheme to all candidates is driven by the descriptors in the mark scheme, and
therefore examiners are required to make a judgement about the extent to which a
candidate achieves every descriptor in that particular level in order to warrant a mark at the
top of that level. If a candidate achieves everything in a level, they should be awarded the
mark at the top of that level.
Since answers will rarely match a descriptor in all respects, examiners must allow good
performance in some aspects to compensate for shortcomings in other respects.
Consequently, the level is determined by the ‘best fit’ rather than requiring every element
of the descriptor to be matched. Examiners should aim to use the full range of levels and
marks, taking into account the standard that can reasonably be expected of candidates
after one or two years of study on the GCSE course and in the time available in the
examination.
If a candidate does not address a particular defining feature of a task, examiners are
required to make a judgement about the extent to which other skills can place the
response in a particular level, and where the response should be placed.
Step 1 Determine a level
Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the
answer meets the descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the
different qualities that might be seen in the student’s answer for that level. If it meets the
lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it meets this level, and so on, until you
have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With practice and familiarity
you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the lower levels
of the mark scheme.
When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to
pick holes in small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed
quite as well as the rest. If the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the
mark scheme you should use a best fit approach for defining the level and then use the
variability of the response to help decide the mark within the level; ie if the response is
predominantly Level 3 with a small amount of Level 4 material it would be placed in Level 3
but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the Level 4 content.
Step 2 Determine a mark
Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. The descriptors on how
to allocate marks can help with this. The exemplar materials used during standardisation
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