Why choose OCR GCSE (9-1) English Language

Straightforward to teach
Simple assessment structure with a mirrored approach to both components that is easy for you and your students to understand.

Accessible question papers
Graduated level of demand to questions that supports your students’ understanding throughout each component.

Engaging
Unseen texts that support students’ understanding.

Choice of writing tasks
A choice of two writing tasks in each paper.

Content overview

The content overview provides a description of each component, the mark allocation, duration of exam and weighting of assessment.

Support and resources

Free planning and teaching resources include:

• Delivery guides: teaching support and activities for course content
• Schemes of work for every component option
• Teacher guides (Reading skills, Writing skills and Spoken Language endorsement guide)

Assessment resources include:

• Past papers
• Practice papers
• Candidate exemplars
• Examiner reports
• ExamBuilder - our free assessment builder platform that allows you to create tailored question papers giving your students the opportunity to practice and build confidence ahead of their exams.
• Active Results - our free online results analysis service that allows you to review your students' exam performance.

Text book and digital resources
We have a range of textbooks and endorsed resources.

Expert Subject Advisors 
For all your specific subject-related queries, you can also get in touch with our friendly, knowledgeable English Subject Advisors at english@ocr.org.uk.

Subject updates
Sign up to receive subject emails, including newsletters, and keep up-to-date with the latest news, updates, professional development, Teacher Networks and teaching and assessment resources.

Professional development and Teacher Networks

All our qualifications are supported with comprehensive training. Check out our professional development page to find out what face-to-face and online courses we have available this term.

Our free Teacher Networks will provide you with a fantastic opportunity to discuss your subject with our Subject Advisors and like-minded colleagues in your local area.

Hear what other teachers say

"Switching to OCR was made very easy. The structure of the exams themselves is clear and uncomplicated, which means that students across the full range of abilities can tackle this exam. Secondly, the website has many supportive and practical materials that are invaluable when starting out with this spec. Most helpfully, the OCR English team are friendly and available whether by phone or email, and it’s this last factor which firmly rubber-stamped our decision to change exam board."

Madeleine Champagnie, Head of English, Thames Christian School, London