OxfordAQA · First Language English
9270 First Language English, explained
See how 9270 is assessed, straight from the official syllabus, and how our teachers help students prepare one-to-one.
What it is and who sits it in Malaysia
OxfordAQA 9270 belongs to the First Language English strand of IGCSE / International GCSE English. It is graded on the 9–1 scale. Malaysian international schools choose their board and strand to suit their students. Private candidates and homeschoolers can sit it through an authorised centre. If you are unsure which code your child is entered for, the school's examinations office can confirm.
How we teach it
Your child works one-to-one with an experienced English teacher who teaches to this board's papers. Lessons combine reading and writing, timed practice and close work on the mark scheme. Read about First Language English tuition to see how lessons run. The First Language English syllabus pages explain the skills involved.
How OxfordAQA 9270 is assessed
Every candidate sits Paper 1 (60%). They then take exactly one 40% component: Paper 2 (exam route) or a Coursework Project (coursework route). An optional Speaking and Listening endorsement is reported as a separate statement on the certificate and does not count towards the overall grade. The qualification is linear: all assessments are taken in the same series at the end of the course, and individual components cannot be resat, although candidates can retake the whole qualification.
| Component | Time | Marks | Weight | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9270/1: Paper 1: Literary non-fiction and composition Section A, Literary non-fiction (40 marks): all questions on a single text for close study, divided into sections, with at least one question on the whole text. Section B, Composition (40 marks): one task from a choice of three (descriptive, imaginative, argumentative and/or discursive). A compulsory paper for every candidate on both routes. | 2 hours | 80 | 60% | External (written exam) |
| 9270/2: Paper 2: Source-based reading and directed writing Section A, Reading (40 marks): 5–6 source texts, with questions on individual texts and pairs of texts. Section B, Writing (40 marks): one of two tasks linked to the reading sources, for audience and purpose. Candidates take this paper or the Coursework Project, not both. | 2 hours | 80 | 40% | External (written exam) |
| 9270/P: Coursework Project (non-exam assessment) The non-exam alternative to Paper 2: a written task with a commentary, based on independent research. Audience, purpose and form are specified, and both reading and writing are assessed. The teacher marks it and OxfordAQA moderates it. Marks can be carried forward for the lifetime of the specification. | n/a | 60 | 40% | Internal (teacher assessed, OxfordAQA/AQA moderated) |
| 9270/S: Speaking and Listening endorsement An optional prepared formal spoken presentation of no more than about 10 minutes including questions, with responses to questions and feedback. No marks are given: it is assessed as Pass, Merit or Distinction (otherwise Not Classified) and shown as a separate statement on the certificate. It does not count towards the grade. | n/a | n/a | Endorsement | Internal (teacher assessed, OxfordAQA/AQA moderated) |
Who takes each component
- 9270/1: All candidates
- 9270/2: Exam route (instead of the Coursework Project)
- 9270/P: Coursework route (instead of Paper 2)
- 9270/S: Optional; available to any candidate, on either route
Graded on the 9–1 scale (Specification, Version 5.1 (teaching from September 2016; exams May/June 2018 onwards)).
What the exam rewards (assessment objectives)
Candidates are assessed on the skills below. We paraphrase them from the board's official syllabus.
Reading
- R1: Read and understand texts, selecting and utilising material appropriate to purpose
- R2: Collate and synthesise detail from one or more sources, making cross-references and comparisons as appropriate
- R3: Develop and sustain interpretations of writers' ideas and perspectives
- R4: Explain and evaluate how writers use linguistic, grammatical, structural and presentational features to achieve effects and engage and influence the reader
Writing
- W1: Communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively; use and adapt forms and select vocabulary appropriate to task and purpose in ways that engage the reader
- W2: Use a range of sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect
- W3: Organise information and ideas into sentences, paragraphs and whole texts; use a variety of linguistic and structural features to support cohesion and overall coherence
- W4: Demonstrate technical accuracy in grammar, punctuation and spelling
Speaking
- SL1: Communicate clearly and purposefully; structure and sustain talk, and use a variety of techniques as appropriate (optional endorsement only)
- SL2: Prepare and develop ideas and concepts; listen and respond to questions about these
- SL3: Interact with others, shaping meanings through comments, responses to questions and drawing ideas together
Requirements can change between syllabus versions. Confirm the structure for your child's exam year with the school or the board's syllabus, linked below.
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