English Standard
2 unit course
Course Description
English Standard 11–12 provides students with the opportunity to analyse, study and enjoy a breadth and variety of English texts, in order to become confident and effective communicators. Students develop the knowledge to analyse, reconsider and refine meaning, and to reflect on their own processes of responding, composing and learning.What students learn
Through the study of English Standard 11–12, students:
- Develop clear communication skills for a range of purposes and audiences
- Find information and perspectives to develop their understanding of ideas
- Learn to make assumptions about the purpose and meaning of language based on context
- Express personal experiences and opinions, and reflect on skills as independent learners
(Source: NSW Curriculum, ‘Course Description’ for English Standard 11-12)
What, if any, skills are needed?
- Year 10 English with results in the C-range and above
- The desire to get an ATAR
- A desire to consolidate and improve skills as a communicator (including preparing for post-school tertiary studies)
- The ability to read accessible and literary texts and respond to these in a confident and clear manner
- Understanding of a range of forms, features and language devices of texts and how these communicate meaning
- The ability to compose responses with appropriate register, structure and language concepts
- A capacity to consider how texts broaden understanding of self and world
- Willingness to work with teachers to hone and strengthen responses through drafting and re-drafting
Course Focus Areas
| Year 11 English Standard | Year 12 English Standard |
|---|---|
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Reading to Write: A Transition to English Standard
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Texts and Human Experiences
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Contemporary Possibilities
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Language, Identity and Culture
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A Close Study of Literature
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Close Study of Literature
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The Craft of Writing
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Beyond the Classroom: Other Learning Experiences
- Study days
- Plays, as appropriate and available
- Author talks
Texts List
As this course is new in 2026, this information will not be available to students and families until the end of 2025.
In Year 12, students are required to closely study 3 prescribed texts, with ONE drawn from each of the following categories:
- prose fiction
- poetry
- drama OR film OR media OR nonfiction.
Students are NOT required to study a text authored by Shakespeare in the English Standard Course.
Career Options
English Standard and Advanced both allow students to develop their control of language for university study and lifelong learning in their careers and lives in a global world.