Urgent action is needed to “stop the spiral of decline” in the popularity of English literature at A-level, a headteachers’ union has warned.
It should be a “living, breathing subject which inspires and empowers young people”, the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said, as it lamented the continued drop in entries.
The number of entries for English literature A-level in England has fallen from 42,246 in 2017, when the current syllabus was introduced, to 35,977 in 2021 – a drop of 15%.
