‘I Don’t Know What Type of Job You’d Do from A-Level English’
The Problems with Post-16 English Literature Recruitment
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21144786 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Simon Gibbons (0000-0003-1587-6809, King's College London, corresponding author), Sarah Steadman (0000-0002-1587-6932, King's College London) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-13 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Changing English (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1358-684X • E-ISSN: 1469-3585 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/1358684x.2026.2684594 |
| OpenAlex | W7166830654 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 6 |
That the number of young people choosing to study English Literature at A-level (post-16) in English is in decline is widely known and should be of concern for all those interested in the current and future health of the subject. Some work has been done to investigate this area, but if we are to properly understand the situation and look to identify possible solutions, more research is needed. This article describes some findings from a pilot project undertaken in three schools, where Year 12 students – both those pursuing a literature course and those who were not – and English teachers participated in interviews designed to explore factors influencing students’ post-16 choices. In analysing our findings, we point towards planned future research and make some initial recommendations centring on the role of English teachers in championing and promoting their subject
Career development · English language · English literature · Semi-structured interview · Type (biology) · Discourse Analysis in Language Studies · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Literacy, Media, and Education
Setting an agenda for English education research
‘Please can we have a man?’
Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis
Role model’ or ‘facilitator’? Exploring male teachers’ and male trainees’ perceptions of the term ‘role model’ in England
Using thematic analysis in psychology
The “problem” of teacher quality
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |