Summary
AQA has updated its A-Level English Literature A (7712) and English Literature B (7717) specifications for first examination in summer 2027.
The main change is the addition of five new optional set texts:
English Literature A
- The Island of Missing Trees – Elif Shafak
- Wake – Anna Hope
- Mr Loverman – Bernardine Evaristo
English Literature B
- Kala – Colin Walsh
- Brotherless Night – V. V. Ganeshananthan
Importantly, AQA has not removed or replaced the existing set texts. Schools can continue teaching their current choices if they wish. The new texts simply provide departments with a broader range of options from the 2027 examination series onwards.
What has changed in AQA A-Level English Literature for 2027?
AQA has expanded the range of set texts available within both of its A-Level English Literature specifications.
The new texts became available for first teaching in September 2025, with the first examination questions on them appearing in summer 2027.
This means teachers do not need to rewrite an entire scheme of work simply because the specification has been updated.
Instead, departments now have additional choices when deciding which texts best suit their students, curriculum and teaching priorities.
AQA says the additions were selected to provide a wider range of voices and perspectives and to modernise the text choices available within the qualifications.
What are the new AQA English Literature A texts?
AQA English Literature A uses specification code 7712.
Three new texts have been added.
The Island of Missing Trees – Elif Shafak
The Island of Missing Trees has been added to Paper 1: Love Through the Ages.
The novel explores love, identity, memory, migration and conflict through a story spanning Cyprus and Britain.
For departments teaching Love Through the Ages, it provides a contemporary alternative to the existing prose options while still allowing students to explore the central concept of love across different social and historical contexts.
Wake – Anna Hope
Wake has been added to Paper 2: WW1 and its Aftermath.
Set in 1920, the novel follows three women living with the consequences of the First World War as Britain prepares for the burial of the Unknown Soldier.
Its focus on grief, trauma, memory and the experiences of women provides departments with another way to approach the social and personal impact of the war.
Mr Loverman – Bernardine Evaristo
Mr Loverman has been added to Paper 2: Modern Times – Literature from 1945 to the Present Day.
The novel explores relationships, identity, family, sexuality, migration and changing social attitudes through the experiences of Barry Walker, an older Caribbean man living in London.
It gives departments another contemporary prose option for exploring modern society and changing identities.
What are the new AQA English Literature B texts?
AQA English Literature B uses specification code 7717.
Two new texts have been added to its Texts and Genres component.
Kala – Colin Walsh
Kala has been added to Elements of Crime Writing.
The novel follows a group of friends reunited years after the disappearance of Kala, as events from the past begin to resurface.
Themes including disappearance, secrecy, violence, investigation and buried crimes make the text particularly suited to studying the conventions and boundaries of crime writing.
Brotherless Night – V. V. Ganeshananthan
Brotherless Night has been added to Elements of Political and Social Protest Writing.
Set during Sri Lanka's civil war, the novel explores conflict, political violence, resistance, identity and the experiences of individuals living through social upheaval.
It provides another contemporary option for departments exploring how literature represents political power, conflict and protest.
Have any AQA English Literature texts been removed?
No.
This is probably the most important point for teachers.
AQA has explicitly stated that the five new texts are additional choices. Existing A-Level English Literature texts have not been removed or replaced.
If your department is happy with its existing text selection, there is therefore no requirement to change simply because the 2027 specification has been updated.
Teachers can continue using established:
- Schemes of work
- Lesson materials
- Text annotations
- Assessment resources
- Model essays
- Revision materials
provided they remain appropriate for the existing texts and current specification.
Does the exam structure change in 2027?
The addition of new texts does not represent a redesign of the overall A-Level qualifications.
For English Literature A, students continue to study:
- Love Through the Ages
- Texts in Shared Contexts
- Independent Critical Study: Texts Across Time
The qualification remains linear.
For English Literature B, students continue to study:
- Literary Genres
- Texts and Genres
- Theory and Independence
Again, the overall structure remains in place.
Teachers therefore need to think primarily about text choice, rather than learning a completely new assessment model.
Should teachers switch to the new texts?
Not necessarily.
The fact that a text is new does not automatically make it a better choice for every department.
Before changing, consider:
Existing department expertise
If teachers already have extensive knowledge, resources and successful results with an existing text, changing may create unnecessary workload.
Student engagement
A newer text may offer themes, voices or contexts that resonate strongly with a particular cohort.
Resource availability
Established set texts will usually have more existing teaching materials, critical writing and past examination questions.
New texts may initially require more departmental resource creation.
Curriculum diversity
Departments reviewing the diversity of their curriculum may find the new options useful for broadening the range of writers, experiences and perspectives students encounter.
Comparison opportunities
For Literature A in particular, teachers should consider how effectively a new text works alongside the other texts chosen for comparative study.
The best choice is therefore the one that works for the department's students and overall curriculum—not simply the newest option.
What should English departments do now?
Departments preparing students for the 2027 AQA A-Level English Literature exams should complete a relatively straightforward audit.
First, confirm whether you teach Literature A (7712) or Literature B (7717).
Then:
- Review the new text options.
- Decide whether there is a genuine benefit to changing any existing choices.
- Check that schemes of work correctly reflect the updated specification.
- If adopting a new text, begin developing teaching and assessment resources early.
- Ensure students know exactly which specification and set texts they are studying.
- Check that any purchased revision materials correspond to the correct text choices.
- Continue using existing resources where the selected texts and assessment requirements remain unchanged.
There is no need to replace an effective programme of study purely because an updated specification document has been issued.
When are the first exams using the updated specification?
The updated English Literature specifications apply to the summer 2027 examination series.
For English Literature A, AQA currently lists Paper 1 for 13 May 2027 and Paper 2 for 20 May 2027, with the NEA submission deadline on 15 May.
English Literature B also begins its 2027 examinations on 13 May, with the second paper taking place on 20 May 2027.
Schools should always check the final AQA timetable before organising internal revision or mock schedules.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a new AQA A-Level English Literature specification for 2027?
AQA has updated both English Literature A (7712) and English Literature B (7717) for first examination in 2027, primarily to introduce additional optional set texts.
Are old AQA English Literature texts being removed?
No. AQA states that the existing texts remain available. The five new texts expand the available choices rather than replacing previous options.
How many new texts have been added?
Five in total: three for English Literature A and two for English Literature B.
When were the new texts first taught?
They became available for first teaching from September 2025, with first examination in summer 2027.
Final takeaway
The AQA A-Level English Literature changes for 2027 are much smaller than a complete specification overhaul.
The key development is greater choice.
English Literature A gains The Island of Missing Trees, Wake and Mr Loverman, while English Literature B gains Kala and Brotherless Night.
Existing set texts remain available, and teachers who are satisfied with their current curriculum do not have to change it.
For departments considering refreshing their text choices, however, the 2027 update creates an opportunity to introduce more contemporary voices and perspectives while remaining within the familiar AQA A-Level English Literature structure.
