Home · KS3 · iLowerSecondary English · About

About the qualification

Everything you need to know about the Pearson Edexcel International Award in Lower Secondary English, in plain English. It assesses Key Stage 3 / Year 9 English skills through a single externally-set paper.

The facts

Full title	Pearson Edexcel International Award in Lower Secondary English
Subject code	LEH11
Paper code	LEH11/01
Assessment	One externally-set achievement test (externally assessed)
Length	1 hour 45 minutes · 70 marks
When it is sat	June and October
First teaching	September 2018
First assessment	June 2019
Current specification	Issue 2 - November 2024
Dictionaries	Not allowed
Grading	S1 · S2 · S3 · S4 (U if below S1)
Prior learning	There are no prior learning or other requirements for this qualification.

How the paper is built

There is one paper, sat in a single 1 hour 45 minutes session, worth 70 marks in total, split into two sections:

Section A: Reading - 40 marks. Students answer questions on three unseen texts - two non-fiction and one fiction - linked by a common theme. Texts are provided in a separate Source Booklet. Students must complete all questions. This section consists of closed and short open-response questions. Recommended time: 1 hour 10 minutes.
Section B: Writing - 30 marks. Students complete a single writing task that requires extended writing and is related to the theme in Section A. Recommended time: 35 minutes.

How it is graded

Graded on a four-level scale from S1 to S4, of which S4 is the highest and S1 the lowest. Achievement below the minimum standard receives an unclassified (U) result.

See exactly what each grade looks like, and how to move up a level, on the grade targets page.

Who it is for and where it leads

There are no prior learning or other requirements for this qualification. It is designed to lead to:

Pearson Edexcel International GCSE in English Language (Specification A) (9-1)
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE in English Language (Specification B) (9-1)

See the full picture on the progression page, and a guide written for adults on the parents & teachers page.

Start studying

Head to the iLowerSecondary English hub for the full set of skill masterclasses, question-type guides and practice papers, or jump straight to the study plan.

Qualification facts, assessment objectives and mark grids reproduced for educational guidance from the Pearson Edexcel International Award in Lower Secondary English Specification (Issue 2, November 2024, ISBN 978 1 446 95667 0) and the LEH11/01 October 2025 mark scheme. © Pearson Education Limited. The English Hub is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pearson. All practice texts on these pages are original works written by The English Hub and are not reproduced from any past paper.