Our Lit in Colour partnership
Lit in Colour
Together with Penguin Books UK and The Runnymede Trust, we want to highlight the importance of a diverse English Literature curriculum.
It's essential that students across the UK are given access to books by Black, Asian and minority ethnic writers and those from a range of backgrounds, to ensure a better reflection of contemporary culture and society, and to provide students with both experiences beyond their own and experiences that may resonate with them.
To help in achieving this mission, we've introduced the Lit in Colour Pioneers programme - and we've also developed a new unseen text anthology for those studying our Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) English Language 2.0 qualification.
The application window for the 2024 programme is now closed.
Any questions about Lit in Colour? Get in touch
Lit in Colour Student Conference 2024
The Lit in Colour Student Conference is back and happening on Wednesday 10th July at The Birmingham Rep.
This free event will include lots of exciting sessions, inspiring content, and practical takeaways for your learners.
We’ve got a jam-packed day planned for you – including an inspiring tribute to Benjamin Zephaniah, a poetry slam and a performance from the Bloomsbury drama competition winners!
You can also expect to hear from author and Co-Director of Education at Shakespeare's Globe, Prof Farah Karim-Cooper and novelist and lecturer, Ashley Hickson-Lovence, along with other exciting guests. Trust us, you won’t want to miss this one.
What is the Lit in Colour Pioneers programme?
We're looking for secondary schools and colleges to take part in our 2024 Lit in Colour Pioneers programme, receiving free access to:
- Copies of the chosen set texts for every student in the relevant year group, donated by Penguin
- A series of free resources including CPD training webinars for teachers and school librarians, plus qualification support and training where required
- Resources to support you when teaching a new set text, including schemes of work, exemplars, sample assessment materials and support from our subject specialists
- A Lit in Colour mini library including 200 free Penguin books by Black, Asian and minority ethnic writers designed for all age groups, together with colourful posters and artwork.
The application window for the 2024 programme is now closed.
To be eligible to apply, you must:
- commit to diversifying your English Literature curriculum by switching to Edexcel GCSE and/ or A Level English Literature and changing to a new set text to be taught from September 2024 with first examination from 2026
- be a secondary school or college based in England
- be new to the Lit in Colour pioneers programme at either GCSE or A level. Please be aware that you will not receive an additional library donation if your school/college has previously taken part in the Lit in Colour Pioneers Programme.
What are the texts?
Discover the qualifications and set texts in our Lit in Colour qualifications guide, or visit our qualifications website to find out more about the set texts on our Pearson Edexcel GCSE and A level English Literature qualifications.
You can also watch our launch event videos to find out more about the 2024 programme and the texts that are included.
What our existing pioneers have to say
Take a look at our case studies to find out more about our diverse set text options and the Lit in Colour experience.
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Bloomsbury Lit in Colour Student Scene-Writing Competition
In collaboration with Bloomsbury, we’re excited to introduce the first Bloomsbury Lit in Colour student scene-writing competition for English Literature students aged 14-19.
The competition gives students the opportunity to write their own scene around the theme of ‘belonging’ and see it take a transformative journey from page to stage.
Entries are now open and will close on 31st May 2024.
More about Lit in Colour
Every young person deserves an educational experience that more fully reflects Britain’s past and the lives of its young people today. Penguin and The Runnymede Trust found that fewer than 1% of students in England study a book by a writer of colour at GCSE. This compares to 34.4% of school-age students who identify as Black, Asian or minority ethnic.
By joining forces with Penguin and The Runnymede Trust, we hope to encourage schools to make the switch to a more diverse English Literature curriculum.
New to Pearson Edexcel qualifications?
If you'd like to know more about how we can support you in switching to our Pearson Edexcel English Literature qualifications, visit our website:
GCSE English Literature
Our GCSE curriculum strives to ensure that students are exposed to literature from a variety of British authors, from different backgrounds, and are reading about contemporary issues that they can engage with and relate to.
AS and A level English Literature
Here you'll find information about the texts on our Pearson Edexcel A level English Literature text list that align with our commitment to maximising diversity in curriculum. The four new texts are now available.
“We are delighted to see the 'risk' of changing from a well-known text to a new text paying off. It is wonderful to see the students' excitement and enthusiasm for Boys Don't Cry translating into tangible results that will help them take the next steps in their educational careers.”
Emma Zipfel, English Teacher, Arts and Media School Islington
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