One option that a number of students will select is to study their own mother tongue language as a school-supported, but self-taught language within the Group 1 framework. This option is only available at Standard Level.

Group 1 courses are designed to support future academic study by developing high levels of language competence and communication skills as well as social, aesthetic and cultural literacy. Literature plays a central role in the courses, which aim to support lifelong learning through engaging students as actively as possible with the texts they study. Each course highlights a different perspective in the study of texts.

Group 1 courses are suitable for students who have experience of using the language in an academic context. This is not a course with emphasis on grammar, syntax and other basic competencies in that language.

In Group 1 Language A: Literature courses have a focus towards developing an understanding of the techniques involved in literary criticism in context and promoting the ability to form independent literary judgments.