English
The study of English Language and Literature opens up students’ minds to a range of stories and backgrounds and allows them to experience different worlds and lifestyles through the power of the written word. It offers students the tools to communicate, both verbally and though writing, with people in a multitude of different situations. The study of English encourages students to write both functionally and creatively whilst developing their love of literature and ensuring they are fully prepared to engage with modern society.
The English curriculum combines the reading and study of texts with writing for a variety of purposes. Alongside these activities, we develop learners to become confident orators in a variety of different settings.
From Years 7 to 11, learners are exposed to challenging texts across all genres and time periods. Each unit of the curriculum will have links to others, which enables students to see clear connections and patterns in texts. We aim to foster a love of literature and to develop resilience in approaching more complex texts.
Examination Board
- AQA
Homework
Homework is set in English to promote the practise of retrieval and ensure that learning is regularly revisited and practised over time to ensure skills are not only remembered but continually improved. Homework will take many shapes but will include a range of practise questions, retrieval exercises, research projects, reading and comprehension based tasks.
Key Stage 3 Curriculum
Throughout Key Stage we take a thematic approach to our curriculum which allows us to explore a variety of literature which is then supported with modern and historic fiction and non-fiction extracts and texts. Some of the themes covered include; Gender, Heroes and Villains, The supernatural, and From Trump to Hoover where students will explore a variety of culture rich texts which allow them to interact with various cultures and traditions and broaden their understanding of not only writing techniques but also relevant contextual issues and circumstances.
Year 7
Term 1: Diversity - Nonfiction reading and writing and Myths and Legends
Term 2: Dystopia - Reading and responding to dystopian fiction
Term 3: Murder Mystery - The reading of Hound of the Baskervilles
Term 4: Songbird - Analysing and comparing poetry. Learning and performing poetry
Term 5: Wonder - Close Reading of the whole text
Term 6: Magical Shakespeare - Study of a wide variety of Shakespeare texts.
Year 8
Term 1: Disasters and Diseases - Reading and writing non-fiction
Term 2: Gender - The presentation of men and women in Shakespeare
Term 3: Lord of the Flies - Whole text study
Term 4: Icarus - Whose fault was it? Writing from different perspectives. Conflict poetry
Term 5: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time - Play study
Term 6: Freedom and Civil Rights - The study of literature and speeches.
Key Stage 4 Curriculum
In English we begin to prepare for GCSE requirements at the start of year 9 where key skills are developed in line with the final examination needs. Examination texts are started in year 10 and we follow the AQA specification. All students will sit two Language exams and two Literature exams at the end of the Key Stage; students will study a Shakespearian play, a modern play, a selection of poetry and a piece of pre nineteenth century prose alongside preparation for unseen fiction and non-fiction comprehension questions and various writing skills.
The KS4 curriculum is separated into key areas where there is a different text focus but common key skills are the same allowing students to build upon prior knowledge and progress towards their goals.
To get the best possible grades in this subject, students must be prepared to:
- Work with best effort at any task offered by teachers
- Make mistakes and learn from them
- Persevere when something is challenging
- Accept responsibility for learning- ask their own questions, push themselves, undertake additional research where necessary, use PiXL, Century Tech, and see teachers for extra help
- Complete all classwork and home learning to the best of their ability
Year 9
Term 1: Heroes and Villains across Shakespeare’s texts
Term 2: A voyage across Africa - Reading and writing non-fiction
Term 3: From Hover to Trump - The study of Of Mice and Men.
Term 4: Your Voice - The Art of Rhetoric
Term 5: Too Spooky for you - Reading and writing gothic texts
Term 6: The study of the Crucible.
Years 10 and 11
In Years 10 and 11, students begin to study for the AQA English Language and English Literature GCSEs. For English Literature, students will study An Inspector Calls, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Macbeth and the Power and Conflict cluster of poetry from the anthology. Students will study units focused on the skills required for the English Language papers as outlined below.
What's assessed?
Section A: Reading
one literature fiction text.
Section B: Writing
descriptive or narrative writing.
Assessed
Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
80 marks (50% of GCSE).
Questions
Reading (40 marks) (25%) – one single text
1 short form question (1 x 4 marks)
2 longer form questions (2 x 8 marks)
1 extended question (1 x 20 marks).
Writing (40 marks) (25%)
1 extended writing question (24 marks for content, 16 marks for technical accuracy).
What's assessed?
Section A: Reading
one non-fiction text and one literary non-fiction text.
Section B: Writing
writing to present a viewpoint.
Assessed
written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
80 marks (50% of GCSE).
Questions
Reading (40 marks) (25%) – two linked texts
1 short form question (1 x 4 marks)
2 longer form questions (1 x 8, 1 x 12 marks)
1 extended question (1 x 16 marks).
Writing (40 marks) (25%)
1 extended writing question (24 marks for content, 16 marks for technical accuracy).
What's assessed?
(AO7–AO9)
presenting
responding to questions and feedback
use of Standard English.
Assessed
teacher set throughout course
marked by teacher
separate endorsement (0% weighting of GCSE).
Meet the team
Curriculum Team Leader for English: Miss L Willetts
Assistant Curriculum Leader for English: Ms L Hignett
Teachers:
- Mrs V Haggart
- Mr N Szygowski
- Mr S Trewick
- Mrs L Jervis
- Mrs L Smith
- Mrs R Aston
- Mrs A Slater
- Miss N Smith
- Mrs L Moore