English

The English Department aims to offer all students a range of experiences, designed both to improve their control of English in its written and spoken forms and to understand more about the diverse world that we live in, through the study and enjoyment of literature. This is at the heart of our work. We aim to empower young people with the knowledge and skills they need to make sense of the complex and ever-changing world that they meet beyond school.

Curriculum

Key Stage 3

Students begin Year 7 being taught in their form groups in English. As they progress into Year 8 and then into Year 9 they are placed into new groups and we track and monitor students’ progress carefully to ensure they are always in a learning environment where they can thrive.

In Years 7 and 9, students have six lessons of core English a fortnight and one library lesson. In Year 8, students have an additional ‘Just Write’ lesson. These creative writing lessons focus on oracy, planning and writing, and are designed to build creativity, imagination, and confidence through consistent, low-stakes practice. The fortnightly Library lesson is designed to support students with their independent reading and help them to develop their own reading tastes. Library lessons also introduce students to other stories and texts through class readers, group reads and creative book projects. 

Throughout their study at KS3 all students study literature written before 1914, including Shakespeare, helping to build up their confidence and resilience at dealing with more challenging texts at KS4.  Students develop their competence in different written forms, including newspaper reports, letters, diaries, poetry, stories and close textual analysis in preparation for their half termly assessments. We follow the National Framework for English and make regular use of a range of learning activities to support, stretch and challenge our young people. Throughout each half term, students’ ability in Reading and Writing will be assessed through a range of tasks linked directly to the skills they will be examined on in KS4.

All students are offered the opportunity to be involved with external providers, such as writers, poets, theatre groups and trips. We work closely with the Special Educational Needs department to ensure the quality of our materials is appropriate for our most able students as well as those few who struggle. 

At KS3, we provide homework through Sparx Reader with reminders set once per week through Google Classroom. Sparx is a supportive online platform in which pupils can develop their reading and literacy skills. Sparx provides students with online texts to read, adjusted to their personal reading level, and focuses on developing reading accuracy through comprehension checks. 

Key Stage 4

Year 10

Most students will have the opportunity to attain a qualification in both English Language and English Literature and we follow the AQA specification for both of these. To support our vulnerable students, we offer them the opportunity to study the Entry Level Certificate, ‘Step Up to English’, alongside English Language to help reinforce the most important reading, writing and spoken language skills. Throughout the course, students will study both Language and Literature (or the Entry Level Certificate) side by side to allow students to see how the two qualifications complement one another, but to also allow them to experience a varied learning experience day-to-day. English Language and English Literature are taught by separate teachers in eight hours a fortnight. In Year 10, students spend five hours on Literature to ensure that we cover the majority of the course content. In the three English Language lessons, we focus on developing core skills and understanding the demands of the exam. 

Throughout the year, students will cover a range of reading and writing skills for their English Language exam. Students will be expected to cover simple information retrieval, summary, language analysis and comparison for the reading elements of their exam. For writing, it is vital that students focus carefully on the technical aspects of their writing (spelling, punctuation and grammar) as well as developing their vocabulary and style to suit a range of audiences and purposes.

For Literature, we split the texts over the two year course. In Year 10, we cover a range of poetry from the ‘Power and Conflict’ poetry anthology set by AQA, the modern text (currently ‘An Inspector Calls’) and the 19th Century novel (currently The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde or A Christmas Carol).

For the study of Literature students are expected to understand texts in context and we encourage students to do wider reading and research to inform their study.

Towards the end of year 10, all students complete their Spoken Language assessment. This is a separately endorsed qualification reported on the GCSE English Language certificate. This assessment requires students to deliver a formal presentation on a subject of their choice, followed by a period of answering questions. This component of the GCSE is graded using a Pass, Merit, Distinction system. 

Year 11

In Year 11, both English Language and English Literature are taught in four hours a fortnight to allow time for sufficient revision and practice before the summer exams. 

In Year 11 students will continue to build on the skills they’ve learnt in Year 10 and will revisit all the texts studied in Year 10 for Literature. They will also finish the study of any poems not covered in Year 10 and a Shakespeare text (currently Macbeth or Romeo and Juliet). For Language, students will continue to refine skills needed to craft different types of writing and be exposed to a wide range of literary non-fiction and fiction from a range of 19th, 20th and 21st century texts to practice the skills needed for their two language papers.

The GCSEs assess students through 100% examination, through a total of four examinations totalling 7 and a half hours.

Key Stage 5

A Level English

English Literature

We currently offer English Literature at A Level and follow the AQA Lit A specification. Students follow the straight A Level course for 2 years (no AS offering) and their final grade will be determined by their performance in two exams, both worth 40% each, and a final non-exam assessment (NEA) worth 20%. Students will study Love through the Ages and Texts in Shared Contexts Option 2B: Modern Times – Literature from 1945 to the present day, as well as the core content for the course.

For their Love through the Ages element, students will study ‘Measure for Measure’ as their core Shakespeare text, supported by their study of the AQA anthology of love poetry as their pre-1900 text and Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby as prose. For Modern Times, students will study Tennessee Williams’ ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ as their set, core text, along with a selection of Owen Sheers poetry and Richard Yates’ ‘Revolutionary Road’.  Both elements contain unseen extracts from prose or poetry as part of the exam.

Their non-examined assessment is designed to allow students to read widely, to choose their own texts (if appropriate) and to understand that contemporary study of literature needs to be informed by the fact that different theoretical and critical methods can be applied to the subject. This area of the course provides a challenging and wide-ranging opportunity for an introduction to different ways of reading texts and for independent study.

Enrichment

We work hard to provide an exciting and challenging English experience in many different ways. Working closely with the Library, we often provide students with the opportunity to work with visiting writers and poets, as well as setting up book groups and a very successful Carnegie Shadowing Group to review the shortlisted authors.

We offer a very successful ‘Youth Speaks’ program for students who are interested in public speaking. In previous years we have entered a number of teams in to the Rotary Club Youth Speaks competition and we have, on numerous occasions, progressed to regional finals.

In addition, wherever possible, we place huge importance on students seeing theatre productions of not only the texts that they are studying, but any linked production to expose them to this wonderful cultural experience.

Careers

The skills learnt through the study of English allow students to choose from many different employment sectors and occupations. Many successful English students follow careers in management or administration, either for a company or for the Government. Teaching and other education work are the next most common career destinations. A large number of English students choose to work in a creative field, such as writing, publishing, PR or acting. However, there is huge variety in English-related career choices: legal, financial and sales positions are also popular.

A strong grasp of English underpins all careers. Communication skills learnt in English are used in all walks of life, when dealing with clients, customers or just communicating with colleagues effectively.

Staff

  • Dr Harriet Lacey – Head of English
  • Ms Catherine Ellis –Assistant Head of Department i/c of Key Stage 3
  • Miss Alice Anderson-Bonner – 2nd in English
  • Miss Katie Dolling – Teacher of English and Assistant Headteacher
  • Ms Christine Farman – Teacher of English i/c of Key Stage 5 and Lead Practitioner for Early Years Career Development and CPD
  • Mrs Laura Braithwaite – Teacher of English
  • Mrs Cheryl Hamer – Teacher of English and SEND
  • Mrs Kathryn Jones – Teacher of English
  • Miss Husna Shah – Teacher of English
  • Mrs Emily Elmore – Teacher of English
  • Mr Steven Connor – Teacher of English; Lead Practitioner Curriculum