English

Teaching Staff and Responsibilities

Mrs N Walker: English Subject Leader

Mr J Diggory: English Assistant Subject Leader (responsible for Key Stage 3); Head of Year 12

Mr S Fink: English teacher (responsible for Literacy)

Miss E Rawlings: English teacher (Lead Teacher for Film Studies)

Mrs P Law: English teacher

Miss B McConville: English teacher (Senior Leader)

 

KS3 (Years 7-9)

How do we organise teaching groups at KS3?

Year 7 are taught in mixed-ability form groups

Year 8 & Year 9 are taught in five sets

(For more detail please see English Department Setting and Pupil Progress Policy.)

 

What are our aims at KS3?

  • To engage, innovate and interest.
  • Pupils become independent yet informed thinkers who read fluently for understanding and enjoyment, as well as developing into confident, enthusiastic speakers and writers who are able to express their ideas concisely and in an engaging manner.

 

How does this subject develop over KS3?

Reading

  • Year 7: through experience of a range of fiction and non-fiction texts, introduce the Point, Evidence, Analyse, Re-examine, Link structure to interpret the effects of a writer’s craft
  • Year 8: through experience of a range of fiction and non-fiction texts, consolidate use of the Point, Evidence, Analyse, Re-examine, Link structure to explore the writers’ craft including structure and contextual factors
  • Year 9: through experience of a range of fiction and non-fiction texts, master the use of the Point, Evidence, Analyse, Re-examine, Link structure to present an argument about the writer’s purposes.

 

Writing

  • Year 7: recognise the importance of Standard English and the distinction between spoken and written language, developing the skill of proof-reading, producing detailed descriptive writing and presenting arguments in non-fiction
  • Year 8: developing more precise word choices and structure in creative writing and the delivery of information through non-fiction
  • Year 9: understand the connection between lexical and syntactical choices and purpose in a range of genres.

 

Speaking

  • Year 7: present ideas clearly without relying on a script to an audience
  • Year 8: present individual responses to an audience and information in role
  • Year 9: deliver personal opinion in persuasive speech, harnessing the power of rhetorical techniques.

 

What will my daughter learn at KS3?

Year 7

  • Introduction to Reading skills
  • Letters and letter writing
  • Class novel study
  • Creative & descriptive writing
  • Modern drama – ‘Flowers for Algernon’
  • End of Year 7 exams (AQA Year 7 Language Paper 1)
  • Non-fiction texts
  • Shakespeare genre study

 

Year 8

  • Introduction to English – short story ‘The Princess and the Tin Box’
  • Class novel study
  • Romantic poetry
  • Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’
  • Newspapers
  • Creative writing
  • End of Year 8 exams (AQA Year 8 Language Paper 1)
  • Myths, Legends and Fairy tales genre study

 

Year 9

  • Speeches and speech writing
  • Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’
  • Gothic and Thriller genre study
  • Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’
  • End of Year 9 exams (AQA Year 9 Language Paper 1)
  • World War I Poetry
  • Modern novel –Animal Farm’.

 

Throughout Key Stage 3, pupils also learn about the roots of the English language and complete key words tasks to improve spelling.

 

Are there any websites that will support my daughter’s learning?

  • https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/subjects/z3kw2hv
  • https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/subjects/zykdmp3

 

KS4/GCSE (Years 10-11)

How do we organise teaching groups at KS4?

Pupils are grouped into five sets based on their ability and in connection with RE.

(For more detail please see English Department Setting and Pupil Progress Policy.)

 

Which GCSE specification do we prepare pupils for?

AQA

https://www.aqa.org.uk/

 

What will my daughter learn at KS4?

Year 10

  • Introduction to English Language Paper 2
  • English Literature ‘An Inspector Calls’
  • Detailed study of English Language Paper 2 (including Speaking and Listening)
  • English Literature ‘Poetry Past and Present’ AQA anthology
  • Detailed study of English Language Paper 1 (including Speaking and Listening)
  • English Literature ‘A Christmas Carol’ (applying Year 9 study to GCSE)
  • Following Year 10 exams the final Speaking and Listening accreditation assessments are completed and filmed before the Summer holidays.

 

Year 11

  • English Language thematic study for Paper 1 and Paper 2
  • English Literature ‘Macbeth’ (applying Year 9 study to GCSE)
  • English Language thematic study for Paper 1 and Paper 2
  • English Literature ‘Poetry Past and Present’ AQA anthology
  • English Language thematic study for Paper 1 and Paper 2
  • English Literature ‘An Inspector Calls’ revision
  • English Language thematic study for Paper 1 and Paper 2
  • English Literature ‘A Christmas Carol’ revision
  • English Language revision

 

Are there any websites that will support my daughter’s learning?

 

 

KS5/A Level (Y12-13)

How do we organise teaching groups at KS5?

At KS5, classes are taught in option groups which are all mixed ability.

 

Which A Level specification do we prepare pupils for?

Eduqas A level qualification in English Literature.   The Eduqas A level qualification in English Literature encourages students to read widely and independently and experience the major literary genres of poetry, prose and drama across a wide-ranging period of time.  We selected this qualification because of the breadth of time periods and text types covered in the specification, as well as the opportunity to complete an independent prose study as coursework.  More information can be found by following the link below.

http://www.eduqas.co.uk/

 

What will my daughter learn at KS5?

Year 12

Pupils study one of the two sections from the Poetry component and one of the two sections from the Drama component. They also experience an introduction to Unseen Texts and, by the end of the year, have decided on their choices of text for the Prose Study coursework.

 

Year 13

Pupils study the remaining sections from the Poetry and Drama components, complete their Prose Study and continue to complete units of work on Unseen Texts.

Set texts studied currently include: John Donne Selected Poems, Mean Time by Carol Ann Duffy, The Whitsun Weddings by Philip Larkin, King Lear by William Shakespeare, A Streetcar named Desire by Tennessee Williams and The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster.

 

Entry requirement to study English Literature at A Level

We require a grade 6 in English Language GCSE and a grade 6 in English Language at GCSE.

 

Future pathways/careers

English is essential to every area of life and careers but particularly supports future career choices such as:

  • Law
  • Journalism
  • Forensic Science
  • Psychology
  • Business
  • Medicine