Quotes

“Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.” – Rita Mae Brown (writer, activist, feminist)

Purpose

English has an integral place in education and society. Our high-quality curriculum in English teaches pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially, and spiritually. Literature especially plays a key role in such development. Our course is rich with a diverse range of challenging and canonical literary fiction, plays and poetry, as well as a relevant and engaging modern day texts. The curriculum helps students to find their voice by drawing on their wider literary heritage and will enable their full and active participation in society.

Curriculum

In Years 7, 8 and 9, students complete three formative and three summative assessments each year. These assessments include a range of tasks, such as oracy, analytical writing, and creative writing, alongside questions designed to assess knowledge retention, understanding of context, and the application of skills.

In addition, frequent in-lesson knowledge checks support the development of long-term retention. Standardised reading tests are also used to track students’ reading ages and progress over time.

At GCSE, students complete a combination of formative and summative assessments for each topic within the English Language and Literature curriculum. These assessments are cumulative and include GCSE-style questions that assess both knowledge retention and the application of skills.

Staff provide a combination of individual and whole-class feedback to address common misconceptions. Students receive regular updates on their progress.

Teaching and Learning Approach

Assessment

Assessment and feedback

At Key Stage 4, we follow the AQA GCSE English Language and AQA GCSE English Literature specifications.

Exam Board

Students will take the AQA GCSE English Language, English Literature and English courses with us.
AQA English

AQA | English | GCSE | English Literature

AQA | English | GCSE | English Language

Useful Information

Useful websites and resources

GCSE POD: https://www.gcsepod.com/gcsepod_content/english/

BITESIZE: https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/subjects/zt3rkqt

BBC SKILLSWISE: https://www.bbc.com/teach/skillswise/english/zjg4scw

SPARKNOTES: https://www.sparknotes.com/

LITCHARTS: https://www.litcharts.com/

MR BRUFF (YOUTUBE): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM2vdqz-7e4HAuzhpFuRY8w

MRS WHEELAN (YOUTUBE): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0jbf4wI1GPts6hpbKZ-7Bw

MISS RYAN’S GCSE ENGLISH: https://missryansgcseenglish.com/

Further Reading KS3 English – Link (MISSING FILE)

Further Reading KS4 English – Link (MISSING FILE)

Co-curricular opportunities

In English we have in and out of class opportunities to stretch students beyond the content within the curriculum map. For example:

  • Debate Club
  • Public speaking
  • Asia House creative writing competition
  • Year 10 reading buddies
  • Library book talks
  • BBC school report
  • Author visits

Poetry and other competitions.

Stretch and challenge opportunities

Our curriculum has been designed with higher ability students in mind and they benefit from the rich and broad curriculum on offer. In addition, higher ability students are provided with a passport to track and monitor their stretch activities across the year. The activities are a range of tasks which are to be completed both in and out of lessons. Passports vary across year groups, but tasks include:

  • A challenging reading list to be completed.
  • Students teaching a starter or plenary.
  • Leadership roles: displays champions, reading buddies.
  • Prompts to enter writing competitions.
  • Priority for author visits.

Homework

KS3:

Students are given a reading booklet each term with a range of fiction and non-fiction extracts from the 19th – 21st centuries. These booklets have tasks which enable students to practise and develop their reading and writing skills so that they are reading beyond classroom texts and widening their experience of literature and language.

In addition, students have spellings and some grammar work on a weekly basis.

KS4:

Students are given a range of tasks, set individually by their class teacher, which supple.

Revision advice

How to revise for English (MISSING FILE)

LANGUAGE:

  • Read a range of non-fiction: Broadsheet newspapers/online articles.
  • Create vocabulary banks with impressive synonyms.
  • Revise spelling patterns of complex vocabulary.
  • Revise grammar skills and sentence/punctuation variety.
  • Complete past-papers.
  • Revise class notes – making new notes, self-quizzing, improving work.

LITERATURE:

  • Re-read key texts.
  • Use revision websites (such as Sparknotes or LitCharts) to deepen your understanding.
  • Use knowledge organisers to self-quiz.
  • Create vocabulary banks for each set text.
  • Explore and research context of key texts in greater detail.
  • Make cue-cards with key quotations to memorise.
  • Use quizlet to revise quotations and vocabulary definitions.

Additional information

The best way that you can help your child to progress in English is by prompting them to read a wide and varied range of fiction and non-fiction texts in their free time. Those who read regularly are more likely to succeed in all aspects of life, as shown in this graph:

Head of Department

Ros Reading: [email protected]
Michelle Cliffe: [email protected]