English
Reading is fundamental. We instil in our pupils a love of reading because, for a while, they can imagine living in a different body, in a different place, with different people, which is what we wish for.
In response to reading our pupils will explore aspects of writing both fiction and non-fiction.
Both reading and writing will enhance our pupils’ use of standard English, encouraging them to be fluent and confident readers, writers and speakers.
Key Stage 3
Year 7: The Stories of English
The first term of Year 7 takes in the history of the English language, stopping to investigating points of literary and linguistic significance along the way. Beginning with a sampling of Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales, we then spend some time exploring Shakespeare, meeting some of his most (in)famous characters and getting to grips with extracts from several of his plays and poems. Having used Shakespeare’s influence to compose soliloquys and sonnets of our own, we continue our journey up to the present day, looking at how technology is changing English before our very eyes and reflecting on the impact of developments like instant messaging and AI on the written word. We also enjoy a class reader: The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, a compelling narrative of myth, magic and friendship.
Next, we study a modern novel: Pig Heart Boy by Malorie Blackman. As well as analysing language and structure and building evaluative responses, we use the novel as a basis for non-fiction transactional writing. The novel engages with medical ethics, animal rights and the fragile nature of identity; for us, it acts as a springboard for preparing speeches and writing to express a point of view, laying early groundwork for the demands of English Language Paper 2 at GCSE.
Lastly, pupils undertake a unit of work on The Gothic, reading a selection of short stories and poetry representing different manifestations of the genre. Pupils explore some of the key concepts of Gothic writing, such as the differences between horror and terror, and how the supernatural can be used as a metaphor for aspects of the worlds in which the authors were living. Pupils enjoy a collaborative creative task, ‘Murder Manor’, as well as the opportunity to experiment with poetic form.
Year 8: Places and Perspectives
Year 8 begins with a novel, When The Sky Falls by Phil Earle. This work, set in wartime London, offers an intriguing perspective on conflict, family and identity through its central character, Joseph. We then engage with other representations of conflict by spending some time on war poetry, comparing perspectives on World War 1 as well as analysing more modern responses to conflict by poets like Simon Armitage.
We then move into the realms of the fantastical, reading The Tempest by William Shakespeare. This play about magic, loss, betrayal, power and, ultimately, theatre itself not only creates a compelling sense of place; it also demands the evaluation of a range of perspectives from its audience. Is Prospero a caring father and benevolent leader? Or is he a prototype of patriarchal colonialism? Is Caliban truly born evil? In which case, can he be seen as morally culpable? This is the beauty of English: nothing is ever straightforward!
Lastly, we explore the representation of other cultures in English. Travel writing forms a key part of this unit and we look closely at how authors evoke a sense of place in language, while also critically reflecting on how this can sometimes be problematic. We also study modern poems which give voices to marginalised figures and communities whose perspectives are shaped by hardship, inequality and persecution.
Year 9: Love and Relationships
Year 9 begins in fair Verona with the study of Romeo and Juliet. We dive deep into the world of the ‘star-cross’d lovers’, refining our analysis of key extracts and discussing them in terms of the rest of the play. We consider staging and evaluate the artistry of some striking productions of the play, while taking time to write creatively on Shakespeare’s themes and motifs.
This is followed by a study of love and relationships as found in a range of poetry, much of which is pre-1914. These poems are not only about romantic love; we look at depictions of other relationships such as parent-child, and sibling dynamics. In these poems we are invited to reflect on the impact of the passage of time on relationships and explore how seemingly insignificant moments can take on a complex symbolic resonance that can only be appreciated with hindsight.
We finish Key Stage Three with a focus on modern genre fiction: Noughts and Crosses in the context of dystopia. Dystopian fiction is a perennial favourite, and we take time to consider what it is about the genre that makes it so compelling. Noughts and Crosses is a modern classic but one which can also be linked to Romeo and Juliet, and parallels are drawn to see what light can be shed intertextually. As a trial run for the GCSE Spoken Language component, pupils will also have the opportunity to write and deliver a short presentation on a topic of interest to them personally.
KS3 Assessment Grid
Key Stage 4
As English is a core subject, all pupils are required to study it. The skills developed through the GCSE English Language/Literature course support all other curriculum areas.
GCSE English Language/Literature
English Language:
AQA GCSE English Language
Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing
- Section A: Reading: One literary fiction source, four questions
- Section B: Writing: Descriptive or narrative writing
Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
Paper 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives
- Section A: Reading: One non-fiction text and one literary non-fiction text, four questions
- Section B: Writing: Writing to present a viewpoint
Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
Non-Examination Assessment: Spoken Language presentation
English Literature:
AQA GCSE English Literature:
Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th Century Novel
- Section A: Shakespeare (Currently Macbeth)
- Section B: 19th Century Novel (Currently A Christmas Carol)
Written Examination: 1 hour 45 minutes
Paper 2: Modern Texts and Poetry
- Section A: Modern Texts (Currently An Inspector Calls)
- Section B: Poetry (Currently Power and Conflict cluster)
- Section C: Unseen Poetry
Written Examination: 2 hours 15 minutes
Pupils are assessed through continuous study: classwork and homework. There are also end of year examinations and mock examinations to highlight individual strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement.
The awarding body is AQA: English Language Syllabus 8700 and English Literature Syllabus 8702
Further Study
English Language, Literature and Media Studies are popular choices at A Level. As English is a core subject, the skills developed during the GCSE course also support Humanities and Science routes into Further Education.