Why do we learn English?
Through studying English, pupils will develop their confidence to speak, read and write fluently so that they can effectively communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them.
By developing a passion and appreciation for reading for pleasure and information, we want pupils to appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage so that they acquire a wide vocabulary and develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually.
Additionally, pupils should be able to analyse language, structure and form of whole texts, including a variety of forms, and articulate themselves academically in well-structured critical essays, considering context and writer’s intentions. Alongside this, pupils will enhance their understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions so that they can analyse as well as manipulate conventions to suit audience, purpose and text-type.
Where could English take me in the future?
English is one of the most versatile and academically rigorous qualifications. It helps pupils communicate, both verbally and through writing.
Scholars of English are present in all walks of life- from medical doctors, to lawyers, and beyond.
Head of Department
Marieke Griffiths
Assessment Details
In addition to regular knowledge quizzes and multiple-choice style questions, pupils will also undertake extended writing tasks where pupils’ analytical skills, vocabulary, grammar and punctuation skills are assessed.
In GCSE study, pupils will be entered for 2 GCSEs: the AQA Literature Specification and AQA Language specification. In Literature, pupils will study and be assessed on Macbeth, A Christmas Carol, An Inspector Calls, Conflict and Power poetry and Unseen poetry.
GCSE exams consist of:
English Language GCSE:
- English language 1: Fiction texts
- English Language 2: Non-fiction texts
English Literature GCSE:
- English literature 1: Shakespeare and 19th Century Literature
- English Literature 2: Modern Drama and Poetry
There is also a Spoken language component.
Year 7 - English
| Autumn | |
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How does Charles Dickens construct a key character in ‘Oliver Twist’? |
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Contextual factors: life in Victorian England, Victorian crime, Dickens’ intentions The form of a novel The narrative of Oliver Twist Key characters: Oliver, Fagin, Bill Sykes How to write an analytical essay. |
| Spring | |
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What is the importance of a key symbol in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’? |
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Contextual factors: life in Elizabethan England, life in ancient Athens, Shakespeare’s life The form of a play The narrative of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ The relationships between key characters: Hermia, Helena, Demetrius, Lysander, Oberon, Titania The role of the love potion How to write an analytical and evaluative essay |
| Summer | |
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How do writers create meaning in descriptions? |
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Structure and use of metaphor How writers use language devices How poems are formatted: structural devices and rhyme scheme ‘The Tyger’ by William Blake ‘The Eagle’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson How to write an analytical essay How to write to describe effectively How to use punctuation for effect The importance of drafting |
Year 8 - English
| Autumn | |
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How does Sir Arthur Conan Doyle construct a key character in the ‘Sherlock Holmes’ series? |
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Contextual factors: life in Victorian England, Victorian crime, Victorian enlightenment How archetypes are used in writing How Sherlock Holmes is constructed as a character Key terms to integrate into essay writing How to write analytically and evaluatively |
| Spring | |
|---|---|
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How does William Shakespeare construct a key character in ‘The Tempest’? |
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Contextual factors: life in Elizabethan and Jacobean England, colonialism, Shakespeare’s intentions The form of a play How to analyse language, structure and dramatic devices How to incorporate ambitious theories into writing: post-colonial theory and psychoanalytical theory |
| Summer | |
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How does George Orwell construct a key character in the novella ‘Animal Farm’ and how do they link to the success or failure of the farm? |
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Contextual factors: George Orwell autobiographical detail, Soviet Russia and the key people involved, Orwell’s intentions The form of allegory The importance of the writer’s perspective when analysing a text The stylistic choices made by an author |
Year 9 - English
| Autumn | |
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How does Charlotte Bronte present a key theme in the novel ‘Jane Eyre’? |
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Contextual factors: life in Victorian England, the components of Victorian literature, the female voice in Victorian England, the life of Charlotte Bronte The significance of contextual knowledge and authorial intent Essay writing skills Oracy skills |
| Spring | |
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How does Andrea Levy construct a key character in the play ‘Small Island’? |
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Contextual factors: the Windrush generation, the intentions of Andrea Levy The study of a modern play text How to analyse language, structure and dramatic devices How characters develop throughout a play The use of theatrical conventions in literature |
| Summer | |
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How does a named poet present a specific idea and how does it compare with another studied poem? |
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The varied contexts of poets and how they influence poems The varied poetic intentions The form and language of poems Comparative essay writing |
Year 10 - English
There are two areas of English: Language and Literature.
Literature: pupils study Macbeth, An Inspector Calls, A Christmas Carol, and Poetry. These texts represent a diverse and rich variety of writers and literary movements across history, and different cultures.
Language: Pupils understand the differences between fiction and non-fiction. They gain an appreciation of how writers create meaning in texts.
| Autumn Language | Autumn Literature |
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| Exploring creative reading and writing | An Inspector Calls |
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Fiction text types |
Plot summary of the play |
| Spring Language | Spring Literature |
|---|---|
| Non-fiction writers’ viewpoints and perspectives | Macbeth |
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Non-fiction text types |
Plot summary of the play |
| Summer Language | Summer Literature |
|---|---|
| Spoken Language | Macbeth and An Inspector Calls |
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Presentation skills Research skills Rhetoric |
Bringing learning together to excel in examinations |
Year 11
| Autumn Language | Autumn Literature |
|---|---|
| Non-fiction reading and writing | A Christmas Carol |
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Non-fiction text types |
Key quotations for each character and theme |
| Spring Language | Spring Literature |
|---|---|
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Fiction reading and writing |
An Inspector Calls Power and Conflict Unseen Poetry |
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Fiction text types |
Plot summary of the play Annotating and analysing unseen poems |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
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| Revision Focus | |
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Revision tailored to specific outcomes in Mock 2 and to individual pupil needs |
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