English

Welcome to the English Department

In English we love exploring how writers use language to create an impact on readers. We do this by examining and reading a range of different texts, from poetry, to novels to a range of fiction and nonfiction texts from different times and places. Once we understand how writers create exciting effects on their readers we can begin to improve our own writing. In English we write creatively and for different purposes, improving our use of language, organisation, punctuation and grammar. Communication includes speaking as well as writing, which is why in English we expect our students to work in groups or independently to present information to the class to help improve all aspects of communication.

Meet the English Department
The department team consists of ten members of staff. These are:

English Overview
The English Department aims:

In the English department we have designed our KS3 curriculum so that students:

• Develop an appreciation and love of reading, and read increasingly challenging fiction and non-fictions texts including: whole books, poems and plays both pre-1914 and contemporary.
• Improve their reading through Reciprocal Reading during the Reading Lessons. Working in groups with specific roles to be able to understand and decode texts. Students are given a list of homework tasks to complete on the selected book over a term in order to build their reading portfolio.
• Improve their vocabulary by being taught a new word each week. Students are taught a word in lesson per week and then expected to complete the homework task the following week in order to consolidate their knowledge of this word. These words have been carefully selected to support students with the topic they are studying and also link to the GCSE texts.

Engage with texts to:

• learn new vocabulary
• develop inferences and refer to evidence in the text
• identify the purpose, audience and context of texts
• read critically, exploring and analysing how language and text structure impact meaning
• make critical comparisons across texts
• evaluate the effectiveness of what they have read

Improve their writing skills by being taught to:

• Write accurately, fluently, effectively
• Write for a wide range of purposes and audiences
• Apply their growing knowledge of vocabulary, grammar and text structure to their writing and selecting the appropriate form
• Use their knowledge of literary and rhetorical devices from their reading and listening to enhance the impact of their writing
• Plan, draft, edit and proof-read their work

Please see our Programmes of Study to look in further depth at the texts we study.

The key stage three curriculum is carefully planned to ensure students cover all skills required at GCSE and can apply these skills to texts of increasing difficulty so that they can confidently meet the demands of the 9-1 GCSE.

At KS4 students study for the AQA 9-1 Specification for a GCSE in English Language and Literature. The skills students learn in KS3 are applied at GCSE level throughout Key Stage 4 and in students’ terminal examinations.

More information about the GCSE’s can be found here:
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english-literature-8702
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english-language-8700

Our key Literature GCSE texts are:

• A Christmas Carol
• An Inspector Calls
• Romeo and Juliet
• AQA Poetry Anthology Power and Conflict

GCSE Pod is an excellent resource available to students which can be used to catch up on work missed and as a revision tool. It is also used for homework tasks. GCSE Pod can be accessed here:

https://www.gcsepod.com/

In order to facilitate this, we expect students to have a full set of equipment (pen, pencil, ruler, and eraser) and a reading book of students’ choice for every lesson.