We inspire and motivate young people to learn how to express themselves and communicate well with other people through speech and writing. We help our pupils develop their language and literacy skills and we hope to foster an understanding and love for a range of poetry, prose and drama.
The Curriculum
Learners are provided with opportunities that allow them to develop a variety of communication skills through both written and oral tasks. Learners will be given access to a wide range of stimuli to engage them in all aspects of literacy.
Students will draw upon a range of texts as reading stimulus and engage with creative as well as real and relevant contexts. Students will have opportunities to develop higher-order reading and critical thinking skills that encourage genuine enquiry into different topics and themes.
Key Stage 3
Each term has a theme and a range of tasks including oracy, reading, and writing tasks, both fiction and non-fiction, designed to meet all areas of the National Curriculum. The texts we study include ‘Holes’, ‘Animal Farm’ and ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.
Key Stage 4
All students will gain a qualification in English Language. Some students will study Entry Level before moving on to GCSE.
Most students will gain qualifications in both GCSE Language and Literature.
Specification: English Language
Specification English Literature
Key Stage 5
At A Level, we offer WJEC English Literature which includes the study of poetry, prose and drama. The texts we study include Jane Eyre, Doctor Faustus and the poetry of Seamus Heaney and Owen Sheers.
Specification: WJEC English Literature
Resources and Home Learning
The English department is located at the end of the middle block. Each classroom is equipped with interactive whiteboards, useful displays, and a range of texts.
Key Stage 3, pupils are given a reading booklet and a ‘chilli’ task sheet with a range of independent learning tasks. These are linked to the theme of the term.
In KS4 and KS5, we provide a range of tasks including preparation for assessments; independent research; reading; examination questions.
In addition, the department offers a range of extra-curricular experiences including theatre visits, Talk the Talk confidence building workshop and participation in the Shakespeare Schools Festival.