English
English is a vital subject that forms the foundation of effective communication and critical thinking.
Curriculum Intent
We aspire to foster a love for both reading and writing, through our diverse and exciting curriculum, where students feel invested and reflected in what they learn about and encounter and feel valued and celebrated in our school community.
Our students will become confident learners who are able to adapt the skills acquired in their English curriculum to different contexts and opportunities in life and cultivate a command of the English language.
The skills learnt as part of our English curriculum will not only be fundamental to all aspects of life but will also ensure our students feel fully prepared to excel in their aspirations.
Key Stage 3
In KS3 our students explore a range of text and skills as part of the curriculum.
We are passionate that students studying our KS3 curriculum should be excited and curious about their learning, confident in their knowledge and skills and courageous in tackling challenging and diverse texts. Students will also be able to write creatively and imaginatively for a wide range of audiences and purposes.
The skills taught at KS3 prepare students for the journey into KS4. We sequence our curriculum to ensure that all students study a similar component at the same time, for example all students study poetry in the first half of the autumn term, to develop and refine their analytical skills.
Key Stage 4
In GCSE English students will be taught English literature and English language and gain qualifications in each subject. Studies will include an anthology of poetry, a Shakespeare text, a 19th century novel and a modern text.
In KS3, students will develop fiction and non-fiction writing skills.
In studying GCSE English, our students develop into curious, thoughtful and critical thinkers.
We support students to be confident in their ability to engage in a wide range of texts and explore how language creates meaning, while also recognising the significance of how contextual information shapes our understanding. Assessment is exam based.
Key Stage 5
Studying English Literature at A Level will develop students into curious and critical readers who can confidently engage with a wide range of literature. Students will learn to reach an understanding of meaning through the close study of texts, in addition to examining how context shapes understanding.
Reading widely and ferociously is the key to success in English Literature.
Throughout KS5, students will study drama and poetry texts pre-1900, a comparative and contextual study of American Literature (1880–1940), and a critical and comparative analysis of three engaging texts.
