Curriculum Areas - English

Introduction

The English Department achieves results above the national levels at Key Stage 3 and GCSE English and English Literature. We have recently added Media Studies as an optional GCSE for our students.

Our primary concerns in English are communication, both spoken and written, and the appreciation and enjoyment of literature. We aim to help our students to become effective communicators, confident, well-practised readers and thoughtful, open-minded human beings.

As an integral part of their studies, students will consider the viewpoints of others helping to develop the constructive critical and analytical skills necessary to make judgements as mature, independent citizens in the modern world.

They will learn how to express their own ideas clearly, using standard English and a range of sentence structures with accurate punctuation and spelling.

The KS3 and GCSE courses are based on the premise that a proficiency in the language skills of reading, writing and speaking and listening adds to our quality of life as well as forming the basis of success in English and other areas of work and study.

The KS3 Course

Pupils study a broad range of texts in preparations for their examination in Year 9.

• Twentieth century prose
  'Holes', which has been made into a successful film, was one recent success with our students.
• Pre-1914 prose
  'Sherlock Holmes' is a popular choice
• A variety of short stories
  Both pre and post 1914 work is included
• A Shakespeare play
  For example 'Macbeth'
• A selection of poetry
  Study will include analysis and comparison
• Media and non-fiction texts
  Newspaper articles, reviews, travel writing, autobiographies, diaries, advertisements
• Oracy exercises
  The opportunity to discuss ideas or, perhaps, take on a role.
• Literacy programmes
  To enhance spelling, punctuation, grammar and sentence construction

The GCSE English and English Literature Course

Students follow the WJEC course. The two GCSEs are taught concurrently as they overlap in the skills required as well as in some coursework. Students are assessed through coursework and final examination on

• their reading of literary, non-fiction and media texts
• their ability to write for different purposes and audiences
• their speaking and listening skills
• their detailed knowledge of major works of literature

All students will experience the English literary heritage, learning to acknowledge the social and historical context of the text as well as gaining an understanding and appreciation of literature from different cultures across the globe.

They will study

• at least one significant novel in the written in the English language,
• a variety of short stories
• poetry
• drama
• all genres will include both modern and pre-1914 works

Writers as diverse as Shakespeare, J.B. Priestley, William Blake, William Wordsworth, Grace Nichols, Harper Lee, Jane Austen, George Orwell, H.G.Wells, Robert Swindells and John Steinbeck form part of the English and English Literature syllabus.