English
Aims of the Department
The curriculum offers pupils the chance to build their knowledge through a 5 year course which prepares them for both Language and Literature GCSE and life beyond the school. It will give all pupils, regardless of ability, the opportunity to succeed and become adults who are able to evaluate critically, speak confidently, articulate their thoughts and communicate successfully. We will develop a love of reading in all pupils ensuring they are prepared to access a full curriculum with confidence.
This is a knowledge curriculum; we want pupils to be able to achieve their full potential and this can only be achieved with critical thinking and critical thinking within the subject requires English specific knowledge. This knowledge needs to be transferred to long-term memory from Year 7.
To this end, during the first three years of the course, English and English Literature will complement and dovetail into each other. Language will be taught through Literature and Literature will be placed at the heart of the curriculum and taught chronologically. In years 4 and 5 of the course, the two subjects will continue to compliment one another whilst securing, developing and enhancing subject knowledge alongside key skills that will equip pupils for both exam success and success in their future endeavors, be that further study or a career pathway.
Pupils’ knowledge of a broad canon of Literature will help them to understand religion and philosophical ideas whilst connecting and interleaving their knowledge from a range of subjects across the curriculum. This curriculum has vast scope to dovetail subjects across the school whilst understanding the ideals of Chaucer, Shakespeare and beyond. This gives the potential to lift pupils out of their daily experience and increase their cultural capital.
The curriculum is designed for mastery. From year one of the course we are building the knowledge of the pupils in order to allow them to tackle difficult concepts with ease in later years. This knowledge will overlap and dovetail allowing pupils to be able to transfer knowledge and skills. As Language and Literature are used to interleave knowledge and skills this allows for a truly connected approach which, in turn, allows all pupils the opportunity to master the subject; lifting them above and beyond their daily experiences.
Extended teaching time will also be allowed for the mastery of grammar, spelling and vocabulary as these are the bodies of knowledge that allow accurate writing.
Year 7
Autumn - Myths and Legends
Spring - To be or not to be?
Summer - Forgotten Treasure
Year 8
Autumn - Overcoming the Monster
Spring -Tragedy
Summer - No Man’s Land
Year 9
Autumn - Fighting Writing
Spring - Ferocious Females
Summer - Love and Life
Year 10
At key stage 4 pupils follow both AQA English Language and AQA English Literature courses. Both courses are assessed through examination. Pupils will study a range of texts and explore a range of skills including 19th Century Literature, and a 20th Century play.
In GCSE English Language they will begin with Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives, a non-fiction unit. Their speaking and listening component will also be completed in Year 10.
Year 11
In Year 11 pupils continue their AQA English Language course, beginning the year with a Creative Reading and Writing unit. Pupils then re-visit the non-fiction element of the paper.
In GCSE English Literature, pupils move on to Shakespeare’s Macbeth. They will revise An Inspector Calls, A Christmas Carol, explore poetry and focus on exam preparation.
Homework
Homework is set on a fortnightly basis. Home learning is essential to consolidate knowledge and encourage independence and responsibility. All homework tasks are available to view on Google Classroom.