English
|
Teaching Staff
|
 |
Why English is ImportantEnglish rightfully sits at the heart of the curriculum because language is power. Spoken by over 1.75 billion people worldwide, it is the language of everyday life and global connection, shaping business, science, culture and creativity. Mastery of English unlocks every other subject, strengthens communication, and opens doors to future study and employment. Our departmental intent statement outlines we feel that English is an exceptionally important subject for our students: We aim to:
Our curriculum is designed to develop a lifelong love of English, inspiring students to read widely and to value the beauty and complexity of language. Through carefully chosen texts, we introduce students to the great works of the literary canon while celebrating the richness of voices in our diverse society. This blend nurtures a culturally enriching knowledge of literature and sparks curiosity about the world. Reading and discussing literature allows students to grow as empathetic and engaged citizens. They encounter characters and ideas that reflect contemporary concerns—class, gender, prejudice and injustice—encouraging them to question, debate and develop their own moral and social understanding.
We also foster creativity and self-expression by giving students opportunities to write, speak and perform in a range of forms. From storytelling and debate to public speaking and poetry, students learn to communicate with confidence, work collaboratively, and adapt to new challenges—skills that prepare them for life and work beyond school. Our curriculum challenges and supports all learners, offering stretch for the most able and guidance for those who need it, while connecting classroom study to the wider world. Visits, guest speakers and real-world experiences help students see how English shapes culture and society and why their own voices matter.
Key Stage 3At Key Stage 3, students study a broad and diverse range of texts, genres and writing forms designed to nurture a love of literature, develop analytical thinking and build confident communication skills. Our curriculum is structured into six carefully sequenced units per year, enabling students to explore literature progressively while strengthening reading fluency, vocabulary development and extended writing. Each unit builds deliberately on prior knowledge, ensuring that skills are revisited, deepened and applied across different forms and contexts. This structure allows for sustained whole-text study alongside poetry, non-fiction and rhetoric, ensuring breadth while maintaining intellectual depth. Curriculum Design: The Four C Model Content-Specific: Every unit clearly defines the essential knowledge, vocabulary and subject-specific skills that students will master. Core texts are studied in depth and key analytical concepts are explicitly taught. Cumulative: Knowledge and skills from previous units are revisited systematically and interleaved through retrieval, discussion and extended writing to strengthen long-term retention. Coherent: Instructional sequences are carefully planned to ensure clarity and progression. Students develop both substantive knowledge (what to know) and disciplinary knowledge (how to analyse and evaluate). Challenging: All students are expected to think deeply and write analytically. Scaffolded support ensures access, while high expectations ensure stretch. Our curriculum is ambitious and at least as demanding as the National Curriculum for English. Year 7 – Story, Conflict and Imagination Year 7 establishes the foundations of confident reading, analytical thinking and expressive writing. Students study a broad range of classic and contemporary texts, developing fluency, vocabulary and structured paragraph writing while growing in confidence as speakers and performers. By the end of Year 7, students are able to:
Year 7 Curriculum Structure Autumn Term
Spring Term
Summer Term
Year 8 – Power, Justice and Society Year 8 deepens students’ analytical thinking and independence through texts that explore power, ambition, injustice and social change. Students encounter increasingly complex language and ideas, strengthening their ability to write extended analytical responses and compare viewpoints across genres. By the end of Year 8, students are able to:
Year 8 Curriculum Structure Autumn Term
Spring Term
Summer Term
Year 9 – Literature, Society and Identity Year 9 serves as a deliberate bridge to GCSE, increasing both challenge and independence. Students explore dystopian fiction, study Fahrenheit 451, revisit Shakespeare through Richard III, examine Social Justice poetry, analyse Sherlock Holmes, and conclude with Pygmalion. By the end of Year 9, students are able to:
Year 9 Curriculum Structure Autumn Term
Spring Term
Summer Term
Year 7 Overview – Developing Character and VoiceIn Year 7, students explore how writers create and develop character and voice across a range of literary forms: Module 1: Characterisation Across Forms
Module 2: Character, Voice and Rhetoric
Module 3: Shakespeare and Adaptation
In year seven, students develop build upon KS2 foundational skills in literary analysis, creative writing, and spoken language, with opportunities to perform, debate, and write across genres. Year 8 Overview – Exploring Emotion and PerspectiveIn Year 8, students examine how writers evoke emotion and present viewpoints through literature and rhetoric. Module 1: Gothic and Atmosphere
Module 2: Voice, Viewpoint and Protest
Module 3: Love and Pain in Literature
This year builds on Year 7’s foundations, deepening students’ understanding of structure, genre, and emotional impact in writing and performance. Year 9 Overview – Power, Identity and ConflictIn Year 9, students explore how literature reflects and challenges ideas about power, identity, and society: Module 1: Dystopia and Rebellion
Module 2: Language, Identity and Rhetoric
Module 3: War and Human Experience
Students refine their analytical and creative writing skills, preparing for the demands of GCSE English while engaging with powerful and universal themes and diverse voices.
Key Stage 4At KS4, Students will study for two GCSE’s; one in English Language and one in English Literature. They will complete four exam papers at the end of Year 11 - two in English Language and two in English Literature. These exams are now graded 9-1 and are assessed by examination only. In addition, students will complete a Spoken Language Assessment for their English Language GCSE which is separately endorsed by the exam board.
English LanguageQualification Details Exam Board: AQA The English Language course we study has been designed to inspire and motivate students, providing appropriate stretch and challenge whilst ensuring, as far as possible, that the assessment and texts are accessible to the full range of students.
English LiteratureQualification Details Exam Board: AQA
Studying English Literature encourages students to develop knowledge and skills in reading, writing and critical thinking. Through literature, students develop their cultural awareness and experience a range of influential writers. The specification enables students of all abilities to develop the skills they need to read, understand and analyse a wide range of different texts covering the 19th, 20th and 21st century time periods. In addition, students will develop their ability to write clearly, coherently and accurately using a range of vocabulary and sentence structures. During KS4 students study the literature texts for GCSE and continue to revisit them during these two years. The following texts are studied for GCSE English Literature:
For each of these texts, students must read the whole text and understand the plot, characters, themes and the historical context in which the text was originally written. Revision guides are available to buy from the school.
The following resource will help students in their upcoming mock examinations: |
|