English

Why Study English?

The English faculty recognises that skilful use of language is the single most important means of realising the wider goals of education in order to develop informed, thinking citizens. The reading and study of literature add a special dimension to students’ lives by broadening their insight, allowing them to experience places, people and events that might otherwise be unavailable to them. 

See our learning journey

In KS3 English we study a range of poetry, prose and play fiction texts as well as explore a variety of non-fiction materials such as articles, speeches, and letters. Students are exposed to a plethora of genres and text types, including works from the 19th century such as The Hound of the Baskervilles, modern texts like Refugee Boy and The Gothic.

At Key Stage 4, students are supported through their KS4 journey with AQA English Language and Edexcel English Literature. Through the study of classic drama, fiction and poetry, students explore how different generations viewed concepts such as good and evil, religion versus science, and the morality of war. Students study the Conflict cluster of poems from the Edexcel Poetry Anthology, exploring a wide range of spiritual and philosophical beliefs. In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, students learn of the dramatic shift in Victorian religious beliefs during the Fin de Siècle period, due to the influence of Charles Darwin and contemporary science. Additionally, Macbeth offers students an insight into the divine right and religious structure in Jacobean England. In addition, non-fiction texts studied for AQA English language allow students to dip into a wide and diverse range of social issues, from gender and feminism to the harmful effects of plastics on the environment. Whether writing or debating, students need to consider alternate views on sometimes controversial topics, evaluate different interpretations, and present them in a range of ways, depending on the genre, audience, and/or purpose. In addition, for the GCSE Speaking and Listening exam, students need to independently research and present a topic of their choice. They are encouraged to explore subjects which interest them: topics have included the LGBT+ community, racism, and gender inequality.

Young people have regular opportunity to develop their reading, writing and oracy skills through a range of tasks and assessments in which they receive a range of feedback to empower them to take ownership of their learning, progress, and next steps. Self, peer, and teacher feedback are all encouraged and used appropriately to address misconception quickly and support independence in the learners.

Students are guided to retain prior knowledge through a range of retrieval low stake tasks to enable them to develop long term retention of content and revision strategies.