English

Congratulations

A quick word of congratulations to all GCSE and A Level students who achieved excellent results in the last academic year.

As a department we have achieved another excellent set of results:

  • GCSE English Language: 64% A*-C
  • GCSE English Language: 2% A*-A

A fantastic improvement with English Literature this year

  • GCSE English Literature: 61% A*-C
  • GCSE English Literature: 9% A*-A

Overview

Staff List

Department staffing structure from September 10
Head of department Adrian Donovan (KS5 Coordinator)
Second in department Claire Gibbons (KS4 Coordinator)
Teaching and learning coordinator Janine Ely
English teacher Emily Foulds (KS3 Coordinator)
English teacher Bethany Witham
English Teacher  Krystal Rose
English teacher Natalie Foreman (HOY 8)
English teacher     Clare Rothstein (APP Coordinator)
English teacher Anna Holmes
English teacher Francesca Osborn
English teacher Nina Eastman
English teacher (NQT) Luke Thurhnam
SDD/English teacher Moinka Sciupider & Heather Meek

Key Stage 3

 

We aim to inspire all pupils to be successful, to flourish in a safe and secure learning environment, become confident and creative users of the English Language, and enthusiastic appreciators of English Literature.

We aim to build on the skills they have learnt at KS2 by meeting their changing literacy needs through a curriculum that is diverse, relevant and challenging, using ICT, and linking with other subject areas to support their studies across the school.

Students should leave KS3 and progress to KS4 competent users of a range of different writing styles, and with a broad knowledge of various authors and genres of writing, skills that will provide a strong base which can be developed to ensure success at GCSE.

At KS3, students work through five modules per year. They are formally assessed at the end of each module by their class teacher. The department uses ongoing APP assessments (Assessing Pupil Progress) as its main form of assessment, but this is supplimented by reading and writing exams at the end of the school year.

KS 3 Literacy Lessons

These lessons offer an opportunity for students to engage actively with literacy; the key element that underpins the study of English. The lessons are designed to make the study of literacy interactive and more relevant in ways that will inspire and engage young learners. They run as an addition to our separate programme of study and also aim to help students progress towards higher levels of achievement as set out by APP.

These literacy lessons introduce learners to the principles and the rules of a language, but they also build a repertoire of critical and analytical skills – opportunities for student not only to do things, but also to think. Our aim is that what they learn in these lessons will not only link to improved achievements, but also give them the confidence and independence to function better in everyday life.

 

Key Stage 4

At KS4, some student will progress through the double award English / English Literature, whilst other students will progress through the single award English.

The new modules / topics stduents will study include:Understanding and Producing Non-fiction Texts;

 

  • Understanding Spoken and Written Texts and Writing Creatively;
  • Exploring Modern Texts;
  • Poetry Across Time;
  • The significance of Shakespeare and the English Literary Heritage;
Skills students will develop include: 
  • Speaking and listening;
  • Writing for different purposes
  • The ability to analyse and write on seen and unseen texts and images.
Assessment for English LanguageGCSE English Language allows students to demonstrate their ability to use English in real life contexts and uses an investigative and analytical approach to language topics drawing on personal experience.The English Language exam consists of two separate papers – a further 40% of your grade comes from a new controlled assessment that will test your understanding of spoken and written texts and a further opportunity for you to write creatively. The last 20% of your grade will come from a range of speaking and listening activities, in which you’ll show your ability to present, discuss and listen and engage in role play. Assessment for English Literature GCSE English Literature requires students to explore texts from a personal perspective and offers an experience of:
  •  Literature today
  • Literature globally
  • The Literary Heritage
Students will be examined twice for Literature, once after exploring a modern text and another after exploring poetry across time.  The other 35% will come from the new controlled assessments which focuses on the significance of Shakespeare and the English Literary Heritage. Key Stage 5

Studying for these qualifications will enable you to develop:

• your interests in and enjoyment of reading and discussing literary texts;
• your knowledge and understanding of a wide range of English literature texts;
• your skills of literary analysis.

This qualification gives you the opportunity to study literature across the genres of prose, poetry and drama, and to read around concepts of literature and literary analysis. To get the AS qualification, you’ll need to cover 6 texts and then another six texts to get the A level qualification, and it is possible to choose texts that link together or contrast with each other.

Before you start this qualification it is usual to have a GCSE in English or English Literature. The emphasis is on progression from GCSE to the AS qualification and progression from the full A level towards study in Higher Education. English Literature combines well with many other subjects. History, Classics and Modern Foreign Languages are particularly suitable, but it can also be a valuable contrast to scientific, technological and economics-based subjects.

If you are considering going on to Higher Education, the English Literature qualification provides a wide range of opportunities for degree courses in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. The English Literature qualification is also welcomed for many different careers because it emphasises creativity, disciplined thought and communication, plus an ability to synthesise and contextualise ideas.