What will the learning look like?

Through year 7 & 8 students have 6 lessons per fortnight of English including one library lesson. In addition to the curriculum units students in Year 7 & 8 develop independent reading skills supported by the Accelerated Reader program through which students are supported to read independently and set regular reading challenges by class teachers.

Students will be taught strategies for using Knowledge Organisers to embed knowledge and build revision skills, how to develop analytical responses to text and to select accurate textual evidence to support this using the ‘What-How-Why’ paragraph structure.

Work across this keys stage focuses on building students analytic reading skills, their core writing and literacy needs as well as opportunities to develop broader study skills that will enable them to continue as successful learners.

What will students study?

Students study a range of thematic units; each unit is built around a core concept and range of core skills that provide them with a rich literary and cultural base for their further studies.

Year 7	Year 8
Man and Nature Pastoral Poetry and The Odyssey Focus on language choice and Descriptive Writing	An Introduction to Victorian England The Ruby in The Smoke or Enola Holmes Analytical writing – characters and context, structure and suspense Linking evaluation of texts to context over time.
Genre and Setting – Gothic Reading sample texts including extracts from Dracula, Frankenstein and other canonical texts from the genre Descriptive Writing of Setting	Power and Identity Protest poetry including Maya Angelou Animal Farm extracts Writing Portfolio viewpoints and voice
Language Media and Representation Critical reading of a range of non-fiction and multi modal texts. Constructing speeches for debate Topical non-fiction writing	Characters and Context – A Midsummer Night’s Dream A Midsummer Night’s Dream – evaluating text and contexts Presenting an argument – Oberon as villain

 

The units are designed to build on each prior unit so that by the end of the Key Stage students have a broad conceptual understanding through a range of texts. For example, Students in Year 7 will explore the relationship between man and nature and the pastoral literary movement in a novel and poetry selection, this is then further developed in Year 8 study of the Shakespeare comedy ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ so that students can develop and apply prior knowledge across the two years of study.

How will progress be assessed?

Students are assessed using coursework style tasks that allow them to develop planning, proof-reading and re-drafting skills based on qualitative teacher feedback. In addition students will complete end of unit assessments that test the core knowledge and skills from each unit and, as each year progresses, tests their prior learning and retention. Students’’ reading age is also assessed 4 times over the academic year using the Accelerated Reader STAR test assessment.

What kinds of homework can students in years 7 and 8 expect to receive and why?

Through Year 7 and 8 Students are expected to complete a minimum of two lessons a week of Bedrock Learning to improve their vocabulary for learning. This is a core homework for all students.

Students can also expect regular use of the knowledge organiser and testing to be a staple in addition to online learning opportunities, research and project work as well as the standard reading or writing tasks linked to class work.

Students study two GCSE courses following the AQA Specifications for GCSE English Literature and English Language with two exam papers per subject in addition to the English Language Non-Exam Assessment for Speaking and Listening.

Students begin GCSE studies in Year 9 with the first two terms focusing on developing higher level reading and writing skills as the bridge between KS3 and 4. The content of these unit also offers opportunities to enrich their reading experiences from KS3 and to explore the concepts and themes of the GCSE Literature set texts as a means of preparing them for higher level thinking and analysis.

In the final term of Year 9 students study the first of four set texts for GCSE Literature, the remaining set texts are taught in conjunction with the English Language reading and writing skills across year 10 and 11; all classes follow the teaching sequence and texts as outlined in the KS4 Curriculum Map.

The selection of set texts for GCSE include

•   Shakespeare’s tragedy – Macbeth

•   The 19th Century Novel – A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

•   Modern Drama text – An Inspector Calls by JB Priestley

•   Poetry Anthology provided by AQA –Power and Conflict Cluster

These set texts have strong thematic links between them allowing students to constantly overlap learning of key concepts which is supported by regular interleaved revision and knowledge testing. The selection of texts is also supported by prior learning at Key Stage 3, where students will have secured a core knowledge of Shakespearean context, dramatic devices and structures, and a conceptual understanding of key poetic movements such as the pastoral and Romantics, in addition to the analytical and written skills essential to English studies.

How is the curriculum delivered? What does learning look like in your department in KS4? Why?

Students at KS4 have 8 hours teaching of English per fortnight which will include shared reading of the set texts. Units are delivered in the same order for all classes and teachers are guided by the core planning to ensure consistency and progress across all years and classes. Class teaching will include the reading and analysis of set texts for literature, modelling of annotation and analysis and regular use of Knowledge Organisers and testing to embed core knowledge and build sustained revision across the Key Stage. Students will access a range of exemplar materials to support and develop their exam skills. Students will also benefit from guided or ‘Walking Talking Mocks’ to secure their exam technique.

Assessment Structure

Each unit of study has a core set of incremental tasks to assess progress and learning throughout the term and a final exam style assessment linked directly to the exam criteria for the GCSE course. Exam board mark schemes are used to mark work and provide feedback.

In addition students will all sit regular mock exam papers in line with the whole school assessment calendar – all students will experience each of the exam papers per subject in exam conditions at least once over the duration of the course. Mock exam assessment will use the corresponding grade boundaries set by the exam board for the exam paper used.

How are students organised and why?

Students are grouped into attainment sets based on prior attainment and regular reviews of their progress and attainment in each unit. The intention of setting is to ensure that all students receive the challenge and support they need with smaller groupings for students who need more support to reach their potential.  At GCSE students aspirational and target grades will also inform class allocation.

How is the curriculum scaffolded for children with SEND?

Students with SEND are supported, in addition to whole school provision, by class teacher differentiation. Boosters and interventions Key Stage 4 are run throughout the year and combine directed attendance for specific core content or skills in addition to optional revision sessions. At Key Stage 3 students who need additional literacy support have the opportunity to secure their phonics whilst studying a suitably adapted English curriculum to ensure they follow the same learning journey as their peers.

How do you close gaps where they exist for your GCSE students?

Class teacher assessments and whole school tracking data is used to identify gaps in knowledge or learning progress. In the first instance class teachers will plan opportunities to close those gaps within the classroom setting or by providing specific, targeted support to students or groups with common targets. 

In addition to this, the department regularly run bespoke booster programs with a timetable of topics and skills to be covered in each session. Students can be directed by class teachers to attend these to support their learning and progress while others may choose to attend to support their own revision The department also offers access to supported study space where students can come and work independently on revision or homework with an English teacher present and a range of revision resources and workbooks to support them.

What kinds of homework can students in years 9-11 expect to receive and why?

Homework in KS4 will often focus on the use of Knowledge Organisers and self-testing to embed core knowledge. Tasks will also focus on building revision notes and skills as well as wider reading to support the literature being studied. In Year 9 students are expected to complete weekly Bedrock targets to develop their academic vocabulary.

What online learning resources are available to access for students and parents?

The department maintains the department Firefly area which contains the overviews of each unity and the core resources. Class teachers will also use homework setting to offer online learning opportunities and to recommend online revision sites and tools.

The English Faculty offer A Level English Language following the OCR specification and A Level Literature following the AQA Specification B. 

Both courses build on the skills and knowledge of the GCSE courses; in Literature students continue to apply close analytical reading skills to the set texts and further develop them by learning a range of critical lenses and literary theories. The A Level courses for literature are structured with a focus on genre over time and texts are explored and debated in depth with students encouraged to evaluate interpretations of texts over time and develop their own personal interpretations.

The A Level Language course is structured around the theoretical study of Language; students build on their reading and exploration of unseen texts and learn to apply a range of theories to them, the course requires a secure knowledge of linguistic features and students will be able to use their experience and knowledge of writers’ methods form the GCSE courses as the building block for this. The units studied also engage students with the use of language in society and over time and develop them into critical readers who can deconstruct texts with precision and insight.

The content of both the Language and Literature course aims to give students a breath or reading and allow them to explore how social and historical context can both influence and be influenced by language and literature. The units studied aim to engage students with the significance of language and literature in society and over time; they will become critical readers who can deconstruct texts with precision and insight.

A Level Literature

Students typically have two class teachers for Literature, each of whom focuses on one of the exam papers across the two year course.

Paper 1 explores the genre of Tragedy and students begin with an introduction to the conventions of genre which will build on their knowledge from GCSE, students will complete a close textual study of Shakespeare’s Othello and incorporate the history of Tragedy as a genre including Aristotelean Tragedy, Senecan Tragedy, Morality Plays and Jacobean Revenge Tragedy. Students will then study Modern Tragedy, building on their knowledge of conventional tragedy to explore modern dramatic techniques and the development of the genre over time. In Year 13, having developed a detailed knowledge of the genre, students will move on to study the tragic elements in poetry by Keats.

Paper 2 explores the Crime Writing genre and begins with an introduction to key literary critical theories including Narratology and Value theory, this introduction allows students to explore why the genre remains so popular and to evaluate their own concepts of what constitutes ‘literature’. The units begin with a classic work of crime fiction by Agatha Christie and the use of critical theory to deconstruct the text. This provides a core knowledge base that is next applied to the modern crime novel; students are challenged to apply further theories to the texts studied and evaluate how crime writing evolves over time and reflects ‘universal concerns’ common across literature. This also allows students to make connections between their study of Tragedy and the Crime genre. In Year 13 students also move onto a study of poetry by Crabbe, Browning and Wilde which will draw together their genre studies from Year 12 and their knowledge of poetic forms from GCSE Literature.

Students also have the opportunity to complete non-exam assessments in which they apply a critical theory to texts of their choice; the use of critical theory throughout the year 12 teaching units ensures students are confident in the application of theory to the set texts and leads into the formal teaching and preparation work for the NEA at the end of year 12.

A Level Language

Students typically have two class teachers for English Language, each of whom focuses on one of the exam papers across the two-year course.  Each topic is broadly determined by three influential factors; the parts of language used, the theory behind the language used, and the context of meaning including both the construction and reception of the text.

Paper 1 focuses on the exploration of language. Students begin with an introduction to linguistic frameworks including grammar, lexis, syntax and phonology, and the parts of language within each framework. Students access a range of texts such as articles, diary entries, information leaflets etc. that they use to identify and analyse parts of language. Students gain a secure grasp of different modes of text through this introductory unit analysis and also through their own collection of texts based on topics with which they wish to explore further. In year 13 students develop this core skill set and undertake comparisons of thematically linked texts.

Paper 1 also provides a unique opportunity for students to use their own voice. One element of the paper focuses on a topical statement with which students respond in their own voice, in a given mode, for example, writing a speech or an article. This provides the opportunity for students to show their own thoughts and opinions on language and its use and evolution and creates a chance for students to comment critically on theories and thesis surrounding the subject.

Within paper 1, students will also complete the non-examined assessment component of the course, typically towards the end of year 12 and into year 13. This sees students create their own unique hypothesis and complete an exploration into texts that to prove or disprove their hypothesis. The titles are submitted to the exam board for approval, and students are then guided through the process by their Paper 1 teacher. This component provides an excellent opportunity to explore language in modes and genres of texts not incorporated into the exam specification.

Paper 2 explores the dimensions of linguistic variation. Students begin with a unit exploring the acquisition of language in children from 0-7 years old. This is a fascinating unit that really encourages students to think back to how their own unique idiolect has formed and encourages thought on origins and influences. Students will be able to make connections with the frameworks covered in paper 1 and will gain a clear understanding of how we learn to communicate and the order of mastery.

This is followed by an exploration into the language of the media, covering language of different genders, power in and behind language, and the language in technology. Students are provided with a single text and need to use their discerning skills to choose which areas to comment on in regard to the construction of the text. Not every dimension of language will be key in the construction of meaning, and students need to display an ability to determine which are most influential.

The final topic of the course is exploring Language Change, the evolution and growth of the English Language. Students will explore historical varieties of language using the same guiding frameworks from early Paper 1 explorations. Students will explore parts of language and create an analytical comparison of two thematically linked texts of different time periods. This not only provides new and interesting topic areas to students but allows them to draw on core skills established in Paper 1.