English

English Curriculum Vision

In English we provide a curriculum that is broad, balanced, challenging and fosters a love of learning. We match our curriculum to the abilities, interests and aspirations of our students, to give every child the opportunity to strive for personal excellence. The cycles of learning are sequenced throughout each year group to carefully assess students’ proficiency in comprehension, analysis, evaluation and comparison.

How do we help our students to ROAR?

Resilient: We ensure that we are in regular contact with our feeder schools to maintain continuity with KS2 across KS3. This allows students to build their confidence and realise that their learning always has purpose and relevance; our aim is for them to see their learning as a sequenced journey.

Open-Minded: Our texts are rich in context and offer interpretations into politics and culture that still play a fundamental role in a society. We have thoughtfully placed our texts to coincide with important annual observances such as Black History Month and Armistice Day, so students can build upon their cultural capital.

Aspirational: We want students to understand English as a discipline, so we have carefully selected texts which are not only rich in vocabulary for linguistic analysis, but that offer an archetype for particular literary movements and which offer a vehicle for teaching key concepts.

Reflective: Students are regularly asked to reflect upon their own progress through dedicated Feedback Improvement Time in class. We also encourage students to contemplate how their learning is relevant to their own lives, or how and why their world may be different to what they are learning about.

Year 7:

Intent:

Students begin year 7 with a transitional unit which maintains continuity with KS2, and is in keeping with the core aims of the National Curriculum. By the end of the year students will have been introduced to a range of literature which allows them to gain a secure grasp of the key concepts in English.

Implementation:

Year 8:

Intent:

Students continue to build and review their knowledge through a range of fiction and non-fiction texts. Through carefully selected texts they learn how literature has developed over time and how social, cultural and political shifts are mirrored in the literature they read therefore helping to build upon their cultural capital.

Implementation:

Year 9:

Intent:

Students read a range of classic texts from different traditions and time periods, allowing them to relate their learning to other subjects within school and to reflect on their modern lives. Students are given the opportunity to hone in on the skills and knowledge from previous years.

Implementation:

Year 10:

Intent:

Our two year GCSE course begins in Year 10. Students are well equipped for study of the GCSE components due to the curriculum journey they have progressed along. Students continue to refine their knowledge and skills, and learn how to apply them to the assessment objectives of the examination.

Implementation:

Year 11:

Intent:

Our GCSE students are exposed to a range of interleaved revision throughout the course of Year 11. This prepares them for their mocks and exams whist ensuring that knowledge and skills are constantly reviewed and retained.

Implementation:

Year 12:

Intent:

Our two-year A-level course begins in Year 12. Students are well equipped for study of the A-level components due to the knowledge and skills they have been exposed to at GCSE. Students continue to refine their knowledge and skills, and learn how to apply them to their analytical writing in a sophisticated and critical way.

Implementation:

Year 13:

Intent:

Our A-level students are exposed to a range of interleaved revision throughout the course of Year 13. This prepares them for their mocks and exams whist ensuring that knowledge and skills are constantly reviewed and retained. There is a focus on exam technique as well as academic rigour to prepare students for the demands of higher education.

Implementation:

You can view our suggested reading list: