English
| Staff | Mrs M Bromfield | -
Head of English |
| Mr J Eaton | - Assistant English Team Leader and KS3 English Co-ordinator. Associate member of Leadership team. |
|
| Mrs H Stevens | - KS4 English Co-ordinator and Head of Media Studies | |
| Mr J Barnicott | - Teacher of English, SENCO | |
| Ms H Gadd | - Teacher of English | |
| Mr C King | - Teacher of English and Head of Year 9 | |
| Ms L Latchmore | - Teacher of English | |
| Mr T Neill | - Teacher of English | |
| Ms S Oakman | - Teacher of English | |
| Mr S Davies | - Teacher of English | |
| Ms L Renshaw | - Teacher of English | |
| Mrs C Kleinstuber | - Department Assistant |
English Department Philosophy
The English Department endeavours to value individuals and inspire self-belief in students that will enable them to flourish; to challenge students so that they always achieve their potential.
Our aims are to:
| | enable students to become confident speakers, able to articulate their thoughts and values |
| | nurture an enthusiasm for reading through a wide variety of texts through the ages. |
| | develop their critical awareness of the world around them, empowering them to write accurately, expressing their ideas in a wide range of written forms. |
| | prepare students for the literacy demands of adult life. |
| | foster an understanding of spirituality, morality, society and cultural identity. |
KS3
Year 7:
Students follow the National Curriculum for English. This involves experiencing all forms of English expression and literature including speaking and listening exercises and practice and modules on Shakespeare, Writing to argue, Writing to instruct / advise and creative writing through a short stories assignment. Their reading and comprehension is also developed in the Summer Term through their study of a novel.
Year 8:
Students follow the National Curriculum for English. They will again have an opportunity to improve their reading fluency and comprehension at the beginning of the year; they will also do modules based on a media assignment, war poetry, Shakespeare, Chaucer and continue to practice persuasive devices in writing through an assignment to practise travel writing.
Year 9:
For the first two terms of Year 9 students will follow a programme of work which includes a study of a themed poetry anthology, a Shakespeare play, a modern novel and a unit which will focus on developing writing skills in preparation for GCSE. We are currently awaiting the publication of the new specifications for 2010 GCSE and hope to begin working towards them after Easter of Year 9.
KS4
Most students follow a double entry programme in GCSE English and GCSE English Literature. Currently at KS4, we follow AQA Specification A. Students complete coursework in Pre-1914 Prose, a Prose study, Shakespeare, Original Writing, Media, and Twentieth Century Drama, most of which is completed in Year 10. Coursework accounts for 30% of the marks for GCSE English Literature and 40% of the marks for GCSE English, of which 20% is Speaking and Listening. Students also develop skills in reading and writing to prepare for the examinations. They will be examined in reading of non-fiction texts, comparing poems from other cultures and writing to argue, persuade, advise, inform, explain and describe.
G.C.S.E. English
AIMS
The course aims to increase students' confidence and competence in speaking and listening, reading and writing.
CONTENT
Students are prepared for two examination papers, one based on multicultural poetry from the AQA Anthology and the other involving responses to non-literary material. The exam papers also test extended writing in a range of styles. In addition, students are assessed in speaking and listening skills through group, individual and drama focused activities. Students submit a coursework folder containing four assignments: Original Writing, Media Study, Shakespeare and a Prose Study assignment.
SKILLS
Students improve their communication skills, both in oral and written assignments and learn how to write in a wide range of styles for different audiences and purposes. They learn how to read a variety of material closely, commenting on its content and style.
ASSESSMENT
Assessment of speaking and listening skills accounts for 20% of the final marks; written coursework also counts for 20%. There are two examination papers which make up 60% of the final mark.
G.C.S.E. English Literature
AIMS
The course aims to increase students' understanding and appreciation of a wide range of literary texts.
CONTENT
Students submit a coursework folder containing responses to a Shakespeare play, 20th Century Drama and a Pre 1914 Prose Study Assignment. They will also be prepared for the examination paper by studying a prose text and poetry from the AQA Anthology.
SKILLS
The course encourages students to read texts closely, to consider different authors' styles of writing and to respond to texts, both orally and in essay form.
ASSESSMENT
Written coursework accounts for 30% of the final mark. There is one examination paper which makes up 70% of the final mark, on a prose set text and pre 1914 and 20th Century poetry studied from the AQA Anthology.
KS5
We offer two discreet ‘A’ Levels; English Language (AQA) and English Literature (Edexcel).
We recommend that students achieve at least two ‘B’ grades at GCSE Language and Literature in order to be successful at this level.