What matters most in English?
In English, we aspire to instil a love of reading, writing and literature to develop our students’ understanding of the world. We intend to ensure that all students can read fluently and with accuracy, as well as encouraging a passion for reading and guiding students to choose books and genres they will want to pursue. We encourage students’ curiosity and desire to read, make links with their own knowledge, reading and other curriculum subjects.
We develop students’ writing skills to equip them with core life skills, such as writing letters and job applications, while also encouraging writing as a form of expression and enjoyment. To ensure students succeed in English, we encourage their creative flair in writing, support them in forming personal, critical opinions when reading, and help them develop their ideas and arguments using evidence.
We also aim to develop students who listen respectfully, speak eloquently and can articulate themselves confidently in and out of the classroom.
Prior Learning
Students arrive having accessed a range of different levels of English. They should have developed skills across reading, writing, spoken language, grammar, punctuation and spelling.
Subsequent Study
All students go on to study GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature. At GCSE, students develop their understanding in reading and analysing a range of fiction and non-fiction texts. They develop their ability to evaluate writers’ methods and viewpoints and create well-structured writing for different purposes and audiences. In Literature, students study whole texts in depth, including Shakespeare, a 19th-century novel, modern texts and poetry.
At A Level, students build on these foundations. English Literature involves exploring texts through different interpretations and critical perspectives, while English Language focuses on analysing language in use, including language change and issues of language and identity.