English

The majority of the English Faculty is housed in spacious classrooms each with an Interactive Whiteboard. Additionally there is an English ICT room for use by students of all ages, as well as new wireless laptops, which can be booked out for use in classrooms.

The Faculty has close links with the LIRC to promote and encourage a love of reading in all of our students. All students are encouraged to read for pleasure through library visits, ILID days, competitions and private reading in lessons.

Key Stage 3

All students in Years 7, 8 and 9 follow detailed differentiated Schemes of Work, which aim to improve students’ responses to a wide range of fiction and non fiction texts. The Faculty has a wide range of high quality contemporary fiction texts designed to engage students of all abilities. All Key Stage 3 students receive one skills lesson per week in order to improve spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Topics studied include:

• Novels
• Non fiction
• Creative writing
• Poetry
• Plays
• Shakespeare

All students are assessed on their reading, writing and Speaking and Listening levels over the course of the year in the form of standardised assessments.

Homework is set twice a week and is designed to reinforce basic skills, practise reading, writing and the ability to research.

Key Stage 4

All students follow the AQA GCSE syllabus and most will be entered for their English Language GCSE examination Unit (worth 40%) at the end of Year 10, either at Higher or Foundation Tier. Students will be regularly monitored and assessed during the course of the year in order to ensure that the appropriate Tier is selected. Some students will have additional time in Year 11 to resit the Language examination if necessary in November and June.

All students will need to produce written coursework, which is done as Controlled Assessments within classrooms. These Units are:

• Extended Reading
• Creative Writing
• Spoken Language Study

In addition students will produce 3 pieces of Speaking and Listening Coursework in class focusing on discussion, role play and presentation.

In Year 11 many students will also have the opportunity to study for an English Literature GCSE. Students need to complete a piece of Controlled Assessment on Shakespeare and the English Literary Heritage.

Key Stage 5

A LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE

At A-level there is a focus on linguistic analysis of the spoken and written word. Students are required to learn and apply terminology in the analysis of a variety of texts, both fiction and non-fiction. They will consider the creation and production of texts and will have an opportunity to create and analyse their own writing. Later on in the course, students examine specific issues in language such as language and its relation to power and language acquisition. They also study how language changes over time and will learn how to analyse texts from different historical periods.

ENTRY REQUIREMENT

A grade B in both GCSE English Language and Literature is required for this course.

A LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE

Students will read and study a variety of prose, poetry and plays with a focus on genre and narrative methods. They are required to study both pre- and post-1900 texts including a play by Shakespeare. Texts are studied in relation to their social, historical and cultural contexts and a variety of different interpretations are considered during lessons.

Throughout the course there is a focus on close analysis of the language and structure of texts. There is emphasis on sophisticated essay writing skills and written expression.

ENTRY REQUIREMENT

A grade B in both GCSE English Language and Literature is required for this course.

A LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE & LANGUAGE

AS

This specification offers opportunities for students to develop their subject expertise by engaging critically and creatively with a wide range of texts. Using linguistic and literary concepts and methods, candidates analyse literary and non-literary texts in a range of

modes and genres, in the process gaining insights into the nature of different discourses and ideas about creativity. Candidates develop skills as producers and interpreters of language by creating texts themselves and critically reflecting on their own processes of
production.

Paper 1: Views and Voices
Exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
Weighting: 50% of AS level

Paper 2: People and Places
Exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
Weighting: 50% of AS level

A-Level

This course is fully co-teachable with the AS course but the second year builds on the skills acquired at AS and also includes a non-exam assessment.

Paper 1: Telling Stories
Exam: 3 hours
Weighting: 40% of A-Level

Paper 2: Exploring Conflict
Exam: 2 hours 30 minutes
Weighting: 40% of A-Level

Non-Exam Assessment: Making Connections
Assessed by teachers and moderated by AQA
Weighting: 20% of A-Level

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

A grade B in GCSE English Language and a grade B in GCSE English Literature are required.