English
Welcome to the English Department
"After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world." - Philip Pullman
Head of Department:
Mr Molloy
e-mail: rmolloy.310@parkhighstanmore.org.uk
Introduction
Our vision is for a diverse, creative, and ambitious English curriculum underpinned by the philosophy that ‘English Opens Doors’: not only to future opportunities, but to new worlds and perspectives, and to coherent, articulate, and imaginative self-expression.
The English curriculum exposes students to a breadth of literature, written by and representing people of diverse backgrounds, circumstances, and experiences. Through the power and the magic of words and stories, these texts encourage students to look beyond the limits of their own worlds, deepening their understanding of the richness of the human experience, fostering compassion for and understanding of others.
As a department, we recognise the imperative that our students see themselves – and their identities – in the curriculum. Through this, our students learn that they have the right to inhabit literary and narrative space, that their stories are powerful and important, that their voices are worth sharing. We intend, therefore, that the English curriculum not only engenders compassion for others, but it also champions creative self-expression.
Our aspiration is that our students are thoughtful, critical readers who can engage sensitively and empathetically with the perspectives of others while able to express themselves clearly and confidently in speech and in writing, thus enabling them to become responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.
Key Stage 3
Language & Literature
In Years 7, 8, and 9, we embed the fundamental knowledge and skills that serve as a foundation for Key Stage 4 and beyond. Students are taught to write for a wide range of purposes and audiences, reading and writing fiction and non-fiction, analysing texts from canonical authors such as William Shakespeare and contemporary writers such as Renee Watson and Manjeet Mann. Students enjoy weekly reading lessons to encourage reading for pleasure, while we offer regular speaking and listening opportunities from low-stakes, in-class discussion to formal speeches delivered to a large audience.
Year 7
Year 7 begins with ʻMyths and Folk Talesʼ, a unit which encourages students to engage creatively with some of the foundational narratives of Western civilisation. Students move on to a poetry unit, learning about the form, engaging with key poetic terms and concepts, and reading a diverse range of poems on the themes of childhood and growing up. In the spring term, students turn to William Shakespeare’s great discourse on justice and mercy, ‘The Merchant of Venice’, before embarking on a persuasive writing scheme which covers reviews, letters, and speeches. The year ends with a dual focus – the study of a modern novel, Renee Watson’s beautiful journey into family history, ‘Some Places More Than Others’ – and the Ignite project which challenges every student in the year group to write, learn, and perform their own speech.
| Autumn | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|
|
Creative Writing (7 weeks) Creative writing unit based on a selection of myths, including Pandora’s box, Echo and Narcissus, Daedalus and Icarus. Introduction to Poetry (8 weeks) A selection of poems on the theme of childhood and growing up including William Blake, Liz Berry, and Roger Robinson |
Shakespeare (10-11 weeks) ‘The Merchant of Venice’ by William Shakespeare Persuade Me! (5 weeks) Persuasive writing unit covering speeches, letters, and reviews |
Modern Novel (12-13 weeks) ‘Some Places More Than Others’ by Renee Watson Ignite (1 lesson per week for 10 weeks) |
| Assessment | ||
|
Heroes and mythical beasts creative task MCQ checking understanding of key terms, concepts, and grammar Students write a review of their favourite poem in the unit MCQ covering Poetry and Myths |
Cumulative MCQ How does Shakespeare present Shylock in the play? Review of a mundane item |
ECumulative MCQ Students complete their own version of ‘The Suitcase Project’ Ignite speech |
Students complete a range of formative and summative assessments over the course of the academic year; these inform the two progress checks in the school’s assessment calendar. These assessments test the knowledge and skills taught as part of the curriculum and encourage students to revisit and revise key terms and concepts.
Year 8
Year 8 begins with an introduction to the Gothic genre which paves the way for the study of one of the most celebrated and influential works of English literature, Charles Dickensʼ classic tale of redemption and compassion, ʻA Christmas Carolʼ. In the spring term students practise personal and empathetic writing inspired by a selection of extracts from extraordinary true stories by authors such as Solomon Northup, Malcolm X, and Maya Angelou as well as studying a variety of poems by, amongst others, Imtiaz Dharker, Raymond Antrobus, and Natalie Diaz. The year concludes with Lorraine Hansberryʼs ʻA Raisin in the Sunʼ, a classic drama about an African-American family's hopes and dreams in 1950s Chicago and the first play written by an African-American woman to be produced on Broadway. Students are also given another opportunity to write, learn, and perform their own speech in the summer term.
| Autumn | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|
|
Introduction to the Gothic (5 weeks) 19th Century Novel (10 weeks) ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens |
‘Extraordinary True Stories’ (6-7 weeks) A personal and empathetic writing unit featuring a selection of non-fiction extracts ‘I am Malala’ by Malala Yousafzai Poetry: ‘Voices from Across the Globe’ (6 weeks) Selection of poems by Imtiaz Dharker, Raymond Antrobus, Natalie Diaz and others |
Modern Play (12 weeks) ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ by Lorraine Hansberry Ignite (1 lesson per week for 10 weeks) |
| Assessment | ||
|
Gothic creative task MCQ checking understanding of key terms and concepts How does Dickens present Scrooge in ‘A Christmas Carol’? |
Choose a person you respect or admire and write about a special moment you spent with that person. Analytical response to either ‘Catching Copper’ or ‘The Right Word’ Cumulative MCQ |
Cumulative MCQ How does Hansberry present the hopes and dreams of the Younger family? Ignite Speech |
Students complete a range of formative and summative assessments over the course of the academic year; these inform the two progress checks in the school’s assessment calendar. These assessments test the knowledge and skills taught as part of the curriculum and encourage students to revisit and revise key terms and concepts.
Year 9
Year 9 begins with the study a selection of short stories which serve as a springboard for students’ creative writing. Students then turn to Manjeet Mann’s award-winning contemporary verse novel, ‘The Crossing’, before tackling William Shakespeareʼs ʻOthelloʼ, a tragedy about race, deception and jealousy. Year 9 continues with a non-fiction unit entitled ‘Sensational Victorians’, which primes students for the demands of non-fiction study at Key Stage 4 while providing them with the opportunity to produce their own pieces of sensational writing. Key Stage 3 ends with a spoken word poetry unit which sees students write and perform their own poetry.
| Autumn | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|
|
Short stories and creative writing (6 weeks) American short stories (Selection of texts by Raymond Carver, John Cheever, Langston Hughes, Amina Gautier) Modern novel (10 weeks) |
Shakespeare (12 weeks) ‘Othello’ by William Shakespeare |
Non-fiction: Sensational Victorians (6 weeks) A selection of c19th non-fiction texts on Victorian fears and anxieties. Unsung Voices (6 weeks) Spoken word poetry unit |
| Assessment | ||
|
Students write their own short story MCQ on key terms, concepts, and contexts Students write an insert in verse in the style of Manjeet Mann |
Whole text essay: ‘How does Shakespeare present Othello?’ Cumulative MCQ |
Cumulative MCQ Write a sensationalised article in the third person about something you have done wrong Students write and perform their own poems |
Students complete a range of formative and summative assessments over the course of the academic year; these inform the two progress checks in the school’s assessment calendar. These assessments test the knowledge and skills taught as part of the curriculum and encourage students to revisit and revise key terms and concepts.
Key Stage 4
Students consolidate, refine, and develop the knowledge and skills that they established in Key Stage 3, reading, writing, and speaking with greater independence and a more critical and compassionate eye. In Year 10, students are introduced to the core texts of the Literature syllabus, while practising creative writing, responding to a range of short literary texts, and delivering a speech on a topic of their choice. Year 11 sees the completion of the Literature course and revision of the core texts interleaved with transactional writing and non-fiction reading.
Year 10
Literature
| Autumn | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|
|
‘Macbeth’ ‘Power and Conflict’ Poetry
|
19th-century Novel ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ / ‘Sign of Four’ |
‘Power and Conflict’ Poetry Exam Feedback (1-2 wks) ‘An Inspector Calls’ (6-7 wks) |
| Assessment | ||
|
Macbeth’ MCQ Tragic hero essay ‘Macbeth’ and Poetry MCQ |
Hyde essay Cumulative MCQ |
EoY Exam: abridged AQA Paper 2: 19th-century novel ‘An Inspector Calls’ essay-style tasks
|
Language
| Autumn | Spring | Summer | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Component 1: Section A (20th Century Literature Reading) Component 1: Section A (20th Century Literature Reading) and Section B (Creative Prose Writing) |
Component 1: Section B (Creative Prose Writing) Component 1: Section A (20th Century Literature Reading) and Section B (Creative Prose Writing) |
Spoken Language Component 2: Section A (19th and 21st Century Non-fiction Reading) |
|
| Assessment | |||
|
1 10-mark question |
Narrative writing tasks |
EoY Exam: Component 1 paper Spoken Language Presentations |
|
Students take two GCSEs in English – Language and Literature. Both courses are assessed through terminal examination. Practice examinations for both courses are completed in the Summer Term of Year 10, while students complete a range of formative and summative assessments throughout the year.
Examination Board:
Useful Reading Material:
‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare
Macbeth: York Notes for GCSE (9-1)
‘An Inspector Calls’ by J.B. Priestley
An Inspector Calls: York Notes for GCSE (9-1)
‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ by Robert Louis Stevenson
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde: York Notes for GCSE (9-1)
‘Sign of Four’ by Arthur Conan Doyle
Sign of Four: York Notes for GCSE (9-1)
AQA Power and Conflict Anthology (printed by the exam board and provided by the school)
New GCSE English Literature AQA Poetry Guide: Power & Conflict Anthology - for the Grade 9-1 Course Paperback
Year 11
Students take two GCSEs in English – Language and Literature. Both courses are assessed through terminal examination. Practice examinations for both courses are completed in the Autumn Term of Year 11, while students complete a range of formative and summative assessments throughout the year.
Literature
| Autumn | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|
|
‘An Inspector Calls’ Revision (3 wks) ‘Power and Conflict’ Poetry (4 wks) ‘An Inspector Calls’ / Poetry Revision [pre-exam] Finish ‘Power and Conflict’ Poetry [post-exam] Exam Feedback |
Exam Feedback Macbeth (3 wks) 19th-century Novel Revision (1 wk) 19th-century Novel Revision (2-3 wks) Unseen Poetry Revision All Topics |
Revision of all topics |
| Assessment | ||
|
‘An Inspector Calls’ essay Poetry paragraphs Practice exam: abridged Paper 2: ‘An Inspector Calls’ + Poetry |
Macbeth essay 19th-century novel essay |
Exams |
Language
| Autumn | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|
|
Component 2: Section A (19th and 21st Century Non-fiction Reading) and Section B (Transactional Writing) Component 2: Section A (19th and 21st Century Non-fiction Reading) and B (Transactional Writing) [pre-exam] Component 1: Section B (Creative Prose Writing) [post-exam] Exam Feedback |
Component 1: Section A (20th Century Literature Reading) and B (Creative Prose Writing) Component 1 Section B (Transactional Writing) Component 1: Section A (20th Century Literature Reading) Component 2: Section A (19th and 21st Century Non-fiction Reading) and B (Transactional Writing) |
Revision: Component 1 and 2 |
| Assessment | ||
|
Transactional writing task Practice exam: abridged Component 2 |
Narrative writing Component 1: Section A |
Exams |
GCSE English Language
Component 1: 20th Century Literature Reading and Creative Prose writing
1 hour 45 mins Exam (40%)
Component 2: 19th and 21st Century Non-Fiction Reading and Transactional/Persuasive Writing
2-hour Exam (60%)
Component 3: Spoken Language Non-exam Assessment (Unweighted)
GCSE English Literature
Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel
1 hour 45 mins Exam (40%)
Paper 2: Modern texts and poetry
2 hour 15 mins Exam (60%)
Examination Board:
Course Specification:
Eduqas C700QSL English Language
AQA 8702 English Literature
Qualification obtained:
GCSE English Language
GCSE English Literature
Useful Reading Material:
‘An Inspector Calls’ by J.B. Priestley
An Inspector Calls: York Notes for GCSE (9-1)
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (The Penguin English Library) by Robert Louis Stevenson
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde: York Notes for GCSE (9-1)
AQA Power and Conflict Anthology (printed by the exam board and provided by the school)
New GCSE English Literature AQA Poetry Guide: Power & Conflict Anthology - for the Grade 9-1 Course Paperback
Additional Information
Useful Websites
|
|
|
|---|