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English
Members of Staff and Roles/Responsibilities- Subject Overview
- KS3 Structure
- KS3 Content
- KS4 Structure
- KS4 Content
- Additional Information
Members of Staff and Roles/Responsibilities
| Mr Kevin Waite | Curriculum Team Leader |
| Miss Nina Bennett | Deputy Team Leader and Lead Teacher for G&T |
| Mrs Elvira Morris | i/c KS3 and ITT mentor |
| Mrs Jane Cowling | AST for English |
| Mrs Caroline Hodgson | Teacher of English |
| Mrs Rowena Guzy | Teacher of English and Teaching & Learning Lead Teacher |
| Miss Navjot Hundal | Teacher of English |
| Miss Jenna Premchand | Teacher of English |
| Ms Jane Ward | Teacher of English & Assistant Principal |
| Ms Hilary Stanion | Teacher of English & Assistant Principal |
English Overview
Students follow the National Curriculum Programmes of Study and the National Literacy Framework. Our aim is to help students become effective communicators, orally and in writing, and competent and thoughtful readers who read regularly for pleasure. In addition to the formal study of novels, plays, poems and non fiction texts, all students in Key Stage 3 begin each lesson with a short period of personal reading using books of their choice from either the college or public libraries.
Each unit of study in KS3 is followed by a formal assessment to test students’ skills, knowledge and understanding and the marks are recorded to create a profile of the student’s achievement and to enable them to be given clear progress targets.
At Key Stage 4 students are prepared for GCSE English and GCSE English Literature (Welsh Board) and may also take Adult Literacy and Numeracy examinations. A small number of students only take GCSE English.
KS3 Structure
For the first half term Year 7 students are taught in mixed ability tutor groups. Thereafter they are set according to ability. Students with significant problems with Literacy are withdrawn from some English lessons to receive targeted help in small groups from the Learning Support Faculty. Students in Year 7 who are not yet working at a secure Level 4 and whose reading ages are between 8 years six months and ten years follow a Booster programme aimed specifically at raising their reading ages as quickly as possible to ensure that they are able to access the full English curriculum in Year 8 and after.
In Year 9 following the withdrawal of SATs tests, pupils take a formal GCSE assessment designed to help them become more successful at KS4 as well as to access the curriculum more effectively. A small number of girls for whom the formal test would not be appropriate will sit the Standard Assessment Tasks instead.
KS3 Content
| Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 |
| Units of work include: Autobiography 2 novels / short stories Pre 20th century poetry A Sherlock Holmes short story Descriptive Writing Wider reading Study Skills Persuasive writing |
Units of work include: Writing to Argue 2 novels / short stories Pre and post 20th century poetry An Introduction to Shakespeare Imaginative and narrative writing |
Units of work include: 2 novels / short stories Comparative analysis of pre and post 20th century poetry SATs preparation A close study of the two SATs Shakespeare scenes A media unit on teenage magazines Transition work for KS4 |
KS4 Structure
Students are taught in sets across six ability bands focussing on coursework and examination skills.
Coursework
Each student will complete six pieces of coursework covering open and closed writing, Shakespeare, Poetry from Other Cultures as well as Pre-1914 Prose and Poetry. Each pupil will also be assessed on three separate speaking and listening tasks as part of their coursework requirement. This coursework counts towards 40% of marks for English and 30% of marks for English Literature.
Exams
There are two 2 hour papers for English counting for 60% of each pupil's overall grade. For English Literature, there is one 2 1/2 paper counting for 70%.
There are two tiers of exam entry:
Tier Grades available
Higher A* - D
Foundation C - G
KS4 Content
| Year 10 | Year 11 |
5 coursework essays: Two Speaking and Listening Assignments (coursework) Skills based preparation for the GCSE English Exam |
Final coursework essay: Speaking and Listening Assignment (coursework) Study of a novel for GCSE exam Study of a 20th Century play for GCSE exam |
Additional Information
Although much of the preparation for coursework takes place in class, students are expected to write the final essays mostly at home as homework assignments.
The final date for the completion of all written coursework is the end of the Autumn Term in Year 11.
