Why do we learn English?
Students learn to appreciate a viewpoint and way of framing an idea whilst critiquing and challenging both the ideas and the way in which they are communicated. This approach develops their ability to think imaginatively, widening their horizons, exposing them to new perspectives and fostering their cultural sensitivity and empathy.
Students are taught the skills and knowledge needed to use the written word to communicate in the real world with clarity and conviction.
Head of Department
Mr Mannerings
Ms Huges
Our approach
Each unit of our curriculum is built upon pupils’ development in three strands:
- Skills, both reading and writing
- Knowledge, both literary and contextual
- Character, both ‘empowering knowledge’ beyond the curriculum requirements and pupils’ soft skills.
Skills
- Reading: if our pupils can read with confidence, they will be able to learn and know more, and enjoy the life-changing experience of reading for pleasure. Therefore, to meet this intention, our all-through English curriculum teaches phonics, vocabulary, fluency, retrieval, comprehension and analysis.
- Writing: we believe in the importance of eloquent self-expression in improving pupils’ future opportunities and personal well-being. Therefore, to meet this intention, our all-through English curriculum teaches handwriting, spelling, grammar, punctuation and writing structures for a range of forms.
Knowledge
- Literary: our pupils deserve to critically read and enjoy a broad range of high-quality literature of different genres and diverse authors through fiction and non-fiction.
- Contextual: for true understanding of the texts they read, pupils need knowledge of the historical contexts in which each text was produced.
Character
- Empowering knowledge: learning in English and reading is complemented by the wider curriculum (citizenship, social and natural sciences) where appropriate.
- Soft skills: we value the importance of oracy, discussion and teamwork.
All reading and writing skills, literary and contextual knowledge and character development skills are revisited and built upon each year, forming a spiralised, interwoven curriculum from Nursery – Year 13.
Early years
Pupils develop key mathematical skills such as counting through songs, games and activities using concrete and pictorial representations. These early mathematical experiences are then rehearsed and applied to their own learning during exploration.
Primary
Engaging every day with a range of high-quality texts is a fundamental part of our curriculum. This begins in our primary reading curriculum where we have mapped the whole curriculum around a carefully selected, age-appropriate and suitably challenging reading spine. Each year group has an over-arching big question to answer over the course of the year to frame big thinking: for example “what does it mean to belong?” in Year 1, to “what is trust?” in Year 6.
We have daily reading lessons which follow a robust model using the simple view of reading as well as the five pillars of reading as our guiding principles. We focus on reading shared texts as a whole class, allowing time to practise partner reading to promote fluency, explicitly pre-teaching highest leverage vocabulary to expand our pupils’ lexicon as well as equipping pupils with the skills they need to retrieve evidence and make inferences.
Whilst our pupils just beginning to learn to read benefit from daily phonics sessions to explicitly improve phonemic awareness and phonics, pupils in KS2 continue working on spelling to embed spelling rules through a systematic spelling programme (RWI Get Spelling!). Years 3-6 also benefit from grammar mastery sessions at least twice a week to explicitly learn about language patterns and support them in being better able to deliberately modify language choices in their own writing.
Year 1
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: RWI Phonics Purple Books Writing: The Three Little Pigs Narrative Recount of a trip |
Reading: RWI Phonics Pink Books Writing: The Wooden Camel Narrative Toy Fact-file |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: RWI Phonics Orange Books Writing: Mr Gumpy's Motorcar Narrative Diary Entry |
Reading: RWI Phonics Orange Books Writing: Last stop on Market Street Narrative Biography |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: RWI Phonics Yellow Books Writing: The Queen's Handbag Narrative Persuasive Leaflet |
Reading: RWI Phonics Yellow Books Writing: Handa's Surprise Narrative Discussion Text |
Year 2
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: RWI Phonics Blue Books Writing: King Arthur Narrative Biography of a monarch |
Reading: RWI Phonics Blue Books Writing: George's Marvellous Medicine Narrative Instructions |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: RWI Phonics Grey Books Writing: Poetry: Here we Are Guide to living on Earth |
Reading: RWI Phonics Grey Books Writing: Diary Entry: Iron Man Non-chronological Report |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Sheep-Pig Writing: The Pebble in My Pocket Narrative Recount |
Reading: Magic Finger Writing: Akimbo Adventures Narrative Persuasive Advert |
Year 3
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Fairy Tales Writing: Peter and the Wolf - Character Descriptions Stone Age Non-chronological report |
Reading: The BFG - Roald Dahl Writing: BFG Narrative - A Tale of Fear Postcard Instructions |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
The Queen's Nose - Dick King-Smith Writing: Queen's Nose Narrative - Journey Tale Newspaper |
Reading: Cloud Busting - Malorie Blackman Writing: The Great Kapok Tree Narrative Information Text Non-chronological report |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: The Wild Robot Writing: Legend of Beowulf Narrative Formal Letter |
Reading: The Wild Robot Writing: The Wild Robot Narrative - Meeting Tale Playscript Biography |
Year 4
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Viking Saga's Writing: Viking Tale Instructional text |
Reading: Charlotte's Web - E.B. White Writing: Dragon Machine Narrative Biographies |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Varjak Paw - SF Said Writing: Varjake Paw Narrative Newspaper Explanation Text |
Reading: Kindlekrax - Philip Ridley Writing: Sequel to Kindlekrax Agony Aunt Letter |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Boy at the Back of the Class - Onjali Q Rauf Writing: Journey Tale - Quest Diary Entry |
Reading: Boy at the Back of the Class - Onjali Q Rauf Writing: Mary Poppins Narrative Job Advert |
Year 5
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: The Adventures of Odysseys Writing: Character Flaw Narrative Diary Entry |
Reading: Holes - Louis Sachar Writing: Flotsam Narrative Newspaper Report |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Kensuke's Kingdom - Michael Morpurgo Writing: Narrative Advert |
Reading: The Girl Who Stole an Elephant - Nizrana Farook Writing: Alternative Beginning Travel Blog |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Cogheart - Peter Bunzl Writing: Finding Tale Information Text |
Reading: Cogheart - Peter Bunzl Writing: Cogheart Narrative Instructions |
Year 6
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Our Castle by the Sea - Lucy Strange Writing: Journey Tale Civil Rights Monologue Biography |
Reading: Our Castle by the Sea - Lucy Strange Writing: Evacuee Narrative - Tale of Fear Discussion Text Non-chronological report |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Welcome to Nowhere - Elizabeth Laird Writing: The Arrival Narrative Newspaper Report Informal Letter |
Reading: Welcome to Nowhere - Elizabeth Laird Writing: Welcome to Nowhere Narrative Non-chronological Report Formal Letter |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Wonder - RJ Palacio Writing: Narrative Interview Explanation Texts |
Reading: Wonder - RJ Palacio Writing: Narrative Speech Writing |
Secondary
In English, we intend to give students the tools to allow them to participate fully in a democractic society with criticality and thoughtfulness.
In KS3, we focus largely on reading and understanding texts. Students are exposed to a wide range of vocabulary and cultural concepts such as Greek Mythology. They will use these to begin their study of Literature and start understanding how to construct their own responses to texts. Additionally, they will use these to tell their own stories in Creative Writing and to argue in Persuasive Writing.
As students progress into KS4, they begin to be exposed to more complicated concepts around morality and justice. Students will begin to establish more sophisticated opinions and work as they build up to their GCSE exams.
In KS5, students focus purely on Literature and delve into the complexities and nuances of Literature alongside movements such as Romanticism and Feminism. They also get the opportunity to use the NEA to follow their own interests and passions in the subject.
Year 7
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Creative Writing based on Greek Myths | A Christmas Carol |
|
Developing flawed characters who make mistakes Learning how to write tragic endings and happy endings Learning how to craft sentences with various syntax and words choices Students read a variety of Greek Myths in order to see how flawed characters are presented. |
Victorian era: London and society Charles Dickens Explores how Dickens presents Scrooge across the novella with a focus on transformation and redemption. Students learn the structure of PEA paragraphs. |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| The art of rhetoric | A Midsummer Night's Dream |
|
Developing persuasive opinion writing that appeals to a readers pathos, ethos and logos Learning how to write introductions, anecdotes, facts and statistics and conclusions Learning how to use persausive methods like rhetorical questions and inclusive pronouns Students read a variety of sources around charity, the welfare state and the living wage to inform their writing. |
Elizabethan era William Shakespeare Explores whether love can do more harm than good, through analysing different relationships within the play. Students study Shakespearen language and language analysis in more depth. A wider variety of characters are considered in this unit. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Poetry | Revision and exams |
|
Modern poetry Poetry focuses on discrimination Explore a variety of poetic methods and perespectives Students explore a variety of types of discrimination from different perspectives and their emotional impact |
Students across the weeks RECAP their units Students are reminded of exam expectations Students receive individual feedback to improve post-examinations Students learn how to apply their knowledge to an exam context |
Year 8
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Romeo and Juliet | Opinion Writing - Climate Crisis. |
|
How much can you really control your own fate? How can we make ourselves heard when people aren't listening? |
How much can you really control your own fate? How can we make ourselves heard when people aren't listening? |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Things Fall Apart | Creative Writing - Gothic |
|
What makes a good man? What matters more: the story, or how you tell it? |
What makes a good man? What matters more: the story, or how you tell it? |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Short stories - analysis and writing |
Revision for End of Year Assessments |
| How do authors say a lot with a little? | How do authors say a lot with a little? |
Year 9
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Much Ado About Nothing | Persuasive Writing |
|
How do you find the perfect match? Can we write ourselves into a better world? |
How do you find the perfect match? Can we write ourselves into a better world? |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Animal Farm | Creative Writing - dystopian fiction |
|
How can power corrupt equality? In what ways is our world dystopian? |
How can power corrupt equality? In what ways is our world dystopian? |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Comparative Poetry | Revision for End of Year Assessments |
|
How can we express the ambiguity of identity? |
How can we express the ambiguity of identity? |
Year 10
| Autumn | |
|---|---|
| Macbeth | Language Paper 1 |
|
How dangerous is ambition? How can we create a world with words? |
How dangerous is ambition? How can we create a world with words? |
| Spring | |
|---|---|
| Poetry Anthology | Language Paper 2 |
|
How do words bring love to life? How can we see the unseen and understand other perspectives? |
How do words bring love to life? How can we see the unseen and understand other perspectives? |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| An Inspector Calls | Revision for End of Year Assessments |
| What is the role of society? | What is the role of society? |
Year 11
| Autumn | |
|---|---|
| Jekyll and Hyde | Revising content for GCSE |
|
Do we all have a dark side? How do we make the most of revision? |
Do we all have a dark side? How do we make the most of revision? |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Revising content for GCSE | Revising content for GCSE |
| How do we make the most of revision? | How do we make the most of revision? |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| GCSE exams | GCSE exams |
| How do we make the most of revision? | How do we make the most of revision? |
Sixth form
At Key Stage 5, English Literature is designed to develop the criticality and evaluative skills required for study at university. Students study novels, plays and poetry that offer representations of gender and alterity from the 18th century to the present day and learn to become experts in their contexts and themes. Students direct their own learning through their coursework, demonstrating their passion for reading and eloquence as writers to produce their own evaluative arguments, in preparation for further study at university.
Year 12
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Frankenstein Othello |
Frankenstein Othello |
| Spring | |
|---|---|
|
The Handmaid's Tale A Streetcar Named Desire |
The Handmaid's Tale A Streetcar Named Desire |
| Summer 1 | |
|---|---|
| The NEA | End of Year Revision |
Year 13
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Post-2000 Poetry. Romanticism. |
Post-2000 Poetry. Romanticism. |
| Spring | |
|---|---|
|
Revision |
Revision |
| Summer | |
|---|---|
| External exams | External exams |