English

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Curriculum Information for Key Stage 3 students

Welcome to the English department

Overview:

The intent of our curriculum is founded in our belief that all of our learners should be explicitly taught powerful knowledge about the world around them, philosophical and conceptual knowledge, grammar and literacy skills, whilst also acquiring and developing the skills required to succeed in school and in life.

We aim to instil in our learners a love and appreciation of literature and of all other written and visual media, to nurture discerning, critical minds, and to produce skilled analysts who can respond to literature in a thoughtful, mature manner. We encourage our young people to respect and appreciate others of all backgrounds and celebrate diversity in the world; through broad representation of writers of varied backgrounds, we offer a wide knowledge base in English and students will read poetry, drama including the work of Shakespeare, prose – modern and canonical – spanning continents and other eras, thereby exposing them to the very best of what has been written and what has been said.

We also seek to equip our learners with the strength of character to challenge views which are prejudiced, unkind, or not aligned with the values of our school and British values. Our learners must develop the necessary skills and knowledge required to navigate and understand the modern world, including being in possession of excellent written and spoken language skills so that they are able to clearly express themselves and make their voices heard.

What topics will I study in KS3 (years 7, 8 & 9):

KS3 English Curriculum Map

Can I study this at KS4?
English is a compulsory subject. You will continue to study both Language and Literature as well as Spoken Language at KS4.

Are there any enrichment opportunities in school?
The English Department offer a range of extra-curricular activities including creative writing club, debating club, KS4 critical thinking booster sessions to name a few. We also run theatre trips where possible which tie into plays and novels which we are studying.

What could I do/read at home to help myself or where could I visit to help my learning?
Ensuring you are getting the basics right is a really important starting point. Being equipped with pens, pencils and highlighters (ideally two, different colours) is a minimum expectation; you should have your books with you every day and ensure your home learning is completed on time, and to a good standard. Furthermore, talking to somebody at home – a parent or relative – about what you are studying. You will study a number of units of learning which are based on news and current affairs – so a lot of what they are learning about is current and by discussing this with somebody can help you to be even better informed on these topics.

In addition, as you move on to study the GCSE set texts (Macbeth, A Christmas Carol, An Inspector Calls, and the Power and Conflict cluster of poems), study guides are helpful.

Useful websites:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zt3rkqt

https://www.educationquizzes.com/ks3/

https://www.senecalearning.com/