ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND ENGLISH LITERATURE
Curriculum Intent-
As English is the core of all learning we aim to equip all children with skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. We put a diverse range of texts at the heart of the curriculum with students developing essential skills via these texts as well as cultural and historical knowledge. We also include a range of British writers who can offer the students an insight into our society. We want students to experience English as a powerful tool in life from inferring intentions to using language to communicate your meaning. The stories and texts we choose should encourage students to think about morals, community, equality and justice with sensitivity and empathy.
Following the aqa specifications, we will focus on teaching language through Literature in KS3.
Year 7 - Students in year 7 will read mainly for pleasure- that being for the enjoyment of the stories whilst using the stories as springboards for creative practices such as gothic writing. Reading will inform discussions and encourage students to infer and develop opinions. During poetry lessons they will be introduced to literary terminology whilst developing their skills of articulating their thoughts and ideas about these poems. Focus during Shakespeare lessons will be on the plot of the play and Shakespeare’s cultural impact. By the end of Year 7 we want students to be enjoying reading, more confident to read out loud/present their own work and to be more confident with their knowledge of the subject.
Year 8- Students in year 8 will be introduced to a wide range of authors and types of texts. We want to use, and develop, students’ cultural and historical knowledge to enable them to widen their perspectives of the world. Students will use the literary techniques that were introduced in Year 7 alongside new cultural knowledge to be able to confidently discuss poetry and its impact. Students will begin to learn how to write down their ideas and thoughts about poetry. During Shakespeare lessons, students will build on their contextual knowledge to discuss the theme of gender and relationships, again, students will begin to learn how to write down their ideas in a more academic way. Students, at this point, will be introduced to Shakespearean language. Students will continue to read a range of inspiring texts that will act as inspiration for their own writing. We will also develop a student's understanding of the 'writer’s craft' and its impact on the reader. There will also be a strong emphasis in Year 8 of speaking and listening, as a way to build up this confidence in their formative years. Students will also study rhetoric and learn how to use style and language to formulate their own speeches. By the end of Year 8 we want students to be creative with their writing, confident in their spoken language and to continue reading for enjoyment whilst increasing their fluency and beginning to learn how to decode increasingly complex vocabulary.
Year 9- Students in year 9 will be more widely introduced to a range of non-fiction work. They will learn what techniques writers use to encourage their readers to feel the desired outcome. Students will build on their writing skills to practise these techniques. Students will continue their study of culture through non fiction texts. In year 9 there will be a focus on technical accuracy with an increase in spellings, vocabulary and literacy work. As year 9 progresses more tier 2 and 3 language will be used in order to support students to express their ideas more academically. In poetry students will become more confident at writing about poetry including techniques, meaning, effect and context. In Shakespeare students will read the full play and be taught how to write about Shakespeare’s use of language as well as incorporating context. In fiction students will read a range of texts that are challenging in concepts and language which will continue to increase the students’ breadth of vocabulary, knowledge and critical thinking. By the end of Year 9 we want students to be using a breath of vocabulary in their written work with increasing accuracy. Students should be reading with more fluency whilst decoding more complex vocabulary. Students should have growing confidence at expressing their opinions in an increasingly academic form.
Year 10
Students in Year 10 will be introduced to their GCSE texts. Students will spend the majority of their classroom time reading the texts for their enjoyment with regular retrieval and comprehension questions to ensure there are no misconceptions with the plot. The plot will be discussed along with any opinions/analytical ideas from the students. Periodically, students will be introduced to deeper analysis of language and key messages of how to discuss the texts in writing will be visited at a point where it does not take away from the fluency of reading. A deeper exploration of writing and exam skills is visited at the end of the reading. For poetry, students will be introduced to the anthology texts in ‘clusters’ of comparable poems. Students will build on their knowledge of poetry techniques and be introduced to the contexts of the poems and comparative skills. Students will continue to practise their language skills via a range of fiction and non fiction texts. These texts will be used as inspiration for the students’ nonfiction and fiction writing skills. Students will continue to build their speaking and listening skills in preparation for their spoken endorsement. By the end of Year 10 students will have covered all of the texts for their GCSEs and have been introduced to the assessment objectives and will have practised the skills needed.
Year 11
Students in Year 11 will be retrieving information formed in the year whilst deepening their understanding of texts and building on their Literary and Language skills. Students will focus on deeper analysis of Literature texts and will receive modelling and practise time to practise their essay skills. A wide range of themes will be discussed, as well as narrative structures and characters, so that students have a wide range of thoughts and ideas. The skills needed for language will be practised, increasingly with timed for exam timings as they move through the year. Students will have the opportunity to practise writing for a wide range of purposes. Students will build up their familiarity with exam layouts and wording of questions in order to increase Students' confidence. A strong focus on live marking will help students make the choices needed to succeed. By the end of Year 11 students will know how to approach each exam and be well practised in essay writing, answering language questions and creating their own creative and nonfiction writing.
