English

Lessons in English allow students to explore the language in its entirety, and are focused around enjoying and appreciating how literature forms the fabric of our society. As well as learning to communicate effectively through reading, writing, speaking and listening, students are given the opportunity to develop their skills of reflection and personal expression, to prepare them to be confident, articulate and eloquent communicators of English.

Throughout the curriculum we cover traditional texts, with an emphasis on Shakespeare, and more contemporary texts as well. We represent writers from a range of cultures and traditions and instil a love and respect for authors across the globe. Our texts are specifically chosen to expose students to a wide range of ideas and concepts, helping them explore their place in a global society.

We also run cross-curricular topics with Drama and Music, looking at performance and composition. This is in addition to having many cross curricular links with subjects such as History, RE, Geography, and Science.

English is a core subject and all students study English and KS3 and KS4. At the end of the programme, students leave school with two GCSEs in English: English Language and English Literature.

Key Stage 3

Key Stage 4

Next Steps

English GCSE sets students up well to study English at A level and Degree. A Level English is a ‘facilitating subject’, meaning many universities will look favourably upon it, and it can lead to wider choices at Degree level. English also supports subjects with a large written component – History, Geography, Psychology and Politics are all subjects that studying English can support. Beyond education English GCSE is a requirement for many jobs and will help students to communicate with clients and colleagues in a professional manner.

Road Map