The English Department forms a lively and energetic team who are highly committed to making the study of English challenging, exciting and relevant for all students. 

We work together to:

• develop the full range of communication skills including Speaking and Listening, Reading and Writing
• empower young people to appreciate and use language confidently, in all its exciting forms and varieties
• extend the awareness and broaden the horizons of young people through studying a wide range of texts
• stimulate the imagination and enable young people to think for themselves in an ever-changing world

Key Stage 3

In each of Years 7, 8, and 9 all students follow 7 units which broadly cover the following areas:
Novel/Short - Stories - Creative Writing - Non-Fiction
Poetry - 20th Century Drama - Shakespeare - Media

Each unit will contain a wide range of learning activities which are differentiated according to individual student needs and ensure progression from one year to the next. Each half-term every student is assessed according to the National Curriculum Attainment Targets. In addition, we encourage students to assess their own sense of achievement and talk with their teacher about how their skills have developed and progressed.

Language Development

Year 7 and 8 students also attend one lesson a week specifically designed to improve their language awareness and control of Standard English. This includes Latin for the higher attainers and a whole range of exciting and challenging language activities for everybody else. Students who demonstrate very high ability in English are taught in Set 1. They are given encouragement and stimulus to enable them to achieve the highest grades in public examinations.

Key Stage 4

In Years 10 and 11 all students follow the AQA GCSE courses in English and English Literature. It is our firm belief that all students are capable of gaining certificates in both subjects. Students are assessed both by terminal examinations and a coursework folder which contains the best pieces of work over the course and includes a strong emphasis on Speaking and Listening activities. During the course, teachers "mentor" their students individually, which means working closely with each child to ensure they are working towards their "maximum target grade". After each unit, students are given particular targets to work on before moving on to the next unit.
We always celebrate our students' achievements in both English and English Literature.

Sixth Form

We are one of the few schools to offer AS and A2 Levels in both English Language and Literature. Both courses are highly popular and many students opt for one or the other to complement their range of other advanced subjects or to enrich and develop further their love of English.

"I have chosen to do an AS in English Literature as I find it an interesting subject. It allows one the pleasure of studying and enjoying a wider range of literary texts. Literature teaches me many values about humans and the society in which we live." - Alishia Dear, Year 12

Extra Curricular

Here are just a few of the wide selection of enrichment activities we offer students:
Theatre & Cinema Trips - Scriptwriting competitions - Creative Writing Workshops - Revision Clubs
We are always open to new ideas and welcome students' contributions towards making English an exciting subject out of hours as well as during the School day.

If you would like further information about any aspect of teaching and learning in the English Department, please contact:
Lesley Higgs, Head of English.