KS3 English
The National Curriculum for English in Key Stage 3
Reading
develop an appreciation and love of reading, and read increasingly challenging material independently through:
reading a wide range of fiction and non-fiction, including in particular whole books, short stories, poems and plays with a wide coverage of genres, historical periods, forms and authors, including high-quality works from English literature, both pre-1914 and contemporary, including prose, poetry and drama; Shakespeare (2 plays) and seminal world literature
choosing and reading books independently for challenge, interest and enjoyment
rereading books encountered earlier to increase familiarity with them and provide a basis for making comparisons
understand increasingly challenging texts through:
learning new vocabulary, relating it explicitly to known vocabulary and understanding it with the help of context and dictionaries
making inferences and referring to evidence in the text
knowing the purpose, audience for and context of the writing and drawing on this knowledge to support comprehension
checking their understanding to make sure that what they have read makes sense
read critically through:
knowing how language, including figurative language, vocabulary choice, grammar, text structure and organisational features, presents meaning
recognising a range of poetic conventions and understanding how these have been used
studying setting, plot, and characterisation, and the effects of these
understanding how the work of dramatists is communicated effectively through performance and how alternative staging allows for different interpretations of a play
making critical comparisons across texts
studying a range of authors, including at least 2 authors in depth each year
Writing
write accurately, fluently, effectively and at length for pleasure and information through:
writing for a wide range of purposes and audiences, including: well-structured formal expository and narrative essays; stories, scripts, poetry and other imaginative writing; notes and polished scripts for talks and presentations and a range of other narrative and non-narrative texts, including arguments, and personal and formal letters
summarising and organising material, and supporting ideas and arguments with any necessary factual detail
applying their growing knowledge of vocabulary, grammar and text structure to their writing and selecting the appropriate form
drawing on knowledge of literary and rhetorical devices from their reading and listening to enhance the impact of their writing
plan, draft, edit and proofread through:
considering how their writing reflects the audiences and purposes for which it was intended
amending the vocabulary, grammar and structure of their writing to improve its coherence and overall effectiveness
paying attention to accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling; applying the spelling patterns and rules set out in English appendix 1 to the key stage 1 and 2 programmes of study for English
Grammar and vocabulary
consolidate and build on their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary through:
extending and applying the grammatical knowledge set out in English appendix 2 to the key stage 1 and 2 programmes of study to analyse more challenging texts
studying the effectiveness and impact of the grammatical features of the texts they read
drawing on new vocabulary and grammatical constructions from their reading and listening, and using these consciously in their writing and speech to achieve particular effects
knowing and understanding the differences between spoken and written language, including differences associated with formal and informal registers, and between standard English and other varieties of English
using standard English confidently in their own writing and speech
discussing reading, writing and spoken language with precise and confident use of linguistic and literary terminology
(Teachers should refer to the glossary that accompanies the programmes of study for English for their own information on the range of terms used within the programmes of study as a whole)
Spoken English
speak confidently and effectively, including through:
using standard English confidently in a range of formal and informal contexts, including classroom discussion
giving short speeches and presentations, expressing their own ideas and keeping to the point
participating in formal debates and structured discussions, summarising and/or building on what has been said
improvising, rehearsing and performing play scripts and poetry in order to generate languages and discuss language use and meaning, using role, intonation, tone, volume, mood, silence, stillness and action to add impact