English

All students have an inner-belief and ambition to fulfil their dreams and live a happy and successful life: 

The English curriculum is rooted in knowledge and skills, designed to develop confident and analytical students, who are able to communicate their ideas effectively. The ability to communicate, read, comprehend and recreate any written form is fundamental to their future success as a member of society. This will lead students to be successful in all academic, vocational and technical destinations therefore enabling them to achieve high-functioning careers. Furthermore, the curriculum exposes students to a wide range of vocabulary, enabling students to think differently about the world around them: allowing them to grow into more articulate and confident people in a wide range of settings.  

All students leave our academy with first-rate qualifications: 

A good pass in English is a base requirement to participate in society and for all doors to remain open for future learning and employment. Subsequently, the curriculum is developed to embed key skills for life such as reading, writing and verbal communication, yet sequenced to instil “softer” skills of inquiry, perception, creativity and flair, so that all students leave the Academy able and willing to challenge what they read and be confident enough to give their fully formed opinions in social and academic situations. A critical voice is a focus in Key Stage 4, giving students evaluation skills that are transmittable to an array of life experiences. 

All students develop exceptional character: 

Through an emphasis on reflection, redrafting and improving, students develop a growth mind-set and challenge themselves to make incremental, but sustained progress in their learning. Through English Literature, the curriculum enriches students’ emotional intelligence, readying them to tackle societal issues in their personal, academic and professional futures. 

All students leave our academy with high levels of cultural and global awareness:

The curriculum in English benefits from staff who are genuinely enthusiastic about their subject. As such, English lessons provide the knowledge for students to analyse and form opinions on key societal issues by using texts across the curriculum which transport students outside of their comfort zones and local area. Through deeper contextual learning around issues such as politics, religion, gender, philanthropy and oppression, students begin to understand their own implicit bias and that of the authors studied, including how this in turn influences the crafting of a text. Furthermore, students are connected with writers from a range of cultures, time periods and locations, particularly in the formative years (7, 8 and 9), so that students know that there is a world outside of their immediate locality, but the issues that impact people may very well be the same. 

All students leave with an array of positive memories that last for a lifetime:

English provides a safe space for debate and creativity for all students by encouraging this regularly within lessons. In Key Stage 3, students participate in a home reading scheme to emphasise the importance of reading and inspire an enjoyment for exploring fictional worlds. This is mirrored in school with texts that have been chosen for their engaging stories. In Key Stage 4, students engage in literature lectures to provide a learning opportunity similar to learning beyond GCSEs while developing independence and critical thought. This is underpinned with the support and trust from staff that offer wider learning opportunities through the enrichment provision.