S3

In line with Curriculum for Excellence, the S3 course in English sees pupils continue to develop their abilities in the experiences and outcomes that they have covered in S1 and S2. 

Pupils will, as always, be encouraged to read an increasingly varied and more sophisticated range of literature and quality journalism. In S3, classes continue to visit the school library but this is reduced to every four weeks and will be given the opportunity to read for ten minutes at the start of each lesson.

Although the skills which pupils need for the Senior Phase of their secondary education have been taught since S1, there is an increased emphasis on tasks which closely resemble those they will face in S4. S3 also involves an increase in pace and challenge to reflect the conditions which pupils are asked to produce work in when they enter the Senior Phase. To allow for the best experience, pupils are broadly set for the first time in English based on what they have managed to produced over the fitrst two years.

The presentation included above should help to outline aspects of the S3 course in more detail.

Assessment 

Once again, pupils will be assessed across four key areas of the course:

Reading 

Writing

Talking

Listening

In advance of each tracking report period, pupils will undertake a Listening and Reading assessments which will act as summative evidence of where they are in their learning. This forms important evidence in terms of tracking their progress against our Flight Path as we aim for pupils to have achieved Level 4 by the end of S3. 

In addition to these, young people in S3 English undertake the study of literature which often culminates in a critical piece of writing to prepare them for the Critical Essay component of National 5. To develop the skills required in their National 5 Portfolio, it is likely pupils will undertake Broadly Creative (imaginative and personal) and Broadly Discursive (argumentative, persuasive, report writing) tasks. 

Later on in S3, pupils undergo an 'S3 Exam' which is designed to mirror the Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation paper for National 5. This helps provide a check of where they are in this area and also allows them to undergo a full-scale exam experience to prepare them for the Senior Phase.