English

English in Your World: 

In English our ambition is that by the end of Key stage 3, ALL students will be able to read and understand fiction and non-fiction texts that are designed for young adults. These will become increasingly more challenging through KS4 and by the time students leave us nearly all will have a reading age of 15 or greater.  They will be able to assimilate information and use their gained cultural knowledge and experiences, either real or read, to form and clearly articulate balanced and well considered viewpoints. The department aims to promote a lifelong love of language, communication and reading, enabling our learners to access and interpret the world around them and express themselves appropriately in any given context.

They will learn how to identify with the poetry and fiction that most appeals to them and evaluate why it resonates so much.  They will also use it to explore relationships, identity and cultural differences thus gaining a confident and strong sense of self and others. 

They will be able to write in a variety of registers always using accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling.  Their writing will engage its readers through creative use of language to help their readers form images of characters, settings and plot lines. They will understand and be able to use a wide range of genres and will have established their writing voice.  When writing non-fiction, they will have the confidence and skills necessary to communicate effectively, no matter the form, audience or purpose involved.

Our English KS3 curriculum is structured thematically to help students understand the threads that weave through their cultural understanding while learning key knowledge and skills.  It also takes any opportunity to highlight links with other subjects within the Academy (for example, History, where we share content involving both World Wars, the Victorian era, and the Russian Revolution) in order to strengthen students’ knowledge.