CURRICULUM
English
English Curriculum Intent
Intent to read: English enables our students to appreciate the power and impact of both language and literature. A broad and diverse range of experiences supports students in generating informed opinions about the world around them and equips them to communicate their thoughts and perspectives in an effective and appropriate manner. They develop their voice and an appreciation of how this can be used to influence people and instigate change within society.
ENGLISH STRANDS
Textual Analysis
This strand is a combination of the different methods used to understand and interpret texts, looking at literal and deeper meaning. Across the three years of Key Stage 3, students will develop skills that allow them to:
- Analyse language at a word level before developing alternative interpretations and perspectives in response to texts. Students will also analyse the impact of vocabulary used to present character and setting whilst creating perceptive responses.
- Find meaning from multiple texts including biographies and speeches, considering the writer’s intentions. This will allow them to respond to a variety of ideas.
- Form opinions on the choices made by writers across a variety of texts to build an effective line of argument and develop alternative perspectives on biased writing.
- Analyse the structure and construction of different texts and media including poetry, graphic novels and online literature. This includes physical and visual structure, but also structure of plot, characters and arguments.
This strand is a term that consolidates the method of imparting or exchanging information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium. Across the three years of Key Stage 3, students will develop skills that allow them to:
- Develop their use of vocabulary and word choices to manipulate the reader and create specific effects, resulting in the ability to create a deeper or implied meaning.
- Consider their sentence construction including punctuation, sentence types and the order of words used to engage and affect readers.
- Confidently use a range of persuasive language devices for a specific effect and to influence audiences. This will include the use a range of devices which are suitable for different genres, audiences and purposes.
Make use of different structural devices when creating poetry, verse and short stories.
Communication
Spoken Language/Oracy
This strand is a term that consolidates the ability to express oneself fluently, appropriately and grammatically in speech. Across the three years of Key Stage 3, students will develop skills that allow them to:
- Speak confidently in a way that is audible, clear and uses expression. This will help students to organise ideas verbally to present their ideas in an appropriate way.
Analyse how spoken language is used in different settings, including both slang and formal language and consider how spoken devices differ from written ones when manipulating meaning and effect for the audience.
Curriculum Structure
Mixed. Students follow a varied and interleaved curriculum in years 7-9, before shifting to a balanced model between Language and Literature for GCSE in years 10 and 11.
Year 7
Baseline
Students start the year with a short scheme of work consolidating and building on their skills from primary school, setting them up for the reading and writing they’ll cover at Horizon.
TOPIC 1
Origin of Storytelling
This topic looks at how stories have developed over time, looking at how successful stories and created and told.
Topic 2
Face
Year 7 then read and study the novel Face by Benjamin Zephaniah, building on their knowledge of stories and applying them to the book.
Topic 3
Poetry 'Faceless'
Students then continue this topic and round it off by looking at Zephaniah’s poem Faceless, thinking about poetic devices rather than novel and story structure.
Topic 4
Presentation
This is the first unit of work looking explicitly at Spoken Language and Oracy with students constructing and delivering a presentation that expresses an opinion.
Topic 5
Shakespeare Heroes/Heroines
Looking at heroic characters within a Shakespeare play, thinking about how they are brought to life on stage and in choice of language used.
Topic 6
Drama Workshop
Building on the thinking from the previous topic, students look at how playscripts are enacted on stage.
Topic 7
Informative Speech
Developing their speaking and oracy, students will construct and deliver a speech that informs and persuades their audience.
Topic 8
Poetry over Time
Looking at poems from a range of sources, this topic will analyse the methods used by poets and how/if these have changed over time.
Topic 9
Language Acquisition
This topic looks at how we develop and build our language and vocabulary skills and students will consider how these change for different people and settings.
Topic 10
Shakespeare Comedies
Returning to Shakespeare, students look this time at how villainous characters are created in a play and work towards performing parts of the script.
Topic 11
Travel Writing
When studying this topic, students will construct hotel adverts and travel blogs, focusing on their use of persuasive language when creating effective non-fiction writing.
Topic 12
Greek Mythology
This topic is an opportunity to look at another type of story, myths. This will be a chance for students to bring what they have learned about stories and structures over time to another context.
Topic 13
Frankenstein (play)
Using a play adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel, students will think about how characters and language is used in the Gothic genre.
Topic 14
Shakespeare Villains
Returning to Shakespeare, students look this time at how villainous characters are created in a play and work towards performing parts of the script.
Topic 15
Leaflets
Students will write and construct persuasive leaflets, thinking about the layout and language choices that make them effective.
Topic 16
Year 8
Slam Poetry
Students start the year by exploring the medium of Slam poetry to develop their understanding of poetic techniques and performance attributes.
TOPIC 1
Spoken Language
This will be an opportunity to build on the spoken language and oracy skills from Y8. Students will explore the role that oracy and spoken language plays in everyday life.
Topic 2
Curious Incident
Reading and analysing this thought-provoking text by Mark Haddon, students will analyse the themes of honesty, trust and social interaction.
Topic 3
Media and Layout
Looking at text structure and conventions within this area, students will explore and apply a range of linguistic techniques for a specific audience and purpose.
Topic 4
Macbeth
Building from their study of Shakespeare in Y7, students will read and explore Shakespeare’s Macbeth dealing with themes of good versus evil, the dangers of ambition and the influence of supernatural forces.
Topic 5
Poetry over Time
Continuing their exploration of poetry from Y7, students will be looking at poems from a different time period. This topic will analyse the methods used by poets and how/if these have changed over time.
Topic 6
Censorship and debate
Bringing together content from previous non-fiction and persuasive language topics, students will write content for and construct debates for different audiences.
Topic 7
Children's Stories
Bringing together their knowledge of short story structure and the common themes found within children’s literature, students will study this collection of stories exploring ideas around morality.
Topic 8
Interview / email / personal statement
Focusing on language and communication in the wider society, this unit will allow students to explore a range of essential ‘work ready’ and ‘life ready’ communication methods.
Topic 9
Noughts and Crosses Play
Malorie Blackman’s 2001 play explores ideas around discrimination, justice and forbidden love, allowing students the chance to engage with a gripping, stimulating and completely absorbing text.
Topic 10
Lawyer / defence speech
Continuing with the real-life application of language, this topic gives students the chance to immerse themselves in the world of the legal system. They will practice responding to court-based situations, developing both their written and spoken language skills.
Topic 11
Review / trip /write
Students get to apply their non-fiction writing skills to their own personal experiences as they will have the chance to review a trip outside of college.
Topic 12
Poetry over Time
Continuing their journey through poetry over time, students will be immersing themselves in a collection of poems from another time period. This topic will analyse the methods used by poets and how/if these have changed over time.
Topic 13
Autobiographies
Looking at the language and ideas used in the creation of autobiographies provides students access to more real-life accounts of events and an opportunity to apply their developing analysis skills to another non-fiction context.
Topic 14
Year 9
Song Lyrics
Year 9 starts by looking at song lyrics, thinking about how this form of spoken language is used to create meaning by different artists.
TOPIC 1
OF MICE AND MEN
Students will look at John Steinbeck’s 1937 novella Of Mice and Men building on the skills they have developed in Years 7 and 8 in terms of story structure, devices and characters.
Topic 2
Letter of Complaint / mediator
In this topic students will apply their developing persuasive writing skills to the real-life context of writing letters of complaint.
Topic 3
Interview In Role
Continuing with real-life applications, this topic gives students the chance to practice asking and responding to interview questions and further develop their spoken language.
Topic 4
Adverts and Presentation
Bringing together content from previous non-fiction and persuasive language topics, students will write content for and construct adverts for different audiences.
Topic 5
Poetry
Students will explore ideas around race and identity through the works of 20th century American poet Langston Hughes.
Topic 6
The Things They Carried
These short stories by Tim O’Brien focus on a group of American soldiers during the Vietnam war give students the chance to think about how the structure of short stories is different from that of a novel or poetry.
Topic 7
Shakespeare Tragedies
Students come back to Shakespeare for the first time this year with a focus on the genre of tragedy. Exploring the play will give students the chance to develop opinions on the writing and performance of the text.
Topic 8
Graphic Novels
This is a chance for students to apply their understanding of story and visual structure to the modern and contemporary form of Graphic Novels.
Topic 9
Biographies and Speeches/ podcast
Looking at the language and ideas used in the creation of biographies and speeches provides students access to more real-life accounts of events and an opportunity to apply their developing analysis skills to another non-fiction context.
Topic 10
Long Way Down
Jason Reynold’s 2017 novel explores ideas around crime and revenge and is written in Free Verse, allowing students the chance to engage with a gripping text and think about how writers can use different forms.
Topic 11
Review of Trip - watching the play 'Jamie'
Students get to bring their non-fiction writing skills to their own experiences as they will have the chance to watch a performance of Everyone’s Talking About Jamie at the theatre before reviewing it in this topic.
Topic 12
Spoken Language Analysis
This topic gives students the chance to combine the skills they’ve developed in analysis and spoken language topics over the last 3 years as they explore the language and construction choices made in a range of spoken texts.
Topic 13
Analytical Reading for Bias
Having developed their opinion crafting skills in the review and presentation units earlier in the year, students will use this topic to respond to biased writing to create opposing opinions.
Topic 14
Short Stories 'A Change is Gonna Come'
Bringing together their knowledge of short story structure and themes of race and identity, students will study this anthology of short stories from BAME authors exploring ideas around change.
Topic 15
Blogs and Vlogs- Digital Literacy
Students end key stage 3 by constructing blogs and vlogs for specific audiences, showing off all they have learnt about how language is used to impact on those who hear and read it.
Topic 16
GCSE CUrriculum Structure
After developing the core skills across key stage 3, Y10 & Y11 students will follow a language and literature combined course that covers the entire AQA GCSE specification across the two years.
Students also complete a Spoken Language Endorsement, which is awarded as a separate qualification.
Year 10 English Language
Spoken Language
Students begin their GCSE study by completing their Spoken Language endorsement. Every student will give a short presentation about an issue of their choice and will develop their communication and language use.
TOPIC 1
Discursive Writing
Refining their ability to communicate discursively with an audience, students will learn how to apply both language and structural features to speeches, newspapers reports and articles.
Topic 2
Language analysis - non-fiction
Consolidating their language analysis skills from key stage 3, students will critically explore the meaning behind the writer’s use of language.
Topic 3
Opinion and building an argument
Continuing to develop and re-apply discursive writing skills, students will learn how to apply a range of strategies to generate an informed opinion and present a logical and effective argument.
Topic 4
Comparison – non-fiction
This topic will focus specifically on developing the ability to infer and interpret the use of key words and phrases within the context of a wider non-fiction text. Students will then compare the meaning and messages between separate texts.
Topic 5
Language Analysis - fiction
Building on their non-fiction language analysis skills from earlier in the year, students will critically explore the meaning behind the writer’s use of language within a range of fictional texts.
Topic 6
Structural Analysis
Students will analyse a writer’s structural methods; exploring how texts are constructed and sequenced for purpose and effect.
Topic 7
Narrative Writing
Refining their ability to communicate imaginatively with an audience, students will learn how to apply both language and structural features to a wide range of narrative writing opportunities.
Topic 8
Writing to Argue
Building on their ability to communicate discursively with an audience, students will learn how to apply a range of creative writing skills to present an informed argument about a range of controversial topics.
Topic 9
Inference and Comparison
This topic will focus specifically on developing the ability to infer and interpret the use of key words and phrases within the context of a wider text. Students will then compare the meaning and messages between separate texts.
Topic 10
Language & Structure
Consolidating and combining their language and structural analysis skills from key stage 3 and earlier in the year, students will critically explore the meaning behind the writer’s use of these two core methods.
Topic 11
Year 10 English Literature
Poetry Anthology
Students will begin their English literature course by studying 15 Anthology poems within the theme of ‘Power and Conflict.’ They will closely explore themes of identity, the power of nature and the impact of conflict.
TOPIC 1
Jekyll & Hyde
Duality of man, good Vs evil, repression, curiosity & deceit; These are just a few of the thought-provoking themes that students will explore as they read, discuss and analyse Robert Louis Stevenson’s 19th Century classic: Jekyll & Hyde.
Topic 2
Romeo & Juliet
Students will conclude year 10 by reading, performing and analysing this classic Shakespeare play; giving them opportunities to explore themes of love, generational divide, violence and the inevitability of fate.
Topic 3
Year 11 English Language
English Language Paper 1
Students will begin year 11 by undertaking explorations in creative reading and writing. They will study and analyse a range of unseen fiction texts and develop their own creative writing skills.
TOPIC 1
English Language Paper 2
This topic will concentrate on the GCSE application of writers’ viewpoints and perspectives. Again developing reading and writing, students focus on non-fiction texts and writing to present a viewpoint.
Topic 2
English Language Exam preparation
The final English language topic will consolidate their understanding of the AQA GCSE skills and exam requirements to ensure that students are fully prepared to sit their GSCE examinations.
Topic 3
Year 11 English Literature
Animal Farm/Blood Brothers
Students begin year 11 by reading, discussing and analysing either George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ or Willy Russell’s ‘Blood Brothers.’ Hugely engaging texts that deal with inequality and violence.
TOPIC 1
Unseen Poetry/Poetry Anthology Revision
This will be an opportunity to consolidate their understanding of Anthology poetry and unseen poetry from last year. Students will refine their application of the AQA GCSE skills in this area to ensure that they are fully prepared to sit their GSCE examinations.
Topic 2
Jekyll & Hyde and Romeo & Juliet Revision
The final English literature topic will consolidate their understanding of Jekyll & Hyde and Romeo & Juliet. Students will refine their application of the AQA GCSE skills to ensure that they are fully prepared to sit their GSCE examinations.
Topic 3