Telephone : 01227 931300 Email : Office
"We were the people who were not in the papers. We lived in the blank white spaces at the edges of print. It gave us more freedom. We lived in the gaps between the stories." Margaret Atwood.
We foster a love of literature, believing in the power of the written and the spoken word. We will challenge your views on life and encourage you to be creative in your responses.
Director: Ms E Ritchie MA email@example.com
Key Stage 3
Throughout their Key Stage 3 English lessons, pupils learn to read, write and speak with confidence and enthusiasm. As well as studying a range of modern novels and texts from the literacy canon, students will encounter plays, poems, non-fiction texts and media texts from all over the world. Texts include Phillip Pullman's The Ruby in the Smoke, Markus Zuzak's The Book Thief and dystopian fiction from world-renowned writers such as Margaret Atwood and George Orwell. We encourage pupils to respond to texts through discussion and debate, allowing them to become critical, independent thinkers and learners. The knowledge rich curriculum prepares pupils for the challenges of KS4 and ensure pupils learn far beyond the walls of the classroom.
Enjoy Reading, Supporting your child
Key Stage 4
In Years 10 and 11 pupils build on the knowledge and skills obtained at KS3. As well as studying a range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, pupils continue to develop their spoken language skills. All pupils will complete the AQA English Literature and English Language GCSE courses as outlined below. The tests they will be studying for the Literature examinations are Macbeth, The Sign of Four (Year 11) or Christmas Carol (Year 10), Lord of the Flies and the AQA Power and Conflict poems. Pupils will also complete a spoken language certification as part of their GCSE English Language qualification.
Key Stage 5
In KS5, students continue their studies in English Literature with a more focused approach to genre and critical threory.
A-Level English Literature
In the A-Level, students study the genre of tragedy with a focus on Shakespearian tragedy as well as more modern texts such as' The Great Gatsby'. Students are also encouraged to develop as critical readers, studying a range of critical literary theory including feminist, narrative, Marxist and postcolonial perspectives, which encourage them to approach texts in new and challenging ways. Independent study is also important: students must select a novel and a collection of poetry to produce coursework essays in which they examine these texts through the prism of their chosen critical perspective. In Year 13 the genre of Crime Fiction is explored in depth. where studied texts include Romantic poets Browning and Crabbe, classic golden age crime fiction such as Agatha Christie, and postmodern contemporary writer Kate Atkinson.
English Lit (IB Core)
Through the IB, students will study a range of texts from across the globe that were originally written in English, French, German, Hindi and other languages spoken around the world. They will use these texts, which include fiction, non-fiction, poetry and plays, to tackle difficult and timeless questions about race, culture, identity, conflict and power. Students will also study a range of critical literary theory and be encouraged to read beyond their set texts in order to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of literature and the world around them. Texts include I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Hamlet by William Shakespeare and The Age of Reason by Jean-Paul Sartre. Students complete both oral and written examinations as part of their studies and are encouraged throughout the course to become knowledgeable and articulate communicators.