English
- English
- Ethos & Values
- Knowledge & Skills
- Resources & Facilities
- Courses & Qualifications
- Learning Outside The Classroom
- Where Does This Take Me In The Future?
English language and English literature lessons at Somercotes encourage students to develop the skills, knowledge and communication abilities necessary to succeed in adult life. An encouraging and supportive learning environment ensures our students achieve their full potential in the study of these subjects. English language and literature are a passport to work and a better life. English qualifications lead to work in the creative industries, in law, the civil service, diplomacy, advertising, politics; English students become entrepreneurs, teachers, digital innovators - all areas where the skills of critical analysis, lateral thinking and flexibility are prized. The first American woman in space studied it alongside physics and valued the manner which it enhanced her creative thinking skills. She relied on her ability to be intuitive when she was circling the planet with little more than a few sheets of metal to protect her. The study of this subject is a way to think about our relationships with each other and with nature, about our rights and moral responsibilities.
Language is one of the most powerful tools humans possess: we all need thoughtful training in how to manage it, and how to protect ourselves from those who abuse it. Helping children to be safe online, for instance, includes teaching them to read for manipulation and intent. Finally, literature provides deep, complex, lifelong pleasure, which too often gets forgotten as a worthy end in itself.
Ethos & Values
Our aims are:
To enhance children's quality of learning through the effective delivery of the English curriculum, in a way which is lively and thought-provoking, enabling students to develop their own opinions positively.
To make English enjoyable as a subject through resources and specialist teaching expertise. Students are encouraged to maximise their full potential in the three areas of language development: reading, writing, and speaking and listening.
To ensure that learners build confidence, feel valued, motivated and informed about their own progress and are proactively involved in reviewing and evaluating their individual achievements.
To have consistently high expectations and match these with high quality resources and learning strategies.
To provide a range of learning experiences appropriate to the age, ability and needs of the students. Students are encouraged to actively participate in lessons, developing the ability to communicate effectively, accurately and with confidence, both orally and in writing, in a variety of styles and situations.
The overarching aim for English in the national curriculum is to promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written word, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils:
- read easily, fluently and with good understanding
- develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
- acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
- appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage
- write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
- use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas
- are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.
Knowledge & Skills
All students are encouraged to improve spoken, reading and writing skills, through a range of varied and engaging classroom activities.
Focusing on the basic principles is designed to enable students to become confident and coherent speakers. Students will be encouraged to speak in a range of different situations and for varied audiences. All students are encouraged to express personal and informed opinions through discussion, presentations, role-play and improvisation.
Students are also expected to develop their ability to read for different purposes - for information, research and personal enjoyment.
They are also given opportunities to improve their written communication when writing for a wide variety of different audiences in different contexts. The need for accuracy in spelling, punctuation, grammar and paragraphing is emphasised and the opportunity for honing these basic skills is supported by the department's schemes of work and helpful marking.
There is scope for students' personal growth as learners, through active participation in class lessons and homework.
Resources & Facilities
Many lessons are taught in specialist rooms, these are equipped with an interactive whiteboard.
Contemporary and classic literature is used to support lessons. All works are tailored to individual classes by teachers. The English Department has access to an extensive range of literary resources. In addition, we have library of books which can be accessed by students and is located in a section of one of the four English classrooms.
Courses & Qualifications
Key Stage 3
Students follow the National Curriculum, which provides a broad and balanced programme of language work. All students have the opportunity to analyse poetry, prose texts and works from different cultures, to participate in play-reading and to enhance all aspects of speaking, listening, reading and writing throughout Years 7,8 and 9.
Curriculum Plan Key stage 3 English Language
| Year group | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 7 | Where Do Stories Come From? Myths and Legends |
Can You Identify and interpret features of the Adventure Genre? Adventure |
The Quest: How can the structure of a Quest inspire your writing? | The Art of Persuasion: What is advertising? | Letters of note: Is letter writing still a functional means of communication? | Something to Say: Can you recognise what makes a good speech? |
| Year 8 | Out of this World: How will we adapt to the future? Will the world become a better place to live or will we pay a terrible price for our negligence, ambition and aggression? | The Art of Articles: How are magazines articles written and can we write our own? | Magazine Can the media manipulate people? |
A Victorian Childhood Can we really understand what it was like to live in the Victorian era? |
Out of this World: How will we adapt to the future? Will the world become a better place to live or will we pay a terrible price for our negligence, ambition and aggression? | The Art of Articles: How are magazines articles written and can we write our own? |
| Year 9 | The Art of Storytelling & What it is to be human: What does it mean to be human? | The Art of Storytelling & What it is to be human: What does it mean to be human? | Creative writing How can describe the world around me? |
Travel Writing Does travel really broaden the mind? |
Travel Writing Does travel really broaden the mind? |
Hear My Voice: Why is it important that social migrants are names and not numbers? |
Key Stage 4
GCSE English prepares students will the skills necessary to access all forms of reading and writing once they have left school, whether they enter the world of work, apprenticeships or to continue their studies. Reading skills are developed through the study of a range of texts, while writing skills encourage students to be inventive with language and explore the function of vocabulary for effect. Students are taught to consider how form, audience and purpose are important in the language choices they make. Specialist teachers select texts according to the ability and make-up of their class and regular assessment informs students of their progress and areas for improvement. Additionally, students are assessed in 'Spoken English' to support the development of skills that are essential to adult life.
Curriculum Plan Key stage 4 English Language
| Year group | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 10 | Exploration of Fiction: How does the writer use language and structure to impact on the emotions of the reader? | Creative writing: Why does creative writing allow us to describe the world around us? Is this a positive thing or not? | Shaping Moments: Travel Writing Does travel really broaden the mind? |
Transactional Writing: How can different forms of non-fiction writing engage and influence our opinions? | Points of View: SLE Why is being able to speak in a clear and effective manner a very important skill? |
‘The Best Words in the Best order’: Is war ever justified? |
| Year 11 | Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing How can I analyse text to show I understand the language and structure? |
Viewpoints and Perspectives How can I analyse and compare two non-fiction texts? |
Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing How can I write creatively to show that I can describe or narrate the world around me? |
Viewpoints and Perspectives How can I write a non-fiction response to sound believable? |
Exam Preparation! | Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing How can I analyse text to show I understand the language and structure? |
English Literature Key Stage 3
This curriculum will help students develop confidence when reading. It will introduce skills that will be relevant to the study of literature, and help students develop their understanding of contexts, as well as some of the conventions established in literary genres. Most of all it will encourage a love of reading.
| Autumn HT1 | Autumn HT2 | Spring HT3 | Spring HT4 | Summer HT5 | Summer HT6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 7 | Novel: How can a novel take you on an adventure? | Poetry: What is Poetry? | Short story: How is a short story different from a novel? | Drama: Why does the story of Frankenstein still resonate with audiences? | Novel: How can a novel take you on an adventure? | Poetry: What is Poetry? |
| Year 8 | Can books help us understand people? | Can books help us understand people? | What did Shakespeare mean when he said: “all the World's a Stage?” | What did Shakespeare mean when he said: “all the World's a Stage?” | How does poetry reflect culture? | Why is the ‘Who Dunnit?’ so popular? |
| Year 9 | Studying the importance of Victorian literature. | Studying the importance of Victorian literature. | Poetry: Studying a range of poems and looking at the theme of war. | Poetry: Studying a range of poems and looking at the theme of war. | A murder mystery Play: Are we responsible for each other? |
A murder mystery play? Are we responsible for each other? |
English Literature Key Stage 4
The subject of literature broadens our horizons. Giving us the opportunity to learn and understand other people and incidents. Literature is part of our cultural heritage; it enriches our lives in different ways. Reading allows you to be insightful and to learn from the experiences of others. We can step into the lives of Shakespeare and Dickens and be influenced by their remarkable minds.
| Autumn HT1 | Autumn HT2 | Spring HT3 | Spring HT4 | Summer HT5 | Summer HT6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 10 | Power and Conflict Poetry Anthology: What is the nature of power? Is conflict in some form inevitable? | A Christmas Carol: William Makepeace Thackeray described Dickens' classic novella as ‘a national benefit and to every man or woman who reads it, and a personal kindness.’ To what extent do you agree? | Macbeth: How does a noble soldier become a tyrant? | Macbeth: How does a noble soldier become a tyrant? | Macbeth: How does a noble soldier become a tyrant? | An Inspector Calls: How and why does Priestley teach the message that: “we responsible for each other”? |
| Year 11 | An Inspector Calls A Christmas Carol |
Unseen poetry Power and conflict poetry |
Macbeth | Revision and exam preparation |
Courses
AQA English Language: this GCSE consists of two examinations, each being 1 hour and 45 minutes long. Across the two equally weighted papers, students will answer reading assessment questions on texts from the 19th, 20th and 21 centuries, followed by answering one writing task on each paper.
AQA English Literature: Paper 1 assesses understanding of a Shakespeare text and a text from the 19th century, chosen from a list prescribed by AQA. At 1 hour and 45 minutes long, it is worth 40% of the final grade. Paper 2 is 2 hours and 15 minutes and consists of four questions based on a modern text, an anthology of poetry and an unseen poem.
Learning Outside the Classroom
The English Department is always looking to involve students in theatre. Touring theatre companies are also used to enhance students' dramatic experiences. We have a ready supply of books in our library in school for students to take home with them. We also encourage students to participate in a variety of different writing competitions as and when they become available.
Where Does This Take Me in The Future?
As English underpins all other subjects in the curriculum, it plays a major role in preparing students for both study and working life.
It also provides opportunities for students who may wish to be employed in all areas of business and a good progression route to more advanced qualifications.
The study of English improves students' abilities to express their ideas clearly, coherently and confidently in both speaking and writing, and to communicate effectively in all areas of adult life.
