English
“I know all those words, but that sentence makes no sense to me.” ― Matt Groening
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Intent:
Our curriculum will inspire and challenge all pupils to communicate with others effectively through verbal and written methods which will enable them to successfully compete with their peers in both further education and the workplace. Our curriculum will develop knowledge and skills in analytical reading, creative and informative writing and strong verbal communication and will enable all pupils to make their voices confidently heard. Our pupils will be exposed to a wide and varied selection of text types as well as developing writing for different audiences, presentation skills, performance and debate and discussion.
We introduce the skills and vocabulary required for success at GCSE in Year 7 and build and develop this knowledge throughout 5 years to enable all pupils, regardless of starting point or background, to confidently sit both Literature and Language GCSE.
We believe that all texts from all ages are accessible and open to all pupils with sensitive handling and introduction. Our skillful collaboration as a team enables us to deliver all forms of all texts to all pupils using teaching techniques which enable access to even the most challenging texts at an appropriate level.
Aims
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To teach pupils how to read widely for pleasure and comprehend what they read through supported reading lessons in KS3
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To instill a love of literature through reading a thorough and exciting range of fiction and non-fiction texts, poetry, playscripts and anthologies
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To develop a questioning and inquisitiveness when analysing language and its impact on society
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To be able to write engagingly and with clear manipulation of tone, purpose and grammatical structures in a variety of styles for a variety of purposes with clarity and accuracy
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To explore their Literary Heritage and classical literature from around the world as well as works of non-fiction from 1800s to present day to allow them to make informed and moral judgements on the world in which they live
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Teaching staff will deliver and model the fundamental skills of how to succeed in the GCSE exams from half term 1 in Year 7. This will then be built on and revisited throughout the curriculum with texts being introduced in KS3 then revisited later in KS4
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To instill a confident understanding of how language is the most powerful tool they possess and that they can conquer any situation with the right tone and style of communication
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To provide regular opportunities to voice their opinions, debate and argue their point of view with their peers through social, political and current affairs- based stimulus
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To ensure they develop an empathetic understanding of their community, wider society and world around them through exposure to a variety of texts from different cultures and religions
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To understand how their use of language affects the perception of others and to use Standard English appropriately when and wherever necessary
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Homework
Homework for all pupils is predominantly set using Google Classroom but will also involve paper-based work to be completed at home and brought into school by the agreed deadline.
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Parental Guidance and Support
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We strongly recommend that your daughter reads regularly and challenges herself in what she reads.
To support this, please view the recommended book list below:
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100 books your child should read before leaving School
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To support revision and understanding of literature texts, please refer to the following website:
BBC Bitesize - English Literature
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Shakespeare:
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To support revision and understanding for English Language, please refer to the following website:
BBC Bitesize - English Language (KS4)
BBC Bitesize - English (KS3)​
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We would also recommend Youtubers “Mr Bruff” and Stacey Rae who are English teachers and vloggers who offer outstanding support to all levels of GCSE pupils.
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ENGLISH 2023-2024 Curriculum Overview
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​If you have any further enquiries or questions, please contact Mrs C Gowland, Director of English (Email: gowlandc@thrivetrust.uk Telephone: 01482 343098 ext 216)
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