Why do we teach English?

English is a vital way of communicating in school, in public life and internationally. Literature in English is rich and influential, reflecting the experience of people from many countries and times. The teaching in English concentrates on four key skills that your child needs to get the most out of all their learning at school - speaking clearly, listening closely, reading carefully and writing fluently. It enables them to express themselves creatively and imaginatively and to communicate with others effectively. Pupils learn to become enthusiastic and critical readers of stories, poetry and drama as well as non-fiction and media texts. The study of English helps pupils understand how language works by looking at its patterns, structures and origins. Using this knowledge, pupils can choose and adapt what they say and write in different situations. English helps students express themselves creatively and boosts their confidence about speaking in public and writing for others.

Teaching for every student

Students are taught:

Speaking and listening
They speak to different audiences, adapting their style to suit the audience and the purpose of what they are saying. They structure their speaking so that listeners can follow their line of argument clearly, using techniques such as pace, gesture, anecdotes and visual aids to make their speaking colourful and lively. They learn how to listen carefully, picking out the main points of what a speaker is saying as well as the details and any underlying meanings. They play an active and helpful role in group discussions. They learn how to convey different emotions and moods through drama, and write and act in plays. They learn about how language changes in different situations, about the development of the English language and its importance in the world, and about the differences between speech and writing.

Reading
Students studying English at this age read a wide range of plays, poems and books, both fiction and non-fiction, including:

• at least one play by Shakespeare;
• plays by other playwrights;
• works of fiction and poetry from different times, including works by contemporary writers;
• drama, fiction and poetry by writers from different cultures;
• non-fiction writing (for example, diaries, travel writing and science writing).

Students learn how to get more out of their reading at this age, uncovering different layers of meaning and understanding how writing can be open to different interpretations. They appreciate the full scope and richness of complete novels, plays and poems. They begin to explore how writers make up plots and characters, realising that the viewpoints of a character in a story may not necessarily be the same as the author’s.

They compare different styles and themes in writing from the English literary heritage and from different cultures. They look at how writing can be presented in different ways, exploring how the use of print, images and sometimes sound can affect how we read texts.

The non-fiction texts students study include information and reference texts, both in print and in electronic format such as web pages.

Students also look at how text can be presented in different kinds of media. For example, they may explore how words and images work together in magazines or television advertisements, or look at how a film based on a novel compares with the original text.

Writing
Students draw on their experience of good fiction and non-fiction to compose their own stories, poems, scripts, articles, brochures and reviews. They learn how to use different styles of writing to suit their purposes and to meet the needs of different readers. They develop their knowledge of grammar, spelling and punctuation, learning how to proof-read their work, judge how successful it is and redraft it accordingly. They write quickly and fluently, presenting their work neatly and clearly.

Targets for every student

Around age 14, most students are able to:

Speaking and listening

• adapt the style of their speaking to suit different situations;
• hold the interest of listeners by varying their expression and vocabulary
• take an active part in discussions while being sensitive to the feelings and opinions of other people;
• use standard English fluently in formal situations;
• take on and sustain a role in drama.

Reading

• find different layers of meaning in texts and comment on them;
• discuss their views and feelings about works of literature;
• refer to different aspects of a piece of writing - such as structure and theme - to justify their views about it;
• summarise information they have gathered from different sources.

Writing

• write in a way that captures the reader’s interest;
• write in different styles;
• structure their work clearly;
• use different sentence structures and a varied vocabulary;
• organise their ideas into paragraphs;
• spell and punctuate their writing accurately most of the time;
• write neatly and legibly, and present writing on screen.

Range of Levels within which the great majority of students are expected to be working during Key Stage.	Expected attainment for the majority of pupils at the end of Key Stage 3.
3-7	5/6

Student Guide to National Curriculum Levels

Attainment Target 1: Speaking and Listening

Level 1

• I can talk about things which interest me.
• I can listen carefully to what others say
• I can make others understand me, and I something talk about things in detail.

Level 2

• I can talk confidently, especially about things I'm interested in.
• I can include details in what I say to help people understand what I am talking about.
• I can use a lot of different words.
• I can listen very carefully to what others are saying.
• I know that I have to talk in different ways in different situations.

Level 3

• I can talk and listen confidently and understand what is said.
• I can discuss ideas with other people.
• I can listen to others very carefully and I understand what they say.
• I can ask questions if I don't understand.
• I can use joined up writing which is easy to read.

Level 4

• I can talk and listen with confidence in different situations (contexts).
• I can change the way I talk depending on why I am talking (the purpose).
• I can explain my ideas and opinions and describe things which have happened (events).
• I can use standard English.

Level 5

• I can talk and listen in a lot of different contexts, some of them formal.
• I can talk in ways which are interesting for the listener.
• I can ask questions in discussions and take in to account what others think.
• I can use standard English in formal situations.

Level 6

• I can change the way I talk in different contexts.
• I can use different words (vocabulary) and talk in different ways to make what I say interesting.
• I can take an active part in discussions, understanding others ideas and responding sensitively.
• I can speak clearly (fluently) in standard English.

Level 7

• I can match the way I speak to the context.
• I can use vocabulary precisely and organize what I say clearly.
• I can make significant contributions to discussions and I take part when I think it is appropriate.
• I can use standards English confidently.

Level 8

• I can talk purposefully in range of situations.
• I can speak clearly using appropriate vocabulary, tone (intonation) and emphasis.
• I can contribute to discussions in a range of appropriate ways.
• I use standard English confidently in a range of situations when I think it is appropriate.

Exceptional performance

• I can select a style of speech (register) appropriate to the situation.
• I can change the sentence structure, vocabulary and expression according to the purpose.
• I can take a leading role in discussions.
• I can listen with concentration to complex speech.
• I can help to sustain a discussion and I am an assured user of standard English.

Student Guide to National Curriculum Levels

Attainment Target 2: Reading

Level 1

• I can read aloud words I read a lot.
• I can understand what more difficult words mean because I know the alphabet, but I sometimes need help.
• I can say why I like some poems and stories.

Level 2

• I can read and understand easy pieces of writing.
• I can often work out how to say a word and what it means if I do not know it.
• I can say what I think about things which have happened in the story, poem, or other writing.

Level 3

• I can read aloud clearly and without making many mistakes.
• I can usually work out what a word means by myself.
• I can understand what happens in what I read an can explain what I like and what I do not like.
• I can find books in the library, use a dictionary and an index because I know the alphabet.

Level 4

• When I read a story I can say who is in it (the characters) and what happens (the events).
• When I read a piece of writing I can say what it is about ( the themes).
• I can try to guess what happens in a story and make guesses about why characters do things.
• When I talk or write about something I've read I can show someone what I mean in the book.
• I can find out what I want to know from books.

Level 5

• I can say what is important about what I have read.
• I use examples and quotations from what I have to show what I mean.
• I can find out what I want t know from books and other sources of information.

Level 6

• I can see that there may be more than meaning to pieces of writing (texts) I have read, and I can explain why these are important.
• I can say what I think about books, poems and plays by looking at the way they are written (the language and the structure) and the themes.
• I can research something I want to know from lots of different sources and write it down.

Level 7

• I can say how writers use language to say what they want to say.
• I can write about themes, structure and the way language is used (linguistic features) in poems, plays and novels.
• I can select information from many sources and use it in different ways.

Level 8

• I can write about how an author uses linguistic features, structure and the layout of the text presentational devices) to influence the reader.
• I can select what is relevant in a text and look at how the same information can be presented differently in different types of texts.

Exceptional performance

• I can write in detail, develop my ideas and look carefully at the language, structure and presentation of a range of demanding texts.
• I can make comparisons between texts including audience, purpose and form.
• I can see when information is presented as argument or opinion.

Student Guide to National Curriculum Levels

Attainment Target 3: Writing

Level 1

• I can write simple words and put them together in simple phrases.
• I know what a full stop is and usually know where I should put one in my writing.
• I can write letters clearly and usually correctly.

Level 2

• I can write simply and what I write makes sense.
• I can make what I write interesting and easy to read.
• I can usually use full stops and capital letters.
• I can spell short, simple words correctly. When I can't spell a word I try to spell it the way that it sounds.
• I can join up some words when I write.

Level 3

• I can write stories in the order that they happen (chronologically) and I try to make them interesting and easy to read.
• I can change the way I write (style) depending on who I am writing for and why I am writing.
• I can arrange ideas in an order so they make sense.
• I can use a lot of different and interesting words and I usually write sentences which make sense (are grammatically correct).
• I can use full stops capital letters and question marks correctly.
• I can usually spell longer words correctly.

Level 4

• I can write different types of writing (forms) which are interesting to read.
• I can alter the way I write when I write for different people and for different reasons.
• I can choose interesting words to make my writing more interesting.
• I can write long sentences correctly; I spell longer words correctly; and I can use punctuation, including commas correctly.
• I can write neatly and so it is readable.

Level 5

• I can write clearly and in an interesting way, which is appropriate for the people I am writing for ( the audience) and the reason I am writing (the purpose).
• I can use interesting words correctly and I can spell difficult (complex) words correctly.
• I can use commas, paragraphs, apostrophes and speech marks correctly.
• I can write clearly in a joined up (cursive) style.

Level 6

• I can write interestingly enough to keep readers interested.
• I can write in the appropriate style for the purpose, this includes writing in a formal (impersonal) style.
• I can choose words (vocabulary) and write sentences in particular ways to create effects.
• I can spell complex words correctly.
• I can use punctuation correctly.
• I can organise ideas in to separate paragraphs.

Level 7

• I can choose an appropriate style for what I am writing.
• I can describe characters and settings in details.
• I can organise ideas and information carefully organised so it is understandable (coherent).
• I can use grammar and vocabulary correctly; I can spell complex words correctly; and I can present work neatly and clearly.
• I can use paragraphs and punctuation to make what I am writing about easier to follow and understand (coherent).

Level 8

• I can write in particular ways (e. g. I choose particular words and expressions) to create effects and interest the reader.
• I can write stories (narrative) which are well structured and carefully written.
• I can write non-fiction which is coherent and clear.
• I can choose vocabulary and grammar very carefully to convey exactly what I mean.
• I can use punctuation and paragraphing.

Exceptional performance

• I can write in a complex and striking style, and maintain the reader's interest.

Key Stage 4

Rationale
The study of English is a compulsory subject at Key Stage 4. Studying English develops a lot of the basic skills that students will need to use in a variety of ways throughout their life. Many of the skills developed in English will be beneficial to other subjects – for example expressing ideas fluently and accurately in GCSE History and Geography.

Aims
The course aims to:

• improve the fluency and accuracy of written expression
• develop students ability to distinguish between fact and opinion
• develop students ability to follow an argument
• develop students ability to select material appropriate to purpose
• enable students to appreciate writers’ use of language
• allow students to participate in speaking and listening activities to enable communication for different purposes and audiences
• develop students ability to respond to texts critically, sensitively and in detail
• develop an awareness of the social, historical and cultural contexts of texts.

The Course (Current Year 10)

Students will follow the Edexcel IGCSE English 4355 and Literature 4360 taught as a unified course. Much of what is done in the IGCSE English course follows on from Key Stage 3.

The course consists of both coursework and exams as outlined below:

English Language

Component	Weighting	Length
Examination	70%	2 hours
Written Coursework	20%	Two assignments
Speaking and Listening Coursework	10%	Two assignments

 

English Literature

Component	Weighting	Length
Examination	70%	1½ hours
Written Coursework	30%	One assignment

 

Exams
At the end of Year 11 students will take 2 papers, which will contribute 70% to the final English language mark and 70% to the final literature mark.

The scheme of assessment for literature consists of a single tier targeted at grades A* to G. There are two tiers for English language. Based on teacher’s advice, students will enter for either the Higher Tier, for which they can receive grades A* to E, or Foundation Tier, for which they can be awarded grades C to G. The decision about level of entry will be made in Year 11.

Exam Content

Language (Papers 1F and 2H)

• Section A
  • Questions will be set on an unseen non-fiction passage, and will be assessed for reading only. This passage will be drawn from a range of contemporary non-fiction, including autobiography, travel writing, reportage, media articles, letters, diaries and writing which expresses a personal opinion.
  • Students will be expected to read the passage carefully and show ability in their answers to respond to the writer’s choice of detail, approach to the subject matter and use of techniques. They will also need to be able to interpret the meaning of the passage, including its implications, and be able to quote and make textual references to support their points.
• Section B
  
  • Question B(i)
    This question will be based on Section A of the London Examinations Anthology. Again, only reading will be assessed. Students will be expected to show “insight and engagement” and to “develop and sustain interpretation.”
  • Question B(ii)
    This question will relate to, and derive from, the passage used in B(i), however, it will be assessed for writing only. Forms might include diary entries, letters (formal and informal), feature articles for magazines and so on.
• Section C
  
  • This is a ‘freestanding’ writing question, not dependent on either of the passages in the paper. This question specifically targets the inform, explain, describe triplet.

Literature
This paper is divided into two sections: Drama and Prose. Students must answer one question from each section. This is a closed book examination.

• Section A: Drama texts
  • Questions on the drama texts tend to follow a pattern: one question will usually focus on characterisation; the other question will examine another aspect of the play, such as dramatic qualities; theme; structure; social/cultural setting.
• Section B: Prose texts
  
  • Questions on the prose texts follow a similar pattern to the drama questions. One question will usually focus on characterisation; the other question will examine another aspect of the text, such as theme, or social/cultural setting.

Coursework

Language

Written Coursework

• Unit 1
  
  • Writing will be based on a piece or pieces from the London Examinations Anthology. Students will be assessed on their ability to “read with insight and engagement….sustain interpretations….understand and make some evaluation of how writers use linguistic and structural devices to achieve their effects.”
• Unit 2
  
  • Unit 2 requires a piece of personal/imaginative writing. This unit will be assessed solely by the writing criteria. The work must address all the writing assessment objectives, but two triplet sets are specified as alternatives, ‘explore, imagine, entertain’ and ‘argue, persuade, advise’.

Speaking and listening
A variety of tasks will be completed during the course. Two tasks, drawing on the best work throughout the course, will be selected for the final mark.

Literature

Students must complete one assignment. They must respond critically and sensitively to a selection of poems and show understanding of how meanings and ideas are conveyed through language, structure and form. There is no prescribed word length for the coursework unit. Typically the unit may be between 500 and 600 words. Coursework pieces may be hand-written or word-processed. Teachers will advise students in the production of coursework, but will not proof-read early drafts or correct every technical error. Teachers may suggest improvements to the content of the coursework, but it is the student’s responsibility to make any corrections.

The Course (Current Year 11)

Students will follow the Edexcel GCSE English 1204 and Literature 1213 taught as a unified course. Much of what is done in the GCSE English course follows on from Key Stage 3.
Based on teacher’s advice, students will enter for either the Higher Tier, for which they can receive grades A* to D, or Foundation Tier, for which they can be awarded grades C to G. The decision about level of entry will be made in Year 11.

The course consists of both coursework and exams as outlined below:

EXAMS
At the end of Year 11 students will take 3 papers, which will contribute 60% to the final English language mark and 70% to the final literature mark.

Language Paper 1
The Craft of the Writer
2 hours
This paper will respond to an anthology of material that students have studied throughout the course. They will be able to take this anthology into the exam. They will be asked to answer one question on modern poetry, one question on the collection of short stories and to do one of two writing tasks.

Language Paper 2
Non-Fiction
2 hours
This paper will assess response to non-fiction texts that students have not seen before the exam .One question will test the ability to read the text effectively. There will also be two writing tasks: one to argue, persuade, advise; the other to analyse, review and comment. There is a choice of questions in both tasks.

Literature
2 hours 15 minutes
Students will answer three questions (one on each of the post 1914 texts they have studied). Texts are allowed into the exam though these cannot be annotated in any way.

COURSEWORK
Written coursework
At the end of Year 11 students will submit their coursework folder which will contain five units – personal and imaginative writing; response to media texts such as newspapers, adverts or film; work based on a play by Shakespeare; work based on pre-1914 prose; and work based on a collection of pre-1914 poetry. This folder will contribute 20% to the language final mark and 30% to the final literature mark

Speaking and listening coursework
During the course students will take part in a variety of activities (drama focused, group and individual) which will be teacher assessed. This assessment will contribute 20% to the final language mark.

LANGUAGE		LITERATURE
Written Coursework	20%	Written coursework	30%
Speaking and Listening	20%	Examination 1 paper	70%
Examination 2 papers	60%

Key Stage 5

A Level English Literature

Rationale
English literature enables students to develop their interest and enjoyment in literature. Studying English develops a lot of key skills and research competencies that will be of value to students throughout their life. Many of the skills developed in English will be beneficial to other subjects – for example expressing ideas fluently and accurately in History and Geography.
This course will appeal to students who:

• have an interest in reading a wide variety of literature from the past and present
• enjoy expressing their opinions and justifying their comments on texts
• enjoy studying a subject which is relevant to their own lives and experiences
• want to keep their options open for further study ― English Literature is a popular qualification for entry to a wide range of courses in higher education or for future careers.

Aims
The course aims to enable students to:

• develop their interest and enjoyment in literature by reading widely
• gain an understanding of the traditions of English Literature
• gain an understanding of literature from outside the UK
• communicate their response to a wide variety of texts and respond to texts of different types and periods
• make informed opinions and judgements on literary texts
• gain an understanding of cultural, historical and other influences on texts
• gain experience of the Key Skills of Communication, Information Technology, Improving Own Learning and Performance and Working With Others.

The Course

AS
AS is short for Advanced Subsidiary. This is the first half of the Advanced GCE course. It is a stepping-stone to the full Advanced GCE qualification. Students can take just the AS on its own and can even decide at the end of the AS course whether to continue to take the full Advanced GCE qualification. An AS course consists of three units of assessment:

Unit 1 Drama and Poetry 2 hours ( AS 40%)
(Advanced GCE 20%)
In this unit students will answer two questions, one on drama and one on poetry.
There will be a choice of two examination questions on each of the texts in Section A and Section B. Texts are allowed into the exam.

Unit 2 Pre 1900 Prose 1 hour 30 minutes
(AS 30%)
(Advanced GCE 15%)
In this unit students will answer one question on a prose text written before 1900. There will be a choice of two questions. Texts are not allowed into the examination for this unit.

Unit 3 Shakespeare in Context (AS 30%)
(Advanced GCE 15%)
This unit will be written coursework (Unit 3a). Students will need to write a coursework folder of about 1,500 words on a named play, usually Hamlet.

Advanced GCE
The full Advanced GCE qualification is made up of the AS units plus three more units which are studied at a higher level. Students don’t necessarily have to take the full Advanced GCE qualification; they can still get a certificate just for the AS, and their teacher will advise them on what is best. If students decide to take the second half of the course it will cover the three units described below.

Unit 4 Modern Prose (Advanced GCE 15%)
This unit will be either written coursework (Unit 4a) or an examination (Unit 4b - 1 hour). For coursework students will need to write a coursework folder of around 2,000 - 3,000 words on one named novel written after 1900. If students take the examination paper for Unit 4b, students will study one novel and answer a question on it in the examination. There will be a choice of two questions on each of the novels. Students must bring their text with them into the examination.

Unit 5 Poetry and Drama 2 hours
(Advanced GCE 15%)
There are four sections in this unit: Section A, Pre-1770 Poetry, Section B, Post-1770 Poetry, Section C, Pre-1770 Drama, Section D, Post-1770 Drama. Students will answer two questions. One question must be on poetry and one question must be on drama. At least one question must be on a text that was written before 1770.. Students must bring their texts with them into the examination.

Unit 6 Criticism and Comparison 2 hours
(Advanced GCE 20%)
In this unit students are expected to draw together many of the different skills they have learned during the course. They will answer two questions in the unit. One question will be on a choice of unprepared prose or poetry and one question will be a comparison of two texts studied in Year 12 and 13. Texts are not allowed into the examination for this unit.

English Teaching Staff

Facilities & Resources

Useful Links

Reference
www.britannica.com The Encyclopedia Britannica
www.worldbook.com World Book online - good US encyclopedia
www.biography.com Who is, or was, who. Sites for revision or research
www.learn.co.uk From the Guardian - excellent resource site
www.bbc.co.uk/education/home BBC Education
www.freebooknotes.com Links to study guides for a range of texts
www.ipl.org/ref/litcrit/ Literary criticism online

Sites for suggested reading
www.bookbrowser.com
www.ucalgary.cal/~dkbrown Childrens' Literature Web
http://als.lib.wi.us/ArrowheadBooklists.html Arrowhead Booklists

Other Links
www.standards.dfee.gov.uk DfEE standards site
www.nc.uk.net The National Curriculum Online
www.qca.org.uk The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority