English

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Intent

In the English department we aim to shape a curriculum which will engage and stimulate and prove to be enjoyable and challenging. Our vision is what the English curriculum is built upon and that consists of expression and empathy, expectations and enlightenment, encouragement and enjoyment. The vision is to equip students with a desire to express their views; develop working relationships between students and teachers which share high expectations; to feel valued and to be excited about life and actively encouraged to pursue their ambitions beyond the school environment. We recognise the role of literacy as being instrumental in students achieving their very best at Stowmarket High School and the English department take an active role in leading literacy across the school to enable all students to access the full benefits of our ambitious curriculum. We believe in delivering an accessible and diverse English curriculum that engages students by breaking down the learning and providing clear direction in structured steps. Flexibility and freedom for staff and students within this framework ensures that learning is personalised, enjoyable and progressive.

Key Stage 3

  • Students will have had a joy in English re-ignited through a range of strategies and exploration of a range of texts and activities
  • Students will have creatively explored a range of texts and literature across genres, including prose, poetry, performance poetry, reports, plays, scripts etc. enabling them to form preferences and develop cultural literacy.
  • To be able to express opinion with rationale in writing and voice, supporting this with evidence and analysis.
  • Students have experience in public speaking and have developed requisite social skills to listen attentively to peers
  • Students will have developed their cultural literacy through reading and tier two vocabulary. They will have gained an awareness of contextual elements around a text.
Year 7 EnglishUnits/Topics studied:
AutumnReimagined Skills Unit: The Natural WorldThe Play of Frankenstein Poetry from around the world
SpringReimagined Skills Unit: Child Labour Raven’s Gate The Caged Bird
SummerReimagined Skills Unit: Journeys and Explorations Shakespeare’s World Literature through time
Year 8 EnglishUnits/Topics studied:
AutumnReimagined Skills Unit: Beyond Our World The Play of Noughts and Crosses Dystopian Fiction
SpringReimagined Skills Unit: How We Treat Others Romeo and Juliet Women in Fiction
SummerReimagined Skills Unit: Growing Up Stay Where You Are Then Leave You must be Layla

Year 9 English/Units Topics Studied :
AutumnReimagined Skills Unit: The Unexplained Boys Don’t Cry
SpringReimagined Skills Unit: The Town and Country Kes- The Play The Bone Sparrow
SummerReimagined Skills Unit: Crime and Punishment Exam paper practice Othello

Key Stage 4

  • Students will have developed a more sophisticated knowledge of language and how it works. They will have the ability to utilise a range of techniques to create effect.
  • Students will have developed their own written and spoken styles, being able to write and speak articulately and eloquently for a variety of purposes.
  • Students will be able to argue and synthesise the opinions of others – both written and spoken.
  • Students will refer to cultural capital/context/research in their analyses, using these references to develop and contextualise their analyses.
  • Students will have begun to read more widely, making cross-curricular links, and critically assessing writers’ styles, purposes and contexts.
  •  Students will be prepared to take their next steps in life, through resources and learning linked to further education and future employment.
Year 10 English Literature & LanguageTopics Covered:
AutumnA Christmas CarolWar and Conflict Anthology
SpringUnseen Poetry Refugee Boy
Summer 
Year 11 English Literature & LanguageTopics Covered:
AutumnLanguage Skills – Analyse, Compare, Evaluate Macbeth English Language PRE preparation
SpringEnglish Literature PRE preparationPoetry Anthology Revision Unseen Poetry Revision
SummerRevision of Literature Texts Paper 1Revision for the reading section of Language Papers Revision of the Literature Texts Paper 2Revision for the Language Papers – Writing