At St Edward’s, our English curriculum will equip our students with the skills to not only make sense of who they are, but also in learning how to communicate successfully with the world. We want all our students to embrace a passion for language and literature and we believe in helping students to become critical readers, creative writers and confident speakers - the cornerstones of success.

Curriculum Intent

In English we have built a curriculum that has communication at its heart. We want our students to enjoy communicating their own ideas and feelings clearly and with zest, whether that is in writing or verbally. We seek to create self-motivated and resilient young people who enjoy discussing, debating, exploring, analysing and presenting their views and ideas. We value and encourage imagination and believe that writing in all forms and for all purposes should feel creative.

In each year at St Edward's, students will build on prior knowledge and understanding and develop their skills so that their reading is confident and analytical and their writing is not only accurate but effectively crafted. We encourage our students to read and write widely in and out of the classroom, for information and for pleasure.

As English teachers, we recognise our role in exploring with students their own morality, spirituality and their role as citizens of the world.

Course Contact

Mrs Joanna Amos
English Subject Leader

Key Stage Three

At Key Stage Three, our units of work follow a thematic approach which cover a whole term. A high quality and challenging novel or play will sit at the heart of each unit and students will encounter a range of non-fiction and poetry texts based on the theme of that unit. Throughout the key stage, the curriculum is well sequenced to ensure all students make expected progress by revisiting and developing skills in reading, writing and oracy.

Year 7 students will study:

Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo
World War One poetry and non-fiction from and about the war
Extracts from novels about journeys with a particular focus on pirates (including local tales)
Treasure Island by RL Stevenson
Moonfleet by J. Meade Falkner
Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
A range of modern and 19th century poetry and non-fiction texts around themes such as love, marriage and dreams.

In Year 8 students will study:

Boy 87 by Ele Fountain
The Speckled Band by Arthur Conan Doyle
A play version of Frankenstein, adapted for study by Phillip Pullman
Extracts from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

In Year 9 students will study:

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
Romeo and Juliet
Poetry from writers such as Carol Anne Duffy, Seamus Heaney and Simon Armitage
Short stories and extracts from a range of dystopian novels and a range of non-fiction texts

At Key Stage 3, we want every student to develop into a confident, fluent reader. Reading fluency is the ability to read accurately, at an appropriate pace and with expression, while reading accuracy is the ability to recognise and pronounce words correctly. These skills are essential because they allow students to focus on understanding and enjoying what they read, rather than simply decoding the words on the page.

Our Reading Fluency and Accuracy Challenges give students regular opportunities to practise these skills in a supportive and encouraging way. By strengthening fluency and accuracy in Years 7–9, students build the confidence and literacy foundations needed to succeed across all subjects at Key Stage 4 and beyond, supporting them in their future education and everyday life.

Key Stage Four

In Years 10 and 11, students work towards completing two GCSEs: English language and English literature. All examinations in the subject will be taken at the end of Year 11. Students should also be aware that examinations are closed text (they will not be allowed any of the books in the exam with them) and that they are un-tiered i.e. all students will sit the same paper; differentiation will be by outcome.

During the course, students will study a series of topics which integrate the skills of reading, writing and speaking and listening. They should develop in accuracy, detail and appropriateness in these areas. They particularly need to consider the implications of words they use and read and the effect they have on the reader.

Reading

Students are helped to read accurately and fluently, understand and respond to literature and analyse and evaluate a range of other texts. Students will read:

One Shakespeare play (‘Macbeth’) and a C19th novel (‘A Christmas Carol’ or ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’)
One modern text (An Inspector Calls)
A range of poetry by both heritage and modern poets
A range of fiction and non-fiction texts from the C19th- present day.

Writing

The emphasis at this stage is on:

Writing in a wide variety of forms for different purposes.
Developing and communicating ideas, using a wide vocabulary and effective style, structuring sentences grammatically.
Accurate punctuation, correct spelling and legible handwriting

Speaking and Listening

Students will prepare and deliver a speech on a topic of their choice.

Method of Assessment

Exam Board: EDUQAS

External Assessment in the form of 4 exams

Key Stage Five

English Language

English Language is a creative and diverse course. The variety of assessment styles used, such as data analysis, discursive essays, original writing and research-based investigative writing, allows students to develop a wide range of skills which are invaluable for both further study and future employment.

It provides students with a natural progression from their GCSE study of the subject. It encourages students to develop their interest in and appreciation of English through learning about its structure and its functions, its developments and its variations. It allows students to develop their ability to express themselves in speech and writing, producing texts for different audiences, purposes and in different genres.

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English Literature

English Literature at A Level is engaging and challenging. Students will be encouraged to think critically and analytically about their reading and will become immersed in the worlds of a wide range of texts, from classic to contemporary.

Students who choose this course should be very interested in literature: drama, poetry, novels and short stories. The course aims to enable you to discuss and analyse major texts of both contemporary and past literature. You will also consider how texts have been interpreted by different readers at different times, and look at the context in which writers produce their work. You should be ready for a good deal of independent reading and note-taking. There are twelve texts overall, though not all are directly tested.

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Future Pathways

GCSE English language and English literature form the basis for all education or employment pathways after Year 11 as they contain the elements of reading, writing, speaking, and listening which underpin all further education qualifications and employment.

In the Sixth Form, a large number of students choose to continue studying English language and English literature at A Level. A good qualification in GCSE English language and literature as two of the core subjects, will definitely open doors, illuminate pathways and offer opportunities to explore other subjects and qualifications.