English

Staffing

We currently have nine full time English teachers and one part time teacher as listed below:

Ms H Baker (Head of English), Miss C Mazziotta (2nd in Faculty), Miss G Rowley (Advanced Skills Teacher), Mrs G Ghosh (Literacy Coordinator), Mr N Hall (SENCO), Mr G Brady (New Directions), Mrs L Marr (Head of Drama), Mr C McCabe, Mr N Dickins and Mrs M Howcroft.

Curriculum Overview

In Key Stage 3, students enjoy 3 x 1 hour lessons each week although some classes have an extra hour of Literacy teaching. At Key Stage 3 we follow the National Curriculum. This ensures that students experience a variety of lessons and learn how to develop skills in reading, writing and speaking& listening. We make good use of APP (Assessing Pupil Progress) at Key Stage 3 in order to ensure that students levels are as secure as possible.

At Key Stage 4 we follow the WJEC syllabus. Most students will have the opportunity to study for two GCSEs – English Language and English Literature. In Year 10, students enjoy four lessons per week. In this time, classes focus on the completion of five controlled assessments.

Narrative and Descriptive Writing (15% GCSE English Language)

Spoken Language Study (20% GCSE English Language)

Speaking and Listening (10% GCSE English Language)

Different Cultures Prose (15% GCSE English Language)

In Year 11, students benefit from 3 x 1 hour lessons. In this time they will prepare for two GCSE English Language examinations – to be taken in the January of Year 11 (with the possibility of retaking the exam in June) and two GCSE English Literature examinations – Unit 1 to be taken in January and Unit 2 to be taken in May of Year 11.

Curriculum Enhancement

The English department organise various curriculum enrichment activities ranging from theatre visits to poetry and visiting author events. Key speaker workshops (for example WJEC Chief Examiners) are also hosted.

Useful Websites

As a school we have access to a number of websites that can be used by students at home. The sites below are useful to parents also and some have a specific parents link. 

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/KS3bitesize

www.Webenglishteacher.com/writing - provides additional links to some useful websites

www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise