English

WELCOME    

Our department is committed to developing exciting and challenging learning opportunities which are designed to help all students to become skilled in the use of English and ensure continuity and progression across KS3 and 4. 

All Year 11 students follow the English Department’s AQA courses in GCSE English and English Literature (Specification A), whilst Year 10 follow the Cambridge Certificate in English Language (IGCSE).   GCSE Media Studies (WJEC Board) is currently taught as an optional subject. In the sixth form, A Level courses in English Literature (AQA), English Language, (AQA), and Media Studies (WJEC) are all very popular and highly successful and the departments were praised as Outstanding when the school was last inspected by Ofsted.

Our successful English Department is a hard-working, high-achieving, supportive team, with each team member offering her/his own contributions and strengths.

Alison Lynch

Head of Department

September 2012

Vision

Above all, our department is characterised by a positive and flexible attitude. We work collaboratively to ensure that our teaching and learning strategies provide every student with pathways to success. We believe that every student can be taught the skills to take control of their writing and to also be creative.   Furthermore, we believe that these same students can be taught the skills required to become competent readers, and that with sufficient practice, even the most complex texts can become accessible to them.  

Becoming expert users of the English language enables students to communicate their knowledge effectively and achieve success in their examinations. However, we also feel that understanding how the system of language is constructed and its function in the wider world allows students to become logical, independent and critical thinkers.  

In order that we develop the capabilities of as many students as possible, we integrate personalisation and enrichment opportunities into our teaching so that students at every level are given the opportunity to develop their skills and achieve success, not just in their school years but also in their future careers and as life-long learners.

Please click here for the Teaching Schedule Sep 2012-13 KS3 &KS4

Please click here for downloads for the English department and Parents letter for Changes to GCSE English Language

Important Notice for Year 10 regarding the marking of English Coursework Drafts

All students are reminded that once English Coursework drafts have been submitted, teachers are permitted to write only general advice on the work.

From Section 4.2 Marking Coursework Drafts iGCSE English 0522 

Teachers “are allowed to advise candidates to revise, edit and to correct their work, but [they] must under no circumstance indicate and correct errors on their behalf. The advice must not constitute the correction.

A comment at the end of the work such as, ‘You should check your punctuation, especially your use of full stops’ is allowable. An annotation where a full stop has been omitted is not.”

Mrs Lynch - Head of English

English Department

THE ENGLISH TEAM