English

English Department Staff

Curriculum Leader: Miss J Wood

Curriculum Leader for Reading: Mrs J Littler

English Teachers
Mrs G Davenhill-Lyon, Miss R Hall, Miss T Kristiansen, Miss C McTiernan

Curriculum Maps

Key Stage 3 Grading System

Key Stage 3 Grading System

GCSE Options

English LanguageEnglish Literature

Exam Information & Revision Resources

Exam Information

English Language Revision Resources

English Literature Revision Resources

Intent

“An intelligent heart acquires knowledge and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” (Proverb 18:15)

At the heart of our English curriculum is a deep belief in the transformative power of language. We are a passionate department, united by our love of literature and the written and spoken word, and we are committed to igniting that same joy in every pupil we teach. Our aim is to nurture confident, articulate, and thoughtful individuals who can express themselves creatively and critically in a rapidly changing world.

Rooted in the aims of the National Curriculum for English, our curriculum enables reading widely and often, for both pleasure and academic success. We believe reading opens minds, cultivates empathy, and allows pupils to see the world through different lenses. Reading a variety of Literature allows pupils to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. From Shakespeare to contemporary voices, our chosen texts spark discussion, imagination, and insight, encouraging learners to become independent, analytical, and reflective readers.

Our curriculum also prioritises competence in the arts of speaking and listening – cognitively, socially and linguistically through making formal presentations, and participating in debate. We celebrate the power of spoken language and foster classroom environments where pupils feel empowered to share ideas, challenge viewpoints, and collaborate meaningfully.

Ultimately, we strive to foster a life-long love of English, inspiring every pupil to find their voice, to think critically, and to engage joyfully with the texts and ideas that shape our world. Through a rich, inclusive, and ambitious curriculum, we are committed to helping every learner flourish - not just as pupils of English, but as empowered individuals ready to make their mark on the world.

Catholic Social Teaching with English

Catholic Social Teachings are integrated within our English lessons through the wide variety of topics and themes that we study. Throughout our lessons, we promote all the Catholic Social Teachings including solidarity, where pupils work in groups and listen to the views and thoughts of others. The Dignity of the Human Person features repeatedly in various topics, promoting respect, tolerance and kindness to others. The study of A Christmas Carol and other topics allows pupils to explore and discuss the ideas surrounding the Poor and Vulnerable. Our Environment topic promotes the Care of God’s Creation and encourages pupils to respect the world around us. Our high standards and expectations link to the Dignity of Work and Education as we encourage pupils to achieve to their full potential. We share the successes of our department and the successes of our pupils with our families and communities using social media which shows the CST of Family and Community.

Pupil Affirmation

“I like how fund the lessons are" Year 9 "English teaches me to let my light shine" Year 11

"It's really interesting" Year 9 "The poems we studied have a lot of emotional depth to them" Year 10

"It teachers you a lot about different topics" Year 9 "You get to learn a lot about stories from the past" Year 10

"I like the creative depth in English" Year 11 "English helps to to understand things in life" - Year 9

"I like the creativity of English" Year 10 "The books we read are interesting" Year 10

Learning Outside of the Classroom

The use of Sparx Reader within the department helps to promote a love of reading outside of the classroom. Pupils enjoy the competitive nature of the leader boards and the achievements and rewards that they receive. A KS3 Book Club runs once a week where pupils can read and discuss various books and themes. Various Theatre Trips run when possible. Some of the activities we participate in include:

Theatre Trips
Author Visits
Poetry Workshops

Inclusivity

At the centre of our English curriculum is the belief that every pupil, regardless of their background or additional needs, deserves access to a rich, ambitious, and challenging curriculum. We are committed to ensuring that all pupils experience high-quality learning that inspires, engages, and empowers them.

All pupils follow the same broad and balanced curriculum, with no one excluded or limited in their opportunities. Our teachers hold high expectations for every learner and provide the support necessary to help all pupils reach their full potential. Through careful planning and adaptive teaching, we ensure that every pupil is both challenged and supported on their journey to success.

We celebrate the diverse experiences and abilities of our pupils, recognising that inclusive education is essential to academic achievement and personal growth. In our classrooms, every voice matters, and every learner is valued.

Reading

Reading is essential within English. Our Schemes of Learning incorporate a wide variety of Literature texts allowing pupils to experience different cultures, time periods, genres and viewpoints. Reading allows pupils to develop their skills as critical thinkers with an understanding of the world around them and allows them to grow in confidence when reading texts that are more ambitious and challenging. By reading a wide variety of texts, pupils are exposed to a range of vocabulary and writing styles that help pupils when writing themselves. Pupils regularly read in class whether that is reading aloud themselves or being read to by the class teachers. Sparx reader is also used within the department to help improve pupils reading ages and to encourage a more regular reading habit.

Rewards

In English, we believe that it is important to celebrate the work and effort of our pupils. We motivate pupils to work hard and to achieve their very best in all English lessons. Pupils are rewarded regularly with positive points which are recorded and contribute to wider whole school rewards. Members of the department regularly give praise in lessons and praise postcards are sent home to parents when excellent reading, effort and homework is displayed in lessons. Our CST board is used regularly to acknowledge the hard work and effort displayed by pupils in lessons and certificates are presented.