English

In English Lessons at Wilson’s we foster the enjoyment of reading, writing, speaking and listening, and our goal is always for pupils to leave lessons with broadened horizons, ready and keen to read, write and speak for themselves. We have a broad and diverse curriculum; pupils will see themselves and their lives reflected in the texts they study and the writing they produce, as well encountering experiences from perspectives other than their own. We believe passionately that the importance of the study of English Literature lies in the response of the individual to the texts studied and produced.

Head of Department

Mrs Fletcher (Director of English, Director of Professional Learning)

Our Staff

Ms Footman
Mrs Gray
Miss Hughes
Dr Johnstone (Deputy Director of English)
Dr Mellor
Mrs Schofield
Ms Wells-Cole
Miss Williams

Key Stage 3 (Years 7-8)

KS3 Core Concepts

1 Reading: understanding and analysing texts

EXCEEDING:
Responses demonstrate a very perceptive understanding of relevant aspects of the text’s key themes and ideas, methods, structure, and use of characterisation and setting.
Supporting quotations are expertly selected and give evidence of deep and independent thought about the text.
Analysis is very well developed, with, for example, perceptive connections made between different parts of texts.
The connotations of words are written about very perceptively.
Terminology is used in very well-judged ways to contribute to the depth and development of analysis.

SECURE:
Responses demonstrate a good understanding of relevant aspects of the text’s key themes and ideas, methods, structure, and use of characterisation and setting.
Supporting quotations are judiciously selected, in terms of relevance to the key idea focused on, and in terms of potential for analysis.
Analysis is well developed, with, for example, more than one comment made on quotations, and individual words and phrases focused on.
The connotations of words are written about accurately.
Terminology is used accurately to aid clarity and development of analysis.

DEVELOPING:
Responses demonstrate a partial or partly good understanding of relevant aspects of the text’s key themes and ideas, methods, structure, and use of characterisation and setting.
Supporting quotations are sometimes but not always well selected, in terms of relevance to the key idea focused on, and in terms of potential for analysis.
Analysis has some development and/ or development that is partly successful, in terms of having, for example, more than one comment made on quotations, and individual words and phrases focused on.
The connotations of words are sometimes, but not always, written about accurately.
Terminology is sometimes used accurately or to aid clarity and development of analysis, but not always.

2 Writing: composition

EXCEEDING:
Methods are used in sophisticated and highly engaging ways; this is extremely well matched to purpose, audience and form.
Structure is clever and engaging and contributes significantly to the impact of the text on the reader.
Ideas are explored in significant depth, with thorough account taken of their complexities.
Language use and formality are exceptionally well judged in relation to purpose, audience and form

SECURE:
A range of methods is used, in well-judged ways, appropriate to the purpose, audience and form of the piece.
Responses are clearly and cleverly structured, with cohesion achieved through, for example, well-judged use of discourse markers and connections between different sections of the text.
Ideas are explored in some depth.
Language use and formality are well judged in relation to purpose, audience and form.

DEVELOPING:
Methods are used, appropriate to the purpose, audience and form of the piece, though not always in well-judged ways.
Responses are clearly structured, with some connections made between different parts of the text, and some well-judged use of discourse markers.
Some ideas are developed in more depth, but not all.
Language use and formality are mostly, but not always or consistently, well judged in relation to purpose,

3 Writing: grammar

EXCEEDING:
The writing is flawless in terms of clarity and grammatical accuracy.
The variety of punctuation and sentence types is extremely well judged and contributes significantly to the text’s impact on the reader.

SECURE:
Overall, the writing is clear.
Sentences are grammatically accurate with only occasional slips; for example, there are one or two comma splices, or one or two missing apostrophes.
A range of punctuation and sentence types is used in well-judged ways.

DEVELOPING:
The writing is not always clear.
Not all sentences are grammatically accurate; more than one or two errors in the use of commas or apostrophes, for example, or subject-verb agreement, or tense, errors.
There is some variety in the use of different punctuation and sentence types, or this variation is not always included in well-judged ways.

Outline Programme of Study

Year 7
In Year 7, students begin to move beyond the skills they have learned at primary school, by reading and analysing classic ghost stories of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, before writing their own ghost stories. They also study a selection of classic and modern poems that includes works by Blake, Tennyson and Maya Angelou.

In term two, students read examples of viewpoint writing, such as newspaper opinion columns on contentious issues such as the environment and trophy hunting, and learn how to produce their own viewpoint writing, using rhetorical methods. They then study Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, looking at selected scenes in detail and building on the analysis skills learned in term one.

In the final term of Year 7, students learn how to analyse the structure of extracts from fiction texts before studying the modern novel Artichoke Hearts by Sita Bramachari.

Year 8
Students begin Year 8 by reading a selection of Arthur Conan Doyle’s ‘Sherlock Holmes’ stories, before putting into practice what they have learned about how to write good detective fiction, in their own stories. They then study Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, building on the ability to understand and analyse Shakespeare’s writing begun in Year 7.

Term two begins with a focus on viewpoint writing. Students read broadsheet newspaper articles, as well as passages from famous speeches, on contentious issues such as the influence of technology and the media on young people, and the engagement of young people with politics. Students then produce their own viewpoint writing, in the form of a speech, focusing on a political figure of their choice; examples range from Jacinda Ardern to Nye Bevan to Leymah Gbowee. They then study a selection of poetry on the theme of ‘choices and decisions’, including works by Elizabeth Bishop, Tishani Doshi and Ha Jin.

In term three, students study how language is used in non-fiction writing from the nineteenth to twenty-first centuries, including texts by Charles Dickens and Isabella Bird. The term then concludes the with the study of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, building on the skills of analysis developed in Year 7.

Reading Skills: National Curriculum

Pupils develop an appreciation and love of reading, and read increasingly challenging material independently through:

reading a wide range of fiction and non-fiction, including in particular whole books,
short stories, poems and plays with a wide coverage of genres, historical periods, forms and authors.
The range will include high-quality works from: English literature, both pre-1914 and contemporary, including prose, poetry and drama
Shakespeare (two plays)
seminal world literature
choosing and reading books independently for challenge, interest and enjoyment.
re-reading books encountered earlier to increase familiarity with them and provide a basis for making comparisons.
These aspects of the National Curriculum are covered by both classwork and our independent reading programme.
understand increasingly challenging texts through:
learning new vocabulary, relating it explicitly to known vocabulary and understanding it with the help of context and dictionaries
making inferences and referring to evidence in the text
knowing the purpose, audience for and context of the writing and drawing on this
knowledge to support comprehension
checking their understanding to make sure that what they have read makes sense.
read critically through:
knowing how language, including figurative language, vocabulary choice, grammar, text structure and organisational features, presents meaning
recognising a range of poetic conventions and understanding how these have been used studying setting, plot, and characterisation, and the effects of these understanding how the work of dramatists is communicated effectively through performance and how alternative staging allows for different interpretations of a play
making critical comparisons across texts
studying a range of authors, including at least two authors in depth each year.
These aspects of the national curriculum are covered by our set texts for classwork.

Writing Skills: National Curriculum

Pupils are taught to write accurately, fluently, effectively and at length for pleasure and information through:

writing for a wide range of purposes and audiences, including:
well-structured formal expository and narrative essays
stories, scripts, poetry and other imaginative writing
notes and polished scripts for talks and presentations
a range of other narrative and non-narrative texts, including arguments, and personal and formal letters
summarising and organising material, and supporting ideas and arguments with any necessary factual detail
applying their growing knowledge of vocabulary, grammar and text structure to their writing and selecting the appropriate form
drawing on knowledge of literary and rhetorical devices from their reading and listening to enhance the impact of their writing
plan, draft, edit and proof-read through:
considering how their writing reflects the audiences and purposes for which it was intended
amending the vocabulary, grammar and structure of their writing to improve its
coherence and overall effectiveness
paying attention to accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling; applying the spelling patterns and rules set out in English Appendix 1 to the key stage 1 and programmes of study for English.

These aspects of the National Curriculum are covered by our work with pupils on writing skills.

Grammar and vocabulary: National Curriculum

Pupils are taught to consolidate and build on their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary through:

extending and applying the grammatical knowledge set out in English Appendix 2 to the Key Stages 1 and 2 programmes of study to analyse more challenging texts
studying the effectiveness and impact of the grammatical features of the texts they read
drawing on new vocabulary and grammatical constructions from their reading and listening, and using these consciously in their writing and speech to achieve particular effects
knowing and understanding the differences between spoken and written language, including differences associated with formal and informal registers, and between Standard English and other varieties of English
using Standard English confidently in their own writing and speech
discussing reading, writing and spoken language with precise and confident use of linguistic and literary terminology

These aspects of the National Curriculum are covered by both our classwork on writing skills and our Literacy Skills booklet.

Spoken English: National Curriculum

Pupils are taught to speak confidently and effectively, including through:

using Standard English confidently in a range of formal and informal contexts,including classroom discussion
giving short speeches and presentations, expressing their own ideas and keeping to the point, participating in formal debates and structured discussions, summarising and/or building on what has been said
improvising, rehearsing and performing play scripts and poetry in order to generate language and discuss language use and meaning, using role, intonation, tone, volume, mood, silence, stillness and action to add impact.

These aspects of the National Curriculum are covered by our work on writing and delivering speeches and our class discussions.

Key Stage 4 (Years 9-11)

Years 9-11: Outline Programme of Study Outline (Non-examined) 

In Year 9, students build the skills necessary for GCSE and broaden their knowledge of seminal and diverse works of English Literature. All pupils begin by studying descriptive writing, using a range of literary sources to inspire their work. For top sets, this is then followed by a study of The Crucible by Arthur Miller and for our middle sets, this is followed by a study of A View From The Bridge by Arthur Miller.

In the second term, all pupils will study Iridescent Adolescent, a collection of contemporary diverse short stories.  In the third term, all pupils study a collection of classic and contemporary poetry about conflict and identity. This unit prepares students for the study of poetry at GCSE by broadening their reading, focusing on seminal texts about conflict such as war poetry by Wilfred Owen, and contemporary poetry on identity. 

Our non-examined programme of study covers aspects of the National Curriculum outlined below.

Reading Skills: National Curriculum

Pupils are taught to read and appreciate the depth and power of the English literary heritage through reading a wide range of high-quality, challenging, classic literature and extended literary non-fiction, such as essays, reviews and journalism. This writing should include whole texts. The range includes:

at least one play by Shakespeare
works from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries
poetry since 1789, including representative Romantic poetry
re-reading literature and other writing as a basis for making comparisons
choosing and reading books independently for challenge, interest and enjoyment.

Pupil are taught to understand and critically evaluate texts through:

reading in different ways for different purposes, summarising and synthesising ideas and information, and evaluating their usefulness for particular purposes, drawing on knowledge of the purpose, audience for and context of the writing, including its social, historical and cultural context and the literary tradition to which it belongs, to inform evaluation
identifying and interpreting themes, ideas and information exploring aspects of plot, characterisation, events and settings, the relationships between them and their effects
seeking evidence in the text to support a point of view, including justifying inferences with evidence
distinguishing between statements that are supported by evidence and those that are not, and identifying bias and misuse of evidence
analysing a writer’s choice of vocabulary, form, grammatical and structural features, and evaluating their effectiveness and impact
making critical comparisons, referring to the contexts, themes, characterisation, style and literary quality of texts, and drawing on knowledge and skills from wider reading
make an informed personal response, recognising that other responses to a text are possible and evaluating these.

Writing: National Curriculum

Pupils are taught to write accurately, fluently, effectively and at length for pleasure and information through:

adapting their writing for a wide range of purposes and audiences: to describe,narrate, explain, instruct, give and respond to information, and argue
selecting and organising ideas, facts and key points, and citing evidence, details and quotation effectively and pertinently for support and emphasis
selecting, and using judiciously, vocabulary, grammar, form, and structural and organisational features, including rhetorical devices, to reflect audience, purpose and context, and using Standard English where appropriate
make notes, draft and write, including using information provided by others [e.g. writing a letter from key points provided; drawing on and using information from presentation]
revise, edit and proof-read through:
reflecting on whether their draft achieves the intended impact
restructuring their writing, and amending its grammar and vocabulary to improve coherence, consistency, clarity and overall effectiveness
paying attention to the accuracy and effectiveness of grammar, punctuation and spelling.

Grammar and vocabulary: National Curriculum

Pupils are taught to consolidate and build on their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary through:

studying their effectiveness and impact in the texts they read
drawing on new vocabulary and grammatical constructions from their reading and listening, and using these consciously in their writing and speech to achieve particular effects
analysing some of the differences between spoken and written language, including differences associated with formal and informal registers, and between Standard English and
other varieties of English using linguistic and literary terminology accurately and confidently in discussing reading, writing and spoken language.

Key Stage 4 Examination Board

AQA

Year 9-11 Outline Programme of Study (Examined)

In Year 9, pupils study the skills of narrative and descriptive writing, using classic and contemporary fiction as templates, followed by unseen fiction analysis skills, as tested on AQA GCSE English Language Paper 1 ((Reading and Producing Fiction Texts).
Pupils also continue to prepare for GCSE English Language Paper 1 and sit an examination on both this and their poetry texts. Finally, all pupils study presentation skills and deliver an individual presentation to their group on a topic chosen with their teachers.
Pupils begin Year 10 by preparing for GCSE English Language Paper Two (Reading and Producing Non-Fiction Texts). They next study a further selection from the Worlds and Lives Poetry selection. In January of Year 10 they sit mock examinations on both these papers.
In the second term, pupils study either Macbeth or Romeo and Juliet, and in the third term, top set students study The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson and middle set students study A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
Pupils begin Year 11 by revising the skills of unseen fiction analysis and of narrative and descriptive writing. They then sit a mock examination of GCSE English Language Paper 1 (Reading and Producing Fiction Texts) and of GCSE English Literature Paper 1 (Shakespeare and the Nineteenth Century Novel). After the mock examination, they study either Lord of the Flies by William Golding (top sets) or An Inspector Calls (middle sets).
In the second term of Year 11, pupils complete their study of the modern text. They then study the final section from the Worlds and Lives poetry selection. Next, they revise the skills of analysing Non-Fiction texts. In this term they sit a mock examination on GCSE English Literature Paper 2 (Modern Texts) and on GCSE English Language Paper 2 (Reading and Producing Non-Fiction Texts).

Our examined programme of study all fulfils the requirements of the KS4 National Curriculum.

Sixth Form

Sixth Form Examination Board

EdExcel

Sixth Form: Outline Programme of Study 

 Edexcel AS and A Level English Literature
In the Lower Sixth, students prepare for AS English Literature. They have two teachers; Teacher A teaches them for five hours a fortnight, and Teacher B for four hours.

In the first term with Teacher A, pupils study half of the selection from Poems of the Decade. They also begin to study Dr Faustus by Christopher Marlowe. With Teacher B, they study Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and begin to study Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.

In the second term with Teacher A, pupils complete their study of Doctor Faustus, followed by the second half of the selection from Poems of the Decade. With Teacher B, they complete their study of Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and follow this with a comparative study of the two texts.

In the brief third term both teachers will revise material as appropriate for their own class. Following their return from study leave, all pupils begin to study the Metaphysical Poetry selection for A Level English Literature.
 
In the Upper Sixth, students prepare for A Level English Literature. They have two teachers: Teacher A teaches them for five hours a fortnight, and Teacher B for four hours.

In the first term with Teacher A, pupils complete their study of the Metaphysical Poetry selection. They then begin to study Othello by William Shakespeare. In the first term with Teacher B, pupils make an in depth study of The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro as preparation for their coursework unit. They then go on to study The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters, followed by The Buddha of Suburbia by Hanif Kureishi.

In the second term with Teacher A, pupils complete their study of Othello. They then review briefly Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe. After their mock examinations, students prepare for the unseen poetry question. In the second term with Teacher B, pupil study Howard's End by E.M Forster. They then agree upon the texts they wish to compare for coursework, construct a coursework title with their teacher, and receive group feedback on a first draft of their coursework. Finally, they begin their revision of Never Let Me Go and Frankenstein.

In the third term, pupils revise Metaphysical Poetry, Othello and Doctor Faustus with Teacher A, and revise concurrently Never Let Me Go and Frankenstein with Teacher B.
 
For the examined units, they study a selection of metaphysical poetry, Othello by Shakespeare, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and for coursework they study The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro and compare it with a text of their choice.

Departmental Co-Curricular, Trips and Enrichment Opportunities

Poetry and Creative Writing are at the heart of our co-curricular provision; we have a strong history in the National Poetry by Heart championship, with a tradition of Wilson’s students performing poetry on stage at the Globe. We have Creative Writing societies for Key Stage Three and Four pupils. Poetry writing is a strong thread in our co-curricular provision for all years, with winners in the Stephen Spender Poetry Translation Prize, and a history of entering the Foyle’s Young Poet of the Year competition.

Examples of marked work

See below for examples of marked work which demonstrate the level of work and ‘green pen’ engagement required to maximise progress in each Key Stage. Whilst we expect students to engage with this positively and if necessary, seek clarification from teachers, please be assured that in-lesson support is always available.

· KS3

· KS4

· KS5