English
The English curriculum at our school aims to enable students to develop personal competence, confidence and creativity in all areas of the subject. We are now implementing the new English curriculum and are continuing to develop our curriculum to meet the varied needs of our students by building in them the key literacy skills which will equip them for life. At KS3 and KS4 English is assessed in three key areas: Spoken Language, Reading and Writing. Lessons to stimulate and challenge our students are taught in classrooms equipped with a mini-library or designated reading space which provides a range of reading texts and student-friendly materials. Reading is facilitated and reinforced across all year groups in all subjects through well-planned lessons and at allocated times in Tutor groups twice weekly. Reading is promoted through weekly home-work tasks which earn students a range of rewards. We aim to develop in students a love and appreciation for reading which we feel is the bedrock and driving force behind minds which are inquisitive and thirsty for knowledge, skill and experience. We expect all students to be reading regularly throughout the year and urge parents to support this at home.
Theatre and library visits, invited resource persons, drama and oral presentations are only some of the media through which lessons are taught. For the under-confident there is strong 1:1 support during lessons and additional speech, language and communication support is also provided outside of scheduled lessons.
Year 7 Nurture Group and 7/8 ASD Group:
UNIT DESCRIPTIONS / LANDMARK ASSESSMENTSAutumn 1 / Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Script)
Develop an appreciation and love for reading contemporary (post 1914) fiction / Baseline Assessment
Reading and Writing
Create a play script
Showpersonal knowledge and skills in using new vocabulary, imagination, creativity in presenting a story.
Autumn 2 / Roald Dahl (author)
Explore the life and works of (a contemporary literary figure) Roald Dahl, the writer of fictional children’s stories. / Interview presentation or biography
The life and work of Roald Dahl.
Use Standard English confidently in writing and speech. Drawing on new vocabulary and grammatical constructions from reading and listening, and using these consciously in writing and speech to achieve particular effects.
Spring
1 / Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Gothic Tradition)
Develop an appreciation and love for reading pre-1914 / Create story
Show personal knowledge and skills in using new vocabulary, language structure, imagination, creativity in framing and presenting their story.
Spring
2 / William Shakespeare (author/drama)
Develop an appreciation and love for reading pre-1914 fiction. / Baseline Assessment
Reading and Writing.
Create a text
Extend a selected section of the drama.Write for a wide range of purposes and audiences. Summarise and organise written material, plan, draft, edit and proof-read written scripts.
Summer
1 / My Rights (Non-fiction)
Develop an appreciation and love for reading non-fiction, pre-and post-1914 texts. / Create a speech
Show personal knowledge and skills in using new vocabulary, imagination, creativity in presenting a point of view (to show empathy, imagination, deep understanding, critical thinking, and reflective thinking).
Summer
2 / My Rights (Non-fiction)
Develop an appreciation and love for reading non-fiction, pre-and post-1914 texts. / Create a persuasive text
Show personal knowledge and skills in using new vocabulary, imagination, creativity in presenting a point of view (to show empathy, imagination, deep understanding, critical thinking, and reflective thinking).
In years 8 and 9 we focus on reading, creativity and language. Students will study a wide range of literature, including ‘The Raven’, ‘Macbeth’, ‘Jungle Book’ and other short stories. Weaim for all our students to become enthusiastic and confident readers in an environment which reluctant readers will find nurturing and supportive.
English Year 8
UNIT DESCRIPTIONS / LANDMARK ASSESSMENTSAutumn 1 / Film vs Writing
Goosebumps / Film review
Writing own ghost story
Autumn 2 / Introduction to poetry
Pre-1914 and contemporary poems / Writing own poem
Spring
1 / Pirates
Variety of fiction and non-fiction texts / Analysing different texts
Spring
2 / Nature vs Nurture
Oliver Twist, Jungle Book / Writing with clear argument
Summer
1 / The language of love
Romeo and Juliet / Analysing Shakespeare
Writing own script
Summer
2 / Bullying
Reading ‘There’s a boy in the girl’s bathroom’ / Analysing text
Writing from another character’s viewpoint
English Year 9
UNIT DESCRIPTIONS / LANDMARK ASSESSMENTSAutumn 1 / Bullying
Reading ‘There’s a boy in the girl’s bathroom’ / Analysing text
Writing from another character’s viewpoint
Autumn 2 / Spoken Language / Writing – transformation of texts.
Spring
1 / Gothic Horror
Reading ‘The Raven’ / Poetry analysis
Spring
2 / Gothic Horror
Non-fiction texts
Frankenstein / Writing a survival guide
Summer
1 / Mind of a murderer
Reading short story ‘SredniVashtar’
Speech on euthanasia / Speaking and Listening – speech giving
Summer
2 / Macbeth / Analysis of Shakespeare
GCSE English
English is invaluable for your child’s future and it is essential that they leave school with a good command of the spoken and written word. English is a vital subject for college, university and work. It will also develop key skills; working independently, creativity, thinking critically and logically and communicating effectively and with confidence.
Changes to English GCSE
- The grading system of A-G has now been replaced with a new 9-1 system with 9 being the highest (worth more than an A*) and 1 being the lowest (equivalent to a G).
- Controlled assessments or coursework have been removed and assessment is now 100% examination.
- There are more marks available for spelling and punctuation (now 20% of overall marks).
Exams
- There will be two exams for GCSE English Language (both 1 hr 45 mins).
- There will be two exams for GCSE English Literature (1 hr 45 mins and 2 hr 15 mins)
What texts will your child study?
- ‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare
- ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens
- ‘Blood Brothers’ by Willy Russell
- ‘Power and Conflict’ – A collection of fifteen poems.
What can you do to support?
- Regular reading is the key to success at GCSE. Encourage your child to read as widely as possible (newspapers, websites such as the BBC, biographies, autobiographies and fiction).
- Support your child with homework and SPAG (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar) activities.
- Your child with be provided with a free copy of the poetry anthology but purchasing the texts we will be studying or any revision guides for these texts will be beneficial.
What will the final examination look like?
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ‐AQA
Paper 1: Explorations in creative Reading and Writing (1 hr 45 mins – 50% of the GCSE).
The exam paper is divided into two sections: Both sections are worth forty marks.
Section A requires students to read one literature fiction text and answer a variety of questions.
Section B requires students to complete either a piece of descriptive or narrative writing. Studentsare assessed for content as well as SPAG (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar).
Paper 2: Writers’ viewpoints and perspectives (1 hr 45 mins ‐ 50% of the GCSE).
This exam paper is also divided into two sections: Both sections are worth forty marks
Section A requires students to read one non‐fiction text and one literary fiction text. Students willhave a variety of questions to answer.
Section B requires students to complete a task linked to writing a viewpoint. Students will need tounderstand the features of writing to explain, writing to persuade, writing to argue and writing toinstruct/advise.
Speaking and Listening
Although speaking and listening will no longer count towards the GCSE, it is still a requirement ofthe course. Students will be assessed on a presentation and will be given a certificate from theexam board.
ENGLISH LITERATURE – AQA
Paper 1: Shakespeare and the nineteenth century novel (1 hr 45 mins – 40% of the GCSE)
This exam is closed book and is divided into two sections: Both sections are equally weighted.
Section A will focus on ‘Macbeth’. The exam will have an extract from the play. Studentswill need to write in detail about the extract and the play as a whole.
Section B will focus on ‘A Christmas Carol’. Students will have an extract and will need to write indetail about the extract and the novel as a whole.
Paper 2: Modern texts and poetry (2 hr 15 mins – 60% of the GCSE)
The exam paper is closed book and divided into three sections:
Section A looks at ‘Blood Brothers’. Students will need to write a response to an essay question. Thisquestion is worth thirty marks plus an additional four marks for SPAG.
Section B will focus on the poetry anthology – ‘Power and Conflict’. Students will be requiredto compare two poems from the anthology. This question is worth thirty marks.
Section C is the unseen poetry. Students will answer a question on an unseen poem and thencompare the unseen poem to another unseen poem. This question is worth thirty two marks.
EDEXCEL
FUNCTIONAL SKILLSLITERACY
Functional Skills are the essential skills needed for ENGLISH and MATHS vital for our pupils to participate in life, learning and work. Students doing both Vocational and Formal curriculum in Coppice Spring will be entered for FS entry level 3 (embedded in the new GCSE programme of study) as their first attempt at gaining a qualification in English.
Assessment Structure:
All Tasks and Questions will be assessed using Entry Level 3 criteria.
Reading: students will complete two tasks; each comprised of short texts, and multiple choice and short answer questions with at least one requiring the use of a dictionary.
Writing: students will complete two tasks; each provides a context to which is required a planned written response.
Speaking, Listening and Communication: students will complete the following activities:
- A familiar formal discussion 2. A familiar informal discussion
Functional skills will be delivered via Vocational subjects but is already embedded in the new GCSE curriculum. Students’ work will be internally assessed and verified and further externally verified. To be successful in Functional Skills Literacy pupils must meet all level criteria. The aim is that all students will progress from Entry 3 to Level 1 and then Level 2 qualification by the time they are ready to leave at the end of Year 11.