Our aim is to deliver an exciting, engaging curriculum which engenders a love of English, recognising the vital role of the subject in increasing social mobility, developing students’ functional skills, cultural understanding and emotional wellbeing. Please take time to scroll through our remarkable journey.
Year 7
Non-Fiction

Non-Fiction is a module using texts that are informative and factual, rather than fictional. We will study a variety of forms such as: reviews, newspaper articles, letters and travel writing, and practise our discursive and analytical writing skills.
Grammar focus: Sentence types – simple, compound, complex, listing, bracketing, commas.
Short Stories

Short Stories is a unit that teaches us how to analyse fictionalised narratives written by others. We will be using the WHAT, HOW, WHY structure to organise our analysis and explore how both language and structural devices work to construct meanings and impact. There will also be opportunities to imitate the craft of writers and produce our own short stories.
Grammar focus: Semi-colons, elements of a text (topic sentences, paragraphs, introductions and conclusions).
Class Novel: My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece

My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece is a modern novel that tackles many topical issues such as racism, depression, bullying and divorce. We will analyse the novel with a sharp focus on characterisation and theme.
Grammar focus: Structure to create tension, syntax.
Creative Writing

Creative Writing is a module that explores techniques and strategies for powerful and engaging stories, descriptions and speeches. We will practise effective planning and learn to be more evaluative when redrafting work.
Grammar focus: Sentence agility –
Frontal adverbials, non-finite verb openings, prepositional openings.
Poetry

Poetry is a module that teaches us not only how to analyse poetry in a way separate from novels and other texts, but also how to write poetry ourselves in a variety of forms.
Grammar focus : Syntax, rhyme, metre
Shakespeare play: Romeo and Juliet

In this module we analyse the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. We study not only the characters and plot but also the context of Elizabethan England, issues around gender, religion and fate.
Grammar focus: Adverbs, comparative and superlative adjectives, nouns, plural nouns, the genitive case (the apostrophe), contractions.
Year 8
Politics in Non-Fiction

Politics in Non-Fiction is a unit of work focusing on different debates, such as animal rights, feminism, healthcare and racial injustice. In this unit, we engage with a range of non-fiction texts and the methods writers use to convey political issues.
Grammar focus: Structuring discursive writing, semi-colons, dashes and colons. Using paragraphs for effect.
Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men is a novella written by American author John Steinbeck in the late 1930s. The text itself explores many topical issues such as racism, economic depression, misogyny and murder. We will analyse the novella with a sharp focus on characterisation and theme, acknowledging the contextual background of the writer/text.
Grammar focus: Colloquial speech, dialects, syndetic and asyndetic listing, language as an indicator of marginalisation.
Nineteenth Century Literature

In this programme of study, Nineteenth Century Literature, we will study texts written during a previous century, identifying particularly how context has an impact on texts.
Grammar focus: Structure for purpose e.g. creating tension, sentence agility.
Nineteenth Century Class Novel: The Curious Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

In our study of A Nineteenth Century Novel (The Sign of the Four or Jekyll and Hyde), we will study a text in great depth written during a previous century, identifying how context has an impact on texts. We will look particularly at prevalent themes within the novel and how the writer manipulates their craft to showcase these.
Grammar focus: Sentence types and clauses
Global Perspectives

In our study of Global Perspectives, we will explore works from a range of varied writers from across the world, with links to global issues and different cultures. We will consider how writers use language and structure effectively and consider differences between contexts and cultures of writers.
Read MoreWar Poetry

In our study of War Poetry, we will explore a range of poems on the topic of war. We will
focus on analysing language and structure and use our previous knowledge of poetic techniques to enhance and develop our analysis skills.
Grammar focus: rhyme, syllables, rhythm, free verse, sonnet, speaker, stanza, simile, metaphor, personification, alliteration, onomatopoeia, tone, theme, repetition.
Shakespeare Play: Much Ado About Nothing

In our study of Much Ado About Nothing, we will focus on analysing language and structure by applying it to the genre of comedy. We will interrogate Shakespearean context/ history, research the Elizabethan era, and study different extracts of plays through a shared focus such as power, villains, heroes, magic
Read MoreYear 9
Crime Writing

Crime Writing is a unit of work focusing on a range of fiction and non-fiction texts which enable us to develop our analysis (both language and structure) and exploration of writer intent. Creative writing elements within the scheme will also allow us to develop an understanding of crime writing conventions and how to use them to engage readers within our own writing.
Grammar focus: Semi-colon and colon, hyphen, parenthesis
Class Novel: Animal Farm

Animal Farm, a novella written by George Orwell in 1944, enables us to explore allegory and the power of story-writing to convey deeper meaning. You will explore historical context, writer’s craft and will complete an in-depth study of the political allegory.
Grammar focus: Topic sentences, paragraphs, introductions and conclusions.
Punctuation for effect.
Structural devices.
Analysis Agility

Analysis Agility, a unit of work focusing on explicitly developing our analysis (both language and structure) of a variety of texts from different time periods and of different genres.
Grammar focus: Revision of all grammatical skills taught so far relevant to the emerging needs of teaching groups
Shakespeare Play: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

This unit of work focuses closely on developing our analysis (both language and structure) and exploration of writer intent. Within this, we will also be considering the importance of Elizabethan England and its relevance to the play and how this shapes meaning. Creative writing elements within the scheme will also allow you to develop an understanding of script-writing conventions and how to use them to engage readers within your own writing.
Grammar focus: Script writing conventions.
Aside, soliloquy, denouement, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, fourth wall, symbolism, chronology of characters and themes, stage directions, settings, props.
Parenthesis, italics.
Love and Relationships Poetry

Love and Relationships poetry is a unit of work focusing closely on developing your analysis (both language and structure) of poetry, drawing closely on context to explore the impact of culture and history on developing meaning within literature. We will learn and identify a range of poetic techniques and explore how they develop an understanding of the writer’s purpose, and consider how they differ from techniques used in narratives to provide different impacts on readers.
Grammar Focus: Poetic structure i.e. caesura, refrain, rhyme scheme, Iambic pentameter, free verse.
Non-Fiction (Inference and Analysis)

Non-Fiction is a module using texts that are informative and factual, rather than fictional to further our analysis of writer’s perspectives. Students will explore multiple extracts alongside each other, analysing language and comparing writers’ viewpoints and perspectives.
Grammar Focus: Language change over time – lexis, syntax and presentation.
Revision of previous year, plus connections between sentences, drafting, proof reading.
Class Play: An Inspector Calls

When studying Priestley’s play, An Inspector Calls, we will closely develop our knowledge of the Edwardian period and post-war Britain. We will explore how key historical, political and societal issues during the time shaped literature.
Analysing language, structure, key themes and character portrayal within the play will enable us to consider the writer’s intentions and the importance of the text to its time period and beyond.
Grammar focus: Adverbs, comparative and superlative adjectives, nouns, plural nouns, the genitive case (the apostrophe), contractions.
Year 10
Macbeth
We will be studying Macbeth, one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragic plays. We will focus particularly on themes and characters and track how these develop across the entire play. We will hone our analysis of language and structure in preparation for our GCSE Paper 1 in English Literature.
Grammar Focus: Vocabulary, the changing of language over time, form, iambic pentameter, trochaic tetrameter, stichomythia.
Power and Conflict Poetry
During this unit, Power and Conflict Poetry, we will study a range of poetry from different cultures, backgrounds and time periods in preparation for your GCSE Paper 2 in English Literature.
Grammar Focus: Form, perspective, metre, dialect, caesurae, enjambment.
Unseen Poetry Analysis and Comparison
During this unit, Unseen Poetry, we will study a range of poetry from different cultures, backgrounds and time periods in preparation for your GCSE Paper 2 in English Literature.
Grammar Focus: Form, perspective, metre, dialect, caesurae, enjambment.
English Language Papers 1 and 2
In this unit, we will develop our reading analysis skills – in both fiction and non-fiction text. We will also further develop our writing skills to produce effective creative and discursive writing.
Grammar focus: Language change over time – lexis, syntax and presentation.
Revision of previous year, plus connections between sentences, drafting, proof reading
Nineteenth Century Novel: A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is Dickens’ most famous novella; it follows the Christmas Ghost story genre and provides us with a morality tale, allowing us to build on previous analysis skills of characters/themes. This novella is studied in preparation for your GCSE Paper 1 in English Literature.
Grammar focus: Sentence structures, vocabulary, embedded clauses, use of adjectives.
Writing using Literature as a Stimulus
In this unit we will practise our own writer’s craft, focusing on the differences between effective creative writing and effective discursive writing. We will be using key themes from our literature texts to inspire our writing content.
Grammar focus: Techniques to persuade/argue, grammatical agreements.
Y10 to Y11 Bridging Unit
Whilst studying the Year 10 into 11 Bridging Unit, we will learn about higher level perspectives and elements of literature such as the tragic form, the gothic genre, the art of rhetoric, Shakespeare and the gender debate.
Grammar focus: Techniques to persuade/argue, grammatical agreements, syntactic parallelism.
Year 11
Literature Revision

Students will revise literature texts in short bursts (approximately ten lessons on Power and Conflict Poetry, five lessons on Macbeth and five lessons on A Christmas Carol).
Read MoreLanguage Papers 1 and 2 Revision

Students will revise and develop reading and analysis skills – in both fiction and non-fiction text. We will also further develop our writing skills to produce effective creative and discursive writing.
Read MoreModern Play: An Inspector Calls Revision (Approximately 20 lessons).

Students will revise An Inspector Calls, focusing on consolidating our learning from year 9. The emphasis will be on higher level analysis and development of themes and characters in preparation for our GCSE English Literature Paper 2 examination.
Read MoreUnseen Poetry Analysis and Comparison

During this unit, Unseen Poetry, we will revise a range of poetry from different cultures, backgrounds and time periods in preparation for your GCSE Paper 2 in English Literature.
Read MoreLiterature Revision

Students will revise literature texts in short bursts (approximately four lessons on Power and Conflict Poetry, eight lessons on A Christmas Carol and twelve lessons on Macbeth).
Read MoreLanguage Writing Focus

We will also further develop our writing skills to produce effective creative and discursive writing ready for our Sections B on the language examinations.
Read More