Time Allocation
Students study English for three 1-hour lessons per week in each of Year 7 and Year 8.
Grouping
English is taught in mixed ability groups.
Course Content
During KS3, students complete half-termly units covering reading, writing and speaking and listening:
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Year 7 |
Year 8 |
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Autumn |
Autumn 1: Autobiographical Fantasy Writing Writing task: A fantasy short story with autobiographical elements. Autumn 2: Novel ‘Alice in Wonderland’ Students to study a novel and complete a close analysis with a focus on character and context. |
Autumn 1: Mystery and Gothic Writing My Mystery Story (inspired by The Tell-Tale Heart short story by Edgar Allan Poe) Autumn 2: War Poetry Essay comparing attitudes to war presented in two poems: ‘Dulce Et Decorum Est’ by Wilfred Owen and ‘Who’s for the Game?’ by Jessie Pope. |
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Spring |
Spring 1: ‘Roots’ Poetry Unit Poems from a range of cultures outside the UK, including Ireland and the Caribbean. Essay comparing two poems – ‘Island Man’ and ‘Hurricane Hits England’, both by Grace Nichols. Spring 2: Shakespeare ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Writing and speaking and listening assessments: A re-creative writing piece and role-play based on the play. |
Spring 1 Novel: ‘Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry’ Students to study a novel and complete a close analysis of language and structure. Spring 2 Novel: ‘Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry’ Students complete their study of the novel and complete a close analysis of language and structure.
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Summer |
Summer 1: Transactional Writing Summer 2: Novel ‘In the Sea There Are Crocodiles’ A whole text thematic assessment |
Summer 1: Rhetoric Summer 2: Shakespeare ‘Twelfth Night’. |
Assessment
Formal Assessment
Pupils have an interim assessment and final assessment for each unit. The targets set for the interim assessment should help them to achieve their best in the final assessment.
Homework
Pupils will be set homework on a twice weekly basis. This will include reading and writing tasks as well as learning of spellings.