English
The English Faculty deliver English Language and English Literature, supported by a Growth in English and Maths (GEM) course for many of our students. The faculty is led by a Director of Learning, Mr D Quirk, who is happy to answer any of your queries about our department.
We pride ourselves on offering a varied, engaging and broad curriculum at both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. At Key Stage 3, we enjoy novels, such as 'My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece' by Annabel Pitcher, 'Of Mice and Men' by John Steinbeck and 'Heroes' by Robert Cormier. In addition, we study both modern and Shakespearean plays, such as 'The Crucible' by Arthur Miller, 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' by Shakespeare. We strongly believe our Key Stage 3 curriculum prepares our students for the rigours of GCSE, where we study Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol', 'Blood Brothers' by Willy Russell and 'Macbeth' by Shakespeare. In each year group, we introduce our learners to a wide range of poetry, short stories, fiction and non-fiction texts and give ample opportunity to perfect our students' technical accuracy in writing.
The students will be given opportunity to write for a variety of purposes, and we support our creative writing activities with an optional creative writing workshop, held after school, one night a week, by experienced English practitioners.
The English Faculty endeavour to develop confident readers, creative writers and assertive speakers. We encourage students to develop a love of reading and to see writing as a way of expressing their ideas. Each year group covers a variety of stimulating topics, offering a broad and balanced curriculum. Each topic is accompanying by a short end-of-unit assessment. You will be able to see these in the curriculum plan. Using these assessments, we rigorously assess and evaluate how your child is performing and progressing.
The curriculum
Key Stage 3
In Key Stage 3, we meet all the requirements of the National Curriculum, to ensure that every pupil enjoys a range of literature and language texts and styles. In each year group, we study a full novel, a full play text, poetry from pre- and post-1914, and a range of non-fiction and fiction extracts.
You can support your child further by encouraging reading for pleasure for 30 minutes every day.
Key Stage 4
In Key Stage 4, we study the Eduqas examination board for English Language GCSE and AQA for English Literature GCSE. For English Literature, we currently study 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens, 'Macbeth' by Shakespeare, 'Blood Brothers' by Willy Russell and a poetry anthology focusing on 'Power and Conflict' poetry.
You can support your child further by using online or paper copies of the York Note Study Guides and Work Books for each of these set texts. There are additional support guides listed below.
GCSE past papers and mark schemes
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english-literature-8702/assessment-resources
https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/english-language-gcse/
GCSE Revision
Useful links
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english-literature-8702/specification-at-a-glance
Please click the links below to view our curriculum plans.