English

The Curriculum Purpose

Our Curriculum Aims

The English curriculum at The Compton School aims to foster a lifelong love of literature and the English language in its many forms.  It is designed to be knowledge rich and ambitious, to ensure that we develop confident readers, writers and speakers, and to enhance students’ understanding of the world in which they live.

The curriculum is sequenced to frequently revisit and deepen knowledge through a variety of tasks, both spoken and written, so that learning is fully embedded over time. Students study a variety of challenging fiction and non-fiction texts so that students develop a thorough knowledge of a range of contexts, historical eras and literary movements. Students are also supported in their own reading for pleasure, guided towards a diverse range of voices, perspectives and experiences, which reflect the well-celebrated diversity of our school, as well as texts that supplement what they learn in the classroom. Students not only learn through reading, writing and speaking in English but also, they learn to read, write and speak to their highest possible level.

 

The Five Pillars of English at The Compton School

The five pillars are the backbone of our curriculum. Students will continually encounter these interleaving concepts throughout their studies, allowing them to fully understand the complexities of the subject by revising and deepening their knowledge.

Meaning	All texts are constructs through which meaning is created  Writers make deliberate choices intended to make us think or feel something. This helps us to make effective choices in our own writing and to analyse the choices made by the writers we study.
Pattern	Texts are organised in a range of different patterns.  There are patterns in the structure of prose, drama and poetry texts Patterns can be seen by looking at whole text structure, motif and theme, rhythm and rhyme scheme and form.
Context	Knowledge of outside influences inform our understanding of meaning These include socio-historical, cultural, literary and biographical influences. Our own personal contexts and knowledge of theoretical perspectives also affect how we understand texts
Argument	Language is a vehicle to influence, communicate and explore  Writers use language to explore thoughts, feelings, behaviour etc. with clarity and strength.  We as writers and readers use a range of rhetorical techniques to present and receive arguments.
Grammar	The technicalities of language affect meaning Writers’ use of technical accuracy allow them to communicate with precision. We must be able to recognise, understand and experiment with grammatical structures to find and create meanings.

Key Stage 3

A detailed curriculum map can be viewed for year 7, 8 and 9 in the documents section at the bottom of the page. 

 

Key Stage 4 (Exam Board: AQA)

A detailed curriculum map can be viewed for year 10 and year 11 in the documents section at the bottom of the page. 

 

Key Stage 5 (Exam Board: AQA)

At Key Stage 5, students study a range of diverse texts including novels, plays and poems. We study Alice Walker’s The Colour Purple, Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca, and  as well as a prose and poetry unit. There is course work (Non Examination Assessment)  worth 20% of students’ overall grade which entails writing a 2500 word comparison essay on two texts of their choice. Each A level class will have two separate teachers to cover the full content of the course.

 

Key Concepts in the English Curriculum

 

Exam Board: AQA

 

Key Stage 4 Language

For GCSE English Language students should:

• read fluently, and with good understanding, a wide range of texts from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, including literature and literary non-fiction as well as other writing such as reviews and journalism
• read and evaluate texts critically and make comparisons between texts
• summarise and synthesise information or ideas from texts
• use knowledge gained from wide reading to inform and improve their own writing
• write effectively and coherently using Standard English appropriately
• use grammar correctly and punctuate and spell accurately
• acquire and apply a wide vocabulary, alongside a knowledge and understanding of grammatical terminology, and linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
• listen to and understand spoken language and use spoken Standard English effectively.

GCSE English Language is designed on the basis that students should read and be assessed on high-quality, challenging texts from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Each text studied must represent a substantial piece of writing, making significant demands on students in terms of content, structure and the quality of language. The texts, across a range of genres and types, should support students in developing their own writing by providing effective models. The texts must include literature and extended literary non-fiction, and other writing such as essays, reviews and journalism (both printed and online). Texts that are essentially transient, such as instant news feeds, must not be included. The number and types of texts, and their length, are not prescribed.

For further information on the examination specifications, please visit the AQA website.

 

 

Key Stage 4 Literature

Reading comprehension and reading critically

• literal and inferential comprehension: understanding a word, phrase or sentence in context; exploring aspects of plot, characterisation, events and settings; distinguishing between what is stated explicitly and what is implied; explaining motivation, sequence of events, and the relationship between actions or events
• critical reading: identifying the theme and distinguishing between themes; supporting a point of view by referring to evidence in the text; recognising the possibility of and evaluating different responses to a text; using understanding of writers’ social, historical and cultural contexts to inform evaluation; making an informed personal response that derives from analysis and evaluation of the text
• evaluation of a writer’s choice of vocabulary, grammatical and structural features: analysing and evaluating how language, structure, form and presentation contribute to quality and impact; using linguistic and literary terminology for such evaluation
• comparing texts:comparing and contrasting texts studied, referring where relevant to theme, characterisation, context (where known), style and literary quality; comparing two texts critically with respect to the above

Writing

• producing clear and coherent text: writing effectively about literature for a range of purposes such as: to describe, explain, summarise, argue, analyse and evaluate; discussing and maintaining a point of view; selecting and emphasising key points; using relevant quotation and using detailed textual references
• accurate Standard English: accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar.

For further details on the subject specification, please visit the AQA website.

 

Key Stage 5

Assessment objectives (AOs) are set by Ofqual and are the same across all AS and A-level English Literature specifications and all exam boards.

The exams and non-exam assessment will measure to what extent students have achieved the following AOs:

• AO1: Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2: Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts.
• AO3: Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received.
• AO4: Explore connections across literary texts.
• AO5: Explore literary texts informed by different interpretations.

The course is designed to encourage students to do the following

• read widely and independently both set texts and others that they have selected for themselves
• engage critically and creatively with a substantial body of texts and ways of responding to them
• develop and effectively apply their knowledge of literary analysis and evaluation
• explore the contexts of the texts they are reading and others’ interpretations of them.

In addition, A-level specifications must encourage students to develop their interest in and enjoyment of literature and literary studies as they undertake independent and sustained studies to deepen their appreciation and understanding of English literature, including its changing traditions.

 

Key Features of Learning

The English department is a large department formed of enthusiastic, creative and dedicated teachers. We are organised to ensure all key stages are closely overseen and managed by a specific member of the team. Our roles and responsibilities include an SLT Link, Head of Department, 2ic with responsibility for Key Stage 3, 2ic with responsibility for Key Stage 4, 3ic with responsibility for Key Stage 5, 3ic with responsibility for Key Stage 3, and a Literacy Coordinator. We work closely as a department with the two librarians in our Learning Resource Centre as well as the SENCO and Deputy SENCo in Curriculum Support. We have ten classrooms with beautiful displays that work to encourage a love of reading and writing, a fully equipped ICT suite of computers and a department set of Ipads for use in our literacy lessons.

 

What will you see in English lessons?

• Engaging lessons with appropriate levels of challenge for all
• Consistency across all classrooms
• Clear routines and high expectations of behaviour
• Adaptive teaching – ensuring appropriate levels of challenge for all pupils
• Positive classroom environment and excellent rapport with teachers
• Emphasis on Oracy - opportunities for students to articulate their ideas verbally and improve their oracy
• Promoting a love of reading
• Explicit vocabulary instruction to challenge the vocabulary gap
• Focus on SMSC and Personal Development through text choices and writing units with a focus on relevant literary, historical and social context
• Promotion of a growth mindset and opportunities for acting on feedback form a regular part of our lessons

 

What you will see in student exercise books and class work?

• High expectation for presentation of work exercise books
• Midterm assessments with teacher feedback in red pen
• Redrafted midterms in green pen to make improvements and act on feedback
• End assessments in separate student folders
• Consistent use of literary and marking key across department

 

SP – Spelling – students should look up in dictionary and write out correctly 3x

P – Punctuation error

G – Grammar (e.g. subject verb agreement error)

T – Target to focus on when improving work

? – Question – students should answer in margin in green pen

• Midterm assessments not marked / levelled. Issued a positive comment and two targets to focus on
• End assessments marked using specific and relevant mark schemes (KS4/5) or threshold grids (KS3)
• Pride in presentation of work
• Extended drafts of writing

 

What formative assessment will you see in English? 

In English, we aim to use a range of types of formative assessment to assess pupil understanding:

• Teacher questioning of pupils and targeted questioning
• Multiple choice quizzes to check understanding and comprehension
• Opportunities for students to talk – ‘Think, Pair, Share’ is a regular part of our practise
• Midterm assessments and acting on feedback lessons with a focus on whole class targets and misconceptions as well as individual feedback
• Time in lesson for students to act on their teacher feedback in lessons
• Expectation that students engage with teacher feedback as part of their weekly homework and correct literacy mistakes, respond to questions in their exercise book from teachers in their own time. Evidence of green pen and regular ‘DIRT’ or acting on feedback should be in student exercise books
• Mock exams for Key Stage 4/5
• Homework – not all homework will be marked by teachers however specific pieces will be in order to check understanding of the class and provide targeted feedback
• Summative assessment – for Key Stage 3 this includes a range of short answer questions to check comprehension as well as extended essay / creative writing tasks. Assessments are marked using threshold grids. Students are given a threshold at the start of year 7 but their marked assessments simply state whether they are performing on target, below target or above target. Students receive a copy of the threshold grid to see the specific skills they have met.
• Summative assessment – for Key Stage 4/5 this includes essay tasks and extended writing tasks based on the GCSE Language and Literature specifications. These are marked using the mark scheme from the exam for that individual question. Mock exams are marked using the full mark scheme from the exam board and assigned a grade.

 

What extra curricular is available in the English department?

• Trips to the theatre – e.g. Globe Theatre to see ‘Measure for Measure’ with Year 12/13 in 2022
• In house theatre performances – e.g. performance of ‘A Christmas Carol’ for all of Year 10/11
• After school clubs vary year on year depending on staffing but have included in the past: Debate Mate, Creative Writing Club, Journalism Club, Wider Reading Club
• Creative Writing Competitions – in 2022 we entered students for the ‘Twisted Tales’ competition
• Paired Reading – senior KS4/5 students pairing with younger students to read with them during Personal Development Time in the mornings
• Poetry Live - also known as Poetry Live! for GCSE, is a series of annual events in venues across the UK where poets perform their poetry to English school children. Year 11 students are taken on a trip into central London to hear poets perform their poems from the anthology they study as part of the literature exam specification. The event always includes a performance and speech by the current Poet Laureate.