English
Subject Leader: Mrs Mortimore - kmortimore@tqacademy.co.uk
AIMS OF THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
- The purpose of our English curriculum is to empower pupils to be fully enfranchised and critical members of our democracy.
- We intend to achieve this through the direct teaching and demonstration of how language creates perspective and ideology.
- We provide our pupils with the critical vocabulary to understand how language and storytelling are used to construct ways of seeing the world.
ENGLISH CURRICULUM
OVERVIEW OF KEY STAGE 3 CURRICULUM
Our KS3 curriculum lays out the core foundational knowledge, key concepts and vocabulary needed to be successful within further study. Working along a timeline from the Middle Ages to present day, we select challenging texts which engage students’ interest and push them to achieve the high level key conceptual knowledge.
OVERVIEW OF KEY STAGE 4 CURRICULUM
Course Title: GCSE English Literature and GCSE English Language
Examining Body: AQA
Course Lead: Mrs Mortimore
What will I study?
Year 9
- Animal Farm, creative writing, Hamlet, persuasive writing & speaking, Black Flamingo, Small Island, Tales of the Unexpected.
Year 10
- An Inspector Calls, A Christmas Carol, Macbeth, Power & Conflict poetry. English Language papers 1 & 2, reading and writing for purpose and meaning.
Year 11
- Essay writing practice is interwoven with revision, with one essay completed in class every week. Language skills are practised and embedded across the year.
How and when will I be assessed?
Year 9
- Formative assessment takes place twice per cycle for extended writing tasks, and there is one knowledge test per cycle. There is one mock paper sat at the end of the year.
Year 10
- Formative assessment takes place once or twice per cycle depending on when mock papers are scheduled throughout the year. Students will sit two language papers and two literature papers across the two mock weeks.
Year 11
- Weekly essays are assessed with feedback given each week. Students will sit two language papers and two literature papers across the two mock weeks.
- At the end of year 11, students will sit the following GCSEs:
- English language (AQA), comprised of Paper 1 and Paper 2 (1hr 45 mins each, both worth 50%);
- English literature (AQA), comprised of Paper 1 (1hr 45, 40%) and Paper 2 (2hrs 15 mins, 60%).
Further study
- A Level English Literature
- A Level Media Studies
- A Level History
OVERVIEW OF KEY STAGE 5 CURRICULUM
Course Title: A Level English Literature
Examining Body: Edexcel
Course Lead: Dr N Jones
Course description
If you enjoy reading, discussing and writing about fiction, English literature is the subject for you. Studying English literature will allow you to analyse and debate a variety of texts, as well as acquire knowledge of literary movements, periods and critical approaches that have shaped the way we view literature today.
Studying English literature allows you to develop comprehensive written and spoken communication skills, become adept at arguing a point, framing a narrative and analysing various levels of meaning. These are all skills that will be useful in a range of careers including those in the media, journalism, publishing, teaching, advertising, marketing and PR.
What will I learn?
In Year 12 you will study a selection of modern poetry as well as one play and one novel. Towards the end of Year 12, you will begin your coursework.
In Year 13 you will study a Shakespeare play, complete your coursework, and revise all the texts from Year 12 to ensure you go into your final exams confident in being able to achieve the very best grades.
Course structure
Course Structure:
Component 1: Drama (30%)
Open book exam (2 hrs 15mins)
Shakespeare linked to critical reading (Othello)
Pre 1900 play (Doctor Faustus)
Component 2: Prose (20%)
Open book examination (1 hr)
2 thematically linked prose texts (Frankenstein and Never Let Me Go
Component 3: Poetry (30%)
Open book examination (2 hrs 15mins)
Unseen poetry and Poems of the Decade
Romantic Poetry
Component 4: Coursework (20%)
One extended essay comparing two texts of your choice here are five modules in each year, plus a wide range of practical work.
Where could it lead?
English literature is considered a ‘facilitating’ subject by the top universities which means that choosing it at advanced level leaves open a wide range of options for university study.
A number of students have progressed to study English Literature or a related subject at degree level at several universities, most recently at University of Bristol.
CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN TO UNIVERSITY
Top 5 UK universities to study English:
- Oxford
- Cambridge
- Durham
- Southampton
- Exeter
CAREERS INFORMATION
Careers in English:
Journalism and Media
Roles: Journalist, editor, content creator, broadcaster.
Salaries:
- Entry-Level: £20,000 - £25,000
- Experienced: £30,000 - £50,000
- Senior: £50,000+
Teaching and Academia
Roles: Primary/secondary teacher, university lecturer, researcher.
Salaries:
- Primary/Secondary Teachers: £25,000 - £40,000
- University Lecturers: £40,000 - £60,000
- Professors: £60,000+
Publishing and Editing
Roles: Editor, literary agent, proof reader, publishing manager.
Salaries:
- Entry-Level: £18,000 - £25,000
- Experienced: £30,000 - £45,000
- Senior: £45,000+
EXTRACURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES
- We have a well stocked library and encourage students to borrow books and develop their independent literary skills.
- Our high performance academy allows students to research a topic in depth and produce an extended piece of writing alongside a presentation which is graded using university grading scales.
