English Department


The English Department motto is taken from Seamus Heaney’s famous line:

If you have the words, there's always a chance that you'll find the way.
      - Seamus Heaney

Introduction

In the English Department, we aim to do just that through explicit vocabulary teaching, vocabulary acquisition via Bedrock Learning, and the learning of common Latin and Greek roots.

Coupled with our highly successful Engage Reading Support programme and Accelerated Reading, this provides a word rich environment for pupils of all abilities. Our school library is not only a central feature of our school building, it is also key to our reading culture with a full-time librarian and an ever-expanding reading stock.

The English Department aims to:

Equip pupils with well-developed reading, writing and comprehension skills;
Enable them to speak and write in an articulate and confident manner;
Enrich their experience of literature by reading a broad range of texts and novels;
Empower them to become critical thinkers and influential members of society.

Pupils are encouraged to read at every given opportunity both at home and in school. Parents also have a key role to play in supporting and maintaining reading routines during their daughter’s time at Ashfield. Parents can access Bedrock and Accelerated Reading to monitor their daughter’s progress and encourage good reading routines and habits.

The English Department aims to ensure our pupils leave with the ability to express themselves in an articulate and confident manner, through the use of rich talk and specialist vocabulary. As a department we provide guidance and strategies to help them find their way through a challenging and ever-changing world.

The English Department aims to embed the life skills of effective written and spoken communication whilst nurturing creativity, independence, resilience and empathy.





Key Stage 3


All KS3 pupils are expected to complete 20 mins reading each night and two Bedrock lessons.
They will all study Latin and Greek roots as part of their spelling programme.

Year 8

Term 1: ‘Childhood’ – The Study of Character [Prose]
Text: KS3 Transition text – Matilda by Roald Dahl

Characterisation anthology and exploring characters through the theme of ‘Childhood’.

The anthology includes opportunities to explore the theme of ‘Childhood’ through the reading of a range of prose, poetry and drama extracts and classroom activities.

Reading: Character based comprehensions
Writing: Character analysis and creating your own character [image stimulus]
Library based task: Writing a book review


Term 2: ‘Island Life’ – The Study of Setting [Prose]
Text: ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ and Island Life Anthology

The anthology includes opportunities to explore the theme of Island Life through the reading of a range of prose, poetry and drama extracts and activities.

Writing: Diary Entry based on island life
Reading: Kensuke’s Kingdom and extracts


Term 3: Shakespeare – Shakespeare’s Women [Drama]

Shakespeare’s Women – an introduction to various plays and popular scenes selected from Shakespeare’s collection.
There will be a focus on the presentation of female characters across a range of Shakespearean plays.

Speaking and Listening focus: Individual Presentation
This will be based on a ‘Soap Box Challenge’, ‘Show and Tell’, ‘Pet Hates’ or a subject of choice.




Year 9

Term 1: Fantasy Worlds, Myths and Legends [Prose]
Text: ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ and Fantasy Anthology

The anthology includes opportunities to explore various writings on fantasy worlds through reading a range of prose, poetry and drama extracts and activities.

Writing: Creative writing based on a fantasy image stimulus
Writing: Create, design and present your own mythical creature

Term 2: Romeo and Juliet’ or ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’[Drama]
Pupils will study the key scenes, characters and themes in the play. Character analysis and Shakespeare’s presentation of characters will be explored as well as key themes and how they connect to a modern audience.

Term 3: Reading Non-Fiction and Library Project

Pupils will read a range of non-fiction style pieces of writing and will analyse the writer’s use of language and the impact upon the reader. They will study a range of relevant and relatable topics which will form the basis for Speaking and Listening tasks. They will also write their own non fiction articles and present them to the class. Speaking and Listening focus: Group Discussions

This will be based on something topical and current or a subject related to the text or exploration of an issue or key theme.

Library Project: Non-Fiction – ‘Tell me something I don’t know…’




Year 10

Term 1: Gothic Literature – An Introduction

Pupils will explore the Gothic conventions and the historical background of the Gothic genre. Pupils will study classics such as Frankenstein, Dracula and Jekyll and Hyde and other stories.

Reading: response to The Ghost Coach and Gothic genre-based stories Writing style and genre: creating setting and atmosphere using the Gothic conventions. Resources: Project Gutenberg - Books in Gothic Fiction

Term 2: Teenage Life – Body Image, Social Media and the Environment
Text:'Wonder'

Writing to Persuade and Speaking and Listening

Writing to persuade: Body Image and other issues impacting teenagers
Reading: Analysing persuasive techniques and how to analyse and evaluate
S/L Group discussion – topics will include issues affecting teenagers and current affairs.
S/L Presentation – topic of choice based on key issue, news item or creating awareness.

Term 3: The Study of the Spoken Word – ‘Speak Up, Speak Out!’

Pupils will be exposed to a range of famous speeches and poems. They will analyse speeches and poems using their understanding of rhetorical devices and the impact they have on the reader.
Pupils will explore a range of themes, contexts and subject matter in order to gain a broad understanding of, and an appreciation for, the power of language. Speaking and Listening focus: Role Play

This will be based on something topical and current or a subject related to the text or exploration of an issue or key theme.

Each Unit will be accompanied by a Knowledge Organiser that will include subject specific key terms, extended vocabulary and, Reading and Writing support scaffolds.




Key Stage 4

GCSE English Language

The specification has four units:

Unit 1: External exam - Writing for Purpose and Audience and Reading to Access Non-Fiction and Media Texts [30%]
Unit 2: Continuous Assessment [20%]- Speaking and Listening
Unit 3: Controlled Assessment [20%] - Studying Spoken and Written Language
Unit 4: External exam [30%] - Personal or Creative Writing and Reading Literary and Non-Fiction Texts.
• More information can be found here: CCEA English Language Guide

GCSE English Literature

The specification has three units:

Unit 1: External Exam [30%]: The Study of Prose - Of Mice and Men
Unit 2: External Exam [50%]: The Study of Drama will include either Blood Brothers or An Inspector Calls
The Study of Poetry based on Relationships, Identity or Conflict
Unit 3: Controlled Assessment [20%] The Study of Shakespeare – either Romeo and Juliet or Macbeth

More information can be found here: CCEA English Literature Guide




Key Stage 5

Pupils study the WJEC English Literature Specification

Unit 1: Prose and Drama (closed-book)
Tennessee Williams - Streetcar Named Desire
Charlotte Brontë - Jane Eyre
Unit 2: Poetry Post-1900 (open-book)
The Poetry of Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath
Unit 3: Poetry pre-1900 and Unseen Poetry (open-book, clean copy)

Section A: Geoffrey Chaucer: The Merchant’s Prologue and Tale (Cambridge)
Section B: Unseen poetry

Unit 4: Shakespeare (closed-book) ‘The Tempest’ by William Shakespeare
Unit 5: Prose Study - Non-exam assessment based on two novels of choice.

Resources: WJEC Specification

AS level English Literature - Weighting: 40%
A level English Literature - Weighting: 60%




Visits / Trips / Extra-curricular

• Roald Dahl Day https://www.roalddahl.com/roald-dahl-day
• Visit to CS Lewis Square https://visiteastside.com/listing/cs-lewis-square
• Rebel Readers
• Spelling Bee
• Creative Schools Project
• Soroptimist Public Speaking Competition NI https://sigbi.org/northern-ireland/
• Literature Lectures at Queen’s University and Stranmillis
• Heaney HomePlace http://www.seamusheaneyhome.com/
• Lyric Theatre https://lyrictheatre.co.uk/
• Dublin Museum of Literature https://moli.ie/




Links to free books:

Why not try reading some of the classics?

Ebooks:

Click on the link on an iPad and then choose open in iBooks when given the option.

The texts included in this list are part of the GCSE and A level Literature specifications.

Top 100 Most Read Classic Novels