English

Curriculum Map - English

Year 7

In Year 7, we introduce texts that cover a wide range of themes and genres from different historical contexts.  They start by learning about identities, both personal and from other cultures.  Through this, students learn how to create mental models of technical linguistic and structural devices alongside crucial functional vocabulary.

The students then apply and develop this knowledge base to a Victorian text (Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol) a range of contemporary poems (covering themes such as culture, race and personal expression) and Shakespeare plays (Macbeth, The Taming of the Shrew and Julius Caesar), which allows them to better understand the literary canon.  From here, students will learn how Literature and Language have changed in response to an array of different historical contexts and social issues.

Students then apply their skills of reading, writing and speaking to contemporary text types (Nature writing and novellas).

Throughout Key Stage 3, an intrinsic approach to learning key literacy skills is established through silent guided reading, the creation and maintenance of reading logs, vocabulary logs and weekly discussion based Let’s Think in English lessons.

Why?

By covering a range of text types, themes, ideas and historical contexts in a foundational capacity, we can foster enthusiasm and reverence for literature and language, building on prior knowledge students have garnered in primary school.  This will embrace the rich history of English and begin to explore the depth within the subject field, as well as build students’ confidence analysing literary texts using key subject specific terminology.

Alongside this, we aim to establish and maintain a knowledge of literacy and oracy skills to enable students to effectively communicate with the world around them.
 

Year 8

In Year 8, we allow students to continue to develop their mental models of technical linguistic and structural devices and crucial vocabulary, whilst further exploring a more advanced range of themes, genres and historical contexts.  By generally alternating between reading and writing skills, students learn about the literary canon whilst also applying what they have learnt to their own creative pieces and deepening their knowledge of stylistic devices.

We begin the year by exploring the Gothic genre and use these to develop our knowledge of analytical approaches.  Through analysing Edgar Allen Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado and Daphne Du Maurier’s The Birds, students learn how both to discuss and manipulate themes, ideas, events and settings.

This knowledge is applied in our creative ‘Heroes and Villains’ scheme (exploring concepts such as archetypes, Machiavellian figures, morality, catharsis and hamartia) and is expanded to the features of comparative writing in our Conflict Literature scheme that explores poems and prose relating to historical conflicts (Who’s for the Game by Jessie Pope, Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen, The Forbidden Zone by Mary Borden, The Soldier by Rupert Brooke, Base Details by Siegfried Sassoon, etc) and to persuasive writing in our ‘Class and Society’ scheme.  We end the year exploring themes relating to journeys and morality.  This covers both poetry, traditional prose and plays.

Why?

Our approach in Year 8 benefits from an interleaving approach as the reading and writing skills developed in Year 7 are built upon and improved.  Alongside this, we enhance the level of challenge presented by the themes, genres and contexts we explore.
 

Year 9

In Year 9, we will continue to explore a wide range of skills and text types.  Through an exploration of poetry, prose and plays we further develop mental models linked to understanding, analysing and evaluating texts.  We explore the theme of ‘Love and Relationships’, study Othello as our chosen canonical Shakespearian text, dystopias (through the form of short stories, extracts and writing tasks) and a range of transactional writing topics.  This will include analysing and writing letters, speeches and articles.

Why?

Our approach in Year 9 continues to benefit from an interleaving approach, as the reading and writing skills developed in Year 7 and 8 develop in challenge and scope.  We continue to develop key literacy skills whilst also developing cultural capital by expanding on the variety of texts studied.  This allows students to enjoy an exciting and exploratory curriculum, build cultural capital and an understanding of the canon and writing from around the world, all of which provides the foundational skills needed to be prepared for entering Year 10.