What will students study in English this year?

In every year, students will learn through synergistic units that focus on reading or writing skills. A broad range of literature is experienced across the main genres of poetry, drama and novels. Students will develop writing skills in rhetoric, description and narration. There is opportunity at the end of every year to develop intellectual autonomy in the ILPs (Independent Learning Projects). Across Key Stage 3, there is an additional, interleaved Knowledge about Language study, delivering a coherent and progressive study of how language and grammar works. Every fortnight, students will cultivate their own wider reading experience and oracy by reading from an extensive range of titles curated to support the English curriculum and other subjects (including History, Science, Art, Geography) and completing guided projects to become appreciative, rigorous, insightful readers.

Year 7

Y7 study the novel genre based on the theme of 'Identity', a drama study of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' and build their knowledge of poetry with a collection of 20^th century poems based on the theme of childhood. Writing units include descriptions of setting, shaping narratives and speech-writing on environmental themes in the ILP.

Year 8

The programme is one of 5 novels based on the theme of Survival, a drama study of Gothic plays and a collection of poems from diverse cultures on the theme of Power, together with more speech-writing, descriptions of settings and structuring redemption stories. The ILP is literary-based research on women in literature.

Year 9

Students will be prepared for the rigours of GCSE by studying one of 6 novels on the theme of Inequality, a drama study on one of 3 Shakespearean comedies and a collection of pre and post 1914 War Poems as well as letter and article writing, description of events/settings and transformational narrative writing based on 19^th century fiction, which is part of the ILP.

What are the major assessments this year? 

Within each unit of study, be it termly or half-termly, students will complete initial assessments, mid-unit and final assessments. There are 4 major (final) assessments each year.

What do assessments test? 

Initial assessments gauge how well students have retained prior learning connected to the unit of study, used to revisit knowledge that is not fully secure. Mid-unit assessments are short, formative assessments in the same style as the final assessment used to evaluate how well students have grasped new knowledge. These are used to identify and close gaps in learning before the final assessment which is a summative assessment.

What are the expectations of my daughter in English? 

We expect our English students to think hard about what they read and work hard to articulate their thoughts in writing with and without teacher mediation. Students should engage in class discussions thoughtfully, aiming to speak like experts and listen accountably. English classroom routines and systems should be engaged with so students prize endeavour, reflect on how learning is going with clarity and fearlessness and believe they can do well now and in the future in English.

What should my daughter do if she feels she is struggling in English?

During a lesson, we like students to experience what is termed ‘desirable difficulty’, so they should ask themselves questions when they are ‘stuck’ like Have I seen/done anything like this before?, Is there anything I’ve remembered/been given which will help?, before asking for teacher’s intervention. If the students is struggling with English in general, it is a good idea to look at the written feedback given on work as a starting point and if that doesn’t yield answers, then have a conversation with their teacher.

 How can I best support my daughter in English?

1. Encourage them to read their wider reading text for 20 minutes a day at least. Have a conversation about what they are reading in their English lessons, Wider Reading lessons and Tutor Reads time.
2. Monitor English homework: most tasks will be reading, vocabulary work, revision of knowledge organisers, quizzing.

Whom should I contact for further advice or information?

Mrs Bhatt is the Director of English: nbhatt@carshaltongirls.org.uk