back to our subjects

Curriculum Intent Statement

Our curriculum for English at KS3 and KS4 is designed to empower students with the skills, knowledge, and critical thinking abilities necessary to navigate a complex and interconnected world. Through a diverse range of literary texts, students will explore the depths of human experience, cultivate a deep appreciation for language and literature, and develop essential communication skills. Our curriculum aims to foster a love for reading, writing, and critical analysis while promoting social awareness and empathy.  Students are introduced to a range of texts that cover different genres, time periods and social issues with the intention of helping our students become more open and critically minded about the world around them and their place within it.  While covering these texts we also ensure that students understand what context is and how it affects our understanding of the texts that we study to improve students understanding we make direct links to our local environment.   The diverse range of texts reflects our changing urban environment and our focus on flexible thinking encourages students to question the traditional views of the community in our local area.

One of the aims of our curriculum is to help students to communicate confidently and clearly in both the written and spoken form.  In order to do this we use a range of individual and collaborative tasks, improving their independence and their team work skills.  Emphasis is placed on students using standard English from year 7 onwards.  We also teach our students to use accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar with Writing Mastery lessons in years 7 & 8, regular grammar skills lessons in year 9 and spelling and meaning tests across KS3.  The aim being to broaden students’ vocabulary and their means of expressing themselves clearly and effectively.   Through the literature texts that we study and the language work that we do we aim to increase our students’ competence in using a variety of forms of writing for a range of purposes and audiences.  We also aim to increase their awareness of the writing process itself – from planning to proofreading and correction. 

Students can be helped to develop emotionally and intellectually through reading, to support this we encourage them to establish, from Year 7, a habit of regular and independent reading for pleasure which we then further encourage in Years 7 and 8 by having a library lesson where they read their own choice of book and we read together as a class, allowing the teacher to model reading fluently and for effect.

Key Concepts

Change

Related Concepts

Context, setting

Statement of Inquiry

A writer can examine periods of social change and development through the context and setting of a novel.

Careers

  • Activist
  • Politician
  • Journalist
  • Historian
  • Campaigner
  • Author
  • Psychologist
  • Therapist
  • Educator

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What was life like for poor people in Victorian Britain?
  • Who was Charles Dickens?
  • What was the “poor law”?

Conceptual Questions

  • Why do writers use fictional characters to make political points?
  • What difference does setting make to a story?
  • Why do we need to understand the historical context of a novel?

Debatable Questions

  • Can fictional stories change the way that people think?
  • Is life for the poor any better in 2022?

Key Concepts

Change

Related Concepts

Context, setting

Statement of Inquiry

A writer can examine periods of social change and development through the context and setting of a novel.

Careers

  • Activist
  • Politician
  • Journalist
  • Historian
  • Campaigner
  • Author
  • Psychologist
  • Therapist
  • Educator

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What was life like for poor people in Victorian Britain?
  • Who was Charles Dickens?
  • What was the “poor law”?

Conceptual Questions

  • Why do writers use fictional characters to make political points?
  • What difference does setting make to a story?
  • Why do we need to understand the historical context of a novel?

Debatable Questions

  • Can fictional stories change the way that people think?
  • Is life for the poor any better in 2022?

Key Concepts

Identity

Related Concepts

Self-expression

Statement of Inquiry

Individuals express themselves and their cultural identity through their relationships and the stories that they tell.

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What is a perspective?
  • How/why do we experience the same situation differently?
  • What is prejudice?
  • Why might people be prejudiced?
  • What makes up our identity?

Conceptual Questions

  • Can literature create or influence change?
  • How/why do other people’s opinions affect our identities?
  • What is a relationship?
  • Why do we need relationships?

Debatable Questions

  • Should parents tell/control what young people think or investigate?
  • Should young people be informed about LGBTQ+ issues?

Key Concepts

Identity

Related Concepts

Self-expression

Statement of Inquiry

Individuals express themselves and their cultural identity through their relationships and the stories that they tell.

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What is a perspective?
  • How/why do we experience the same situation differently?
  • What is prejudice?
  • Why might people be prejudiced?
  • What makes up our identity?

Conceptual Questions

  • Can literature create or influence change?
  • How/why do other people’s opinions affect our identities?
  • What is a relationship?
  • Why do we need relationships?

Debatable Questions

  • Should parents tell/control what young people think or investigate?
  • Should young people be informed about LGBTQ+ issues?

Key Concepts

Creativity

Related Concepts

Character, theme

Statement of Inquiry

Playwrights use their creativity to form characters and themes that will influence and enhance an audience’s personal and cultural appreciation.

Careers

  • Documentary producer
  • Policy maker

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • Who was Shakespeare?
  • What was life like in Elizabethan/Jacobean England?
  • What are the 7 basic plots?

Conceptual Questions

  • Why did Shakespeare influence so many stories by modern writers?
  • How has the role of women changed in society?

Debatable Questions

  • Did tragic heroes deserve their fate?
  • Has the way that women are portrayed in stories changed?

Key Concepts

Communication

Related Concepts

Style

Statement of Inquiry

A poet’s writing style and a reader’s perspective comes from both their personality, culture and experience.

Careers

  • Poet laureate
  • Poet
  • Counsellor
  • Investigator
  • Photographer

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • Why are perspectives within a poem crucial for understanding and development?
  • How does a poet convey emotion?

Conceptual Questions

  • Why do people write poetry?
  • Why are writers inspired by events in history?

Debatable Questions

  • Do large historical events change the way we see the world?
  • Does what happens to us as individuals have more impact on our perspective than what happens in the world at large?

Key Concepts

Creativity

Related Concepts

Context, genre

Statement of Inquiry

Narratives are created using conventions of genre that work together with context to encourage a reader to respond in certain ways.

Careers

  • Politician
  • Author
  • Film Director
  • Cinematographer
  • Artist
  • Psychologist
  • Scientist

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • Who was Charles Darwin and what effect did he have on society?
  • Who was Freud and why did he change the way Victorians think?
  • When and why did reading fiction become popular?

Conceptual Questions

  • What were Victorians scared of?
  • Why are the conventions of the gothic genre so effective in making us scared?
  • Why do people enjoy feeling scared?

Debatable Questions

  • Can stories help us to understand our feelings?
  • Can fictional stories create meaningful social change?

Key Concepts

Creativity

Related Concepts

Context, genre

Statement of Inquiry

Narratives are created using conventions of genre that work together with context to encourage a reader to respond in certain ways.

Careers

  • Politician
  • Author
  • Film Director
  • Cinematographer
  • Artist
  • Psychologist
  • Scientist

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • Who was Charles Darwin and what effect did he have on society?
  • Who was Freud and why did he change the way Victorians think?
  • When and why did reading fiction become popular?

Conceptual Questions

  • What were Victorians scared of?
  • Why are the conventions of the gothic genre so effective in making us scared?
  • Why do people enjoy feeling scared?

Debatable Questions

  • Can stories help us to understand our feelings?
  • Can fictional stories create meaningful social change?

Key Concepts

Creativity

Related Concepts

Purpose, style

Statement of Inquiry

The creativity of dramatic performance is based in historical ideas, with purposeful ideas, styles and linguistic systems.

Careers

  • Journalist
  • Teacher
  • Actor
  • Carpenter

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What are the conventions of a Shakespearean comedy?
  • What is a prologue?
  • What is soliloquy?
  • What was the Globe theatre like?
  • What is the meaning of Elizabethan and Jacobean?
  • How was Shakespearean theatre different from theatre today?
  • What are the main themes of the play?
  • What is duality?

Conceptual Questions

  • Why do human beings crave order?
  • Why do you think humans are still obsessed with parallel universes living alongside their own?
  • How are we shaped by superstition?
  • Why do we tell stories?
  • What can be expressed through storytelling?

Debatable Questions

  • Is a Midsummer Night’s Dream a ‘comedy’ for contemporary audiences?
  • Is Shakespeare still relevant?
  • Do people fall in love at first sight?
  • What is the importance of the child?
  • How are we shaped by the stories we are told as children?

Key Concepts

Creativity

Related Concepts

Purpose, style

Statement of Inquiry

The creativity of dramatic performance is based in historical ideas, with purposeful ideas, styles and linguistic systems.

Careers

  • Journalist
  • Teacher
  • Actor
  • Carpenter

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What are the conventions of a Shakespearean comedy?
  • What is a prologue?
  • What is soliloquy?
  • What was the Globe theatre like?
  • What is the meaning of Elizabethan and Jacobean?
  • How was Shakespearean theatre different from theatre today?
  • What are the main themes of the play?
  • What is duality?

Conceptual Questions

  • Why do human beings crave order?
  • Why do you think humans are still obsessed with parallel universes living alongside their own?
  • How are we shaped by superstition?
  • Why do we tell stories?
  • What can be expressed through storytelling?

Debatable Questions

  • Is a Midsummer Night’s Dream a ‘comedy’ for contemporary audiences?
  • Is Shakespeare still relevant?
  • Do people fall in love at first sight?
  • What is the importance of the child?
  • How are we shaped by the stories we are told as children?

Key Concepts

Connections, change

Related Concepts

Audience imperatives, context, self-expression

Statement of Inquiry

Social historical context is key to the audiences understanding of different connections

Careers

  • Social Worker
  • Political Activist
  • Playwright
  • Engineering

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What was 1970s Liverpool like?
  • What is the school community like?

Conceptual Questions

  • Why was 1970s Liverpool socially deprived?
  • How are prospects linked to the communities in which children grow up?
  • How does the author effectively illustrate relationships?
  • How does the play depict moral issues in society?

Debatable Questions

  • To what extent are actions related to social contexts?
  • To what extent is the play a self-expression of the playwright?
  • To what extent do communities play on life choices?

Key Concepts

Perspective

Related Concepts

Self-expression, style

Statement of Inquiry

Varying writing styles for self expression promotes discussion of perspective to find global solutions.

Careers

  • Journalism
  • Politician
  • Author
  • Sales person

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • How do different writing styles affect the way information is given?
  • Which writing style is relevant to different topics or outcomes?

Conceptual Questions

  • Are people really affected by the way that information is presented?
  • Can you influence people with your writing?

Debatable Questions

  • Should people try to position other’s views to make them agree with the writer?
  • Are people affected or influenced by the writing of others?

Key Concepts

Perspective

Related Concepts

Context, character

Statement of Inquiry

The perspective of a character’s human dignity is dependent on the societal context.

Careers

  • Journalist
  • Academic
  • Researcher

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What was the context of the novel?
  • What is the genre and how does it reflect the context?

Conceptual Questions

  • What did Victorians believe in?
  • Why is the novel still popular?
  • Why do people enjoy the gothic genre so much?

Debatable Questions

  • Can novels help people to change their views?
  • How do novels influence society?
  • What can this novel show us about ourselves and our perceptions or treatment of others?

Key Concepts

Perspective

Related Concepts

Context, character

Statement of Inquiry

The perspective of a character’s human dignity is dependent on the societal context.

Careers

  • Journalist
  • Academic
  • Researcher

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What was the context of the novel?
  • What is the genre and how does it reflect the context?

Conceptual Questions

  • What did Victorians believe in?
  • Why is the novel still popular?
  • Why do people enjoy the gothic genre so much?

Debatable Questions

  • Can novels help people to change their views?
  • How do novels influence society?
  • What can this novel show us about ourselves and our perceptions or treatment of others?

Key Concepts

Connections

Related Concepts

Intertextuality, audience imperatives

Statement of Inquiry

The connections that audiences make with texts is influenced by their position in time and society.

Key Concepts

Connections

Related Concepts

Intertextuality, audience imperatives

Statement of Inquiry

The connections that audiences make with texts is influenced by their position in time and society.