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English
'English is both creative and practical. It will enrich your life through your choice of career and in your private life. A good grasp of English language will put you ahead of the rest in your job interviews and applications for university. It will open up doors that enable you to follow your dreams. It will help you to appreciate the world around you, interpret the media, enjoy films, books, comedy references, and to engage in articulate conversation with your peers, enabling you to take advantage of what the world has to offer.'
Mrs. S. Holliday, Head of English
‘English has a pre-eminent place in education and in society. A high-quality education in English will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature, especially, plays a key role in such development. Reading also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know.’ Adapted from National Curriculum, DFE, 2013
At Howden School, in English, we want our students to be curious, empathetic, analytical and opinionated. Our curriculum is designed to be engaging, enriching and empowering and aims to:
- Equip our students with the reading and writing skills that they need for life
- Develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
- Develop confidence in oracy by delivering formal presentations and participating in debates and group work
- Develop secure knowledge and understanding of how language works
- Develop transferable skills such as analytical thinking, comparison, inference and constructing an argument
- Inspire students to develop a love and enjoyment of English that motivates them to study it further and to go onto use it in their future career
Key Stage 3 Curriculum
| Year | Autumn | Spring | Summer |
| 7 |
Shakespeare: Attitudes and Beliefs
Writing: letters Victorian Literature: Society
Writing: descriptions |
Science-fiction/fact:
Writing: leaflets
Travel Writing: Exploring a range of texts based on travel writers’ experiences of different countries Writing: articles |
Poetry: Growing Up
Writing: poetry
Novel: Growing Up
Writing: narratives Spoken Language: group presentation |
| 8 |
Shakespeare: Relationships and Conflict Writing: articles Victorian Literature: Science-fiction/fact Writing: descriptions |
Youthquake Spoken Language: speeches Conflict Poetry Writing: letters |
Refugee Boy Writing: narratives Writing: leaflets |
| 9 |
Shakespeare: Ambition and Power Writing: letters Victorian Literature: Gothic Writing: narratives |
Science fact or fiction Writing: articles Poetry: Writing: poetry |
Rebellion Writing: leaflets Rebellion: Spoken Language: speeches |
Key Stage 3 Curriculum
| Year | Autumn | Spring | Summer |
| 10 |
LITERATURE: An Inspector Calls Studying the play with a key focus on genre, context and themes of class, responsibility, gender and age Writing: leaflet LANGUAGE: Paper 1 Introduction to analysing fiction extracts and creative writing tasks Writing: descriptive |
LITERATURE: Jekyll and Hyde Studying the novel with a key focus on genre, context and themes of class, reputation, science and religion Writing: speech LITERATURE: Anthology Poetry Studying 8 poems focusing on context, genre and the themes of family relationships, culture and identity Writing: letter |
LITERATURE: Macbeth Studying the play with a key focus on genre, context and themes of ambition, gender, power and responsibility Writing: article LANGUAGE: Paper 1 Revisiting and developing analysis of fiction extracts and creative writing tasks Writing: narrative |
| 11 |
LITERATURE: Anthology Poetry Studying remaining 7 poems focusing on context, genre and the themes of romantic relationships Writing: letter LITERATURE: Unseen Poetry Analysing and comparing a variety of unseen poetry LANGUAGE: Paper 2 Introduction to analysing non-fiction extracts and non-fiction writing tasks Writing: argue/persuade or explain |
LITERATURE: ALL TEXTS Revisiting and revising all texts with a close analytical focus on key scenes and extracts LANGUAGE: Revisiting and revising Paper 1 and Paper 2 skills |
LITERATURE: EXAM PREPARATION Revision of all texts, knowledge and skills LANGUAGE: EXAM PREPARATION Revision of reading and writing skills for both papers |