English

A word after a word after a word is power.

Margaret Atwood

Intent

English is a huge asset to the development of cultural capital and the exploration of social issues. It underpins the rest of the curriculum, acting as a springboard to success in other subjects. Armed with the key skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing - learned in English - students will flourish in their quest to access content in other subjects. By engaging in English, students will be able to adapt their strengths to explore a range of purposes; to create, to persuade, to inform, and to critique. The study of English will allow students to begin to grow into curious knowledge seekers who can engage critically with a broad spectrum of concepts, voices and cultures. English provides students with a rich, extensive vocabulary that they can then implement in the exploration of their knowledge through extended and detailed written and spoken modes. Reading in English offers students chances to broaden their worlds and expand their experiences, preparing them for a world beyond their own context. Practising of oracy and writing will allow them to articulate their understanding in creative and critical ways. Engagement in English will enrich students’ ability to communicate creatively, informatively and persuasively in a self-aware and critical manner.

Exemplary students in English should display a keen hunger for knowledge and an open desire to explore and push the boundaries of their creativity. Stand out students should learn to become knowledge hungry and unafraid to explore the boundaries of their creativity. By harnessing this pursuit of knowledge, these students should then, in turn, develop a desire to learn for personal satisfaction, and to immerse themselves in a culture of self-improvement through self-assessment and reflection.

By engaging with English, students will benefit from being exposed to ideas and concepts that they wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to in their lives; opening up their social and cultural horizons. Reading practice will open up students’ worlds and expand their experiences past their lived ones, whilst practising speaking and writing will allow them to articulate this new understanding in creative and critical ways.

Design Rationale

The design of our curriculum takes students on a cohesive five-year journey, which aims to equip them with the conceptual knowledge for success in GCSE English Language and Literature and beyond. From a foundation of core texts - spanning centuries and a full spectrum of genres, voices and cultures within poetry, prose, drama and non-fiction - students are given the opportunity to hone the reading, writing, speaking and listening skills that are crucial for becoming functional and productive citizens of a 21st century society. Our knowledge-rich and academically challenging curriculum promotes high standards of literacy, with a focus on improving the depth and breadth of our students’ vocabulary to allow them to communicate their ideas clearly and fluently, in a variety of verbal and written contexts.

We aim to provide our students with transferable skills that are increasingly important for an ever-uncertain future: critical thinking by encouraging our students to always question why a decision has been made by a writer, and creativity by allowing them opportunities to read examples of excellent writing and use and adapt elements of these in their own work. We teach resilience by embedding an ‘always improving’ work ethic - we want our students to be able to know what an excellent piece of writing looks like and be able to work hard to achieve excellence in their own work through embedded feedback, reflection and improvement time. Through our choice of texts, we deliver a broad and balanced curriculum, which provides our students with cultural capital through the transmission of key elements of British and world culture, encompassing a wide range of voices and opinions from diverse backgrounds in attempt to foster a love of reading and a thirst for knowledge.

Delivery

Teachers provide opportunities for students to think about texts critically and creatively. We model positive teacher talk to celebrate reading and writing and have designed the curriculum to engage students with English from their first day in Year 7. We deliver English lessons through competent teacher explanation, high expectations and underpin our teaching with knowledge organisers and vocabulary lists to create challenge and embed knowledge.

In the classroom, we use visualisers to model discursive writing, analytical writing and engage students with aspirational model answers. Routine is embedded within the classroom and students are given regular opportunities for extended writing. Teachers have high expectations of all students, normalising hard work and self-motivation. We pride ourselves on our inclusive philosophy and we acknowledge and challenge unconscious bias in the classroom.

Impact

The effectiveness of curriculum implementation is measured by student progress; progress means knowing, remembering and producing more and is the direct result of excellent learning.

To track progress, we follow a three layered assessment structure.

High Stake Testing

High quality summative assessments (twice or three times a year) interleave knowledge and skills to support students in developing long-term memory. Stand-alone lessons ensure that students reflect and respond to teacher feedback.

Mid Stake Testing

Typically purposeful practice tasks completed independently in lessons at least twice per half-term. These tasks are used to identify learning gaps prior to high stake testing. Students receive personalised written feedback to which they respond in lessons.

Low Stake Testing

To embed knowledge in long-term memory, every lesson starts with students quizzed on prior knowledge (Do Now Tasks). Student performance is then used effectively by teachers to identify misconceptions and plan accordingly to narrow knowledge gaps.

Hartford Church of England High School