English

Subject Overview

In English, students explore five key areas; writing fiction, writing non-fiction, analysing a range of texts, evaluating writer’s craft and Spelling and Grammar. These form the basis of the curriculum from KS3 through to KS5. The English journey at OBA has these areas at its core, but it is much more than that. The aim of the English curriculum, and each students’ journey, is to inspire, nurture, develop and encourage individuals in a creative way. This will mould our students into passionate, opinionated and confident individuals who can express themselves maturely and clearly. Our journey hopefully ends with our students feeling the same love of learning that our English faculty feel, with students eager to continue their study of English, or to utilise their skills in the wider world. They will be confident communicators, enthusiastic readers and have analytical minds. The door of opportunity will be wide open to them

Facilities

Pupils can access an extensive range of literary and non-literary wider reading materials in the library at Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy to supplement their study of English. Pupils in Key Stage 3 all have one library lesson per week in which teachers concentrate solely on the progression of reading skills. The English classrooms are equipped with a computer and an interactive whiteboard, and iPads are also used to develop learning in the classroom. On arrival to OBA, each year 7 student gets given their own fiction book, to keep! This is thanks to a scheme we have signed up to as an academy called Book Buzz, and is a great way to keep your child reading

KS3

Year 7 Curriculum

Autumn Term: myths and legends

Spring Term: The World’s Wife Poetry Scheme, The Tempest

Summer Term: The Hobbit

Year 8 Curriculum

Autumn Term: Nifty Narratives + Dystopian Writing

Spring Term: Noughts and Crosses

Summer Term: Sinister Short Stories + Poetry

Year 9 Curriculum

Autumn Term: Influential Figures

Spring Term: Romeo and Juliet

Summer Term: Sonnets and Soliloquies

KS4

In Key Stage 4 pupils study for GCSEs in both English Language and English Literature. Pupils follow the EDUQAS specifications. Pupils study a range of fiction and non-fiction texts and learn how to write for a variety of purposes and audiences. Across Key Stage 4 pupils study a wide range of literature. This includes “The Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare, the Victorian novella “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens and the more contemporary “Blood Brothers” by Willy Russell. Pupils will also study a wide range of poetry dating from 1789 to the present day. Pupils will learn to consider the context of literary texts and the impact of this on the writing.

Year 10 Curriculum

Autumn Term: A Christmas Carol + Language Component 1

Spring Term: The Merchant of Venice + Poetry Anthology

Summer Term: Blood Brothers + Language Component 2

Year 11 Curriculum

During year 11, students follow an interleaving programme where they revisit each text or topic multiple times to ensure retention, revision and to give students ample opportunities to question if needed.

Support

There are a range of support sessions that run at lunchtime and after school for pupils in all of the three key stages. Additional revision classes are available for all students before they sit GCSE and Advanced Level examinations. There are also a range of homework support clubs for each key stage that are supervised by English specialists.

Enrichment

There are a range of enrichment sessions that run at lunchtime and after school for pupils in all of the three key stages. Examples of enrichments that are on offer:

Young Leaders
Young Writers
Dungeons and Dragons Club
Key Stage 4 English Catch Up
Key Stage 4 University Style Lectures
Creative Writing

Quote from Head of Department

“The study of English not only teaches you the skills of reading and writing which you will rely on later in life, it also teaches you how to analyse, criticise and evaluate ideas – skills that are invaluable in any career.”

Links

http://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/english-language/gcse/

http://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/english-literature/gcse/