Subject English

We teach English because it is at the very heart of every aspect of learning and shapes our understanding of the human experience.  English empowers curiosity, imagination and expression.  English engenders empathy and tolerance, enabling others to connect to the past, present and future in order to make a better world.

Therefore, our intent is to instil a sense of knowledge, wisdom and power in our students to create literate, independent thinkers who are empathetic, have a strong sense of curiosity and go on to become life-long learners.  We want our students to appreciate the power of language and the opportunities that it provides for success in an ever-changing society.

The English Curriculum is founded on a shared love of literature: from Charles Dickens to Angie Thomas; Shakespeare to Margaret Atwood; William Wordsworth to Maya Angelou and beyond.   Within our department, we endeavour to explore a variety of themes and ideas, that are universal and relevant to today.

Ethos

In tandem with the whole school, our ethos is shaped by Prepare.  Aspire.  Succeed.  We prepare our students meticulously for what they have to do in each year and in each Key Stage.  All of the work that they produce is exponentially building their skills in English Language and English Literature, to ensure that they are fully equipped to achieve their targets and exceed these.  We, thus, encourage our students to aspire to the very highest levels and celebrate their achievements with them when they succeed. We also work tirelessly to enable those who are struggling in our subject, to gain confidence and achieve success.   We know that not all students share the love that we have for the subject but, we strive to teach to everyone’s strengths and make our lessons as engaging as they can be, whilst differentiating and extending as a matter of course.