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Email:enquiries@stmaryschesterfield.org.uk

English

We aim to provide a broad and balanced English curriculum to all students that will allow them to become sophisticated in their written work and sharp in their analytical reading. The department is a supportive and warm one that encourages creativity and tries to help every pupil achieve their potential.

Key Stage 3

In Key Stage 3 pupils follow the programmes of study broadly set out by the national curriculum and adapted to fall into line with the demands of the new GCSE syllabus. Students cover a range of reading materials (fiction and non-fiction) from the 20th and pre-20th century; study and create different forms of writing; take part in debates and poetry recitals and continue to develop their analytical skills in order to become strong writers who can apply inference skills across a variety of genres.

Year 7

Reading

·      Class novel (e.g. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Skellig, Holes, Stormbreaker, Cirque Du Freak).

·      Shakespeare (e.g. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The New Play).

·      Pre-21st Century short story (e.g. The Red Room, The Speckled Band).

Writing

·       Autobiography

·       Beowulf newspaper article

·      Descriptive writing
Year 8

Reading

·      Class novel (e.g. Private Peaceful, Holes, Cirque Du Freak, Frankenstein, Doppleganger Chronicles).

·      Shakespeare (e.g. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest).

·      Poetry

·      English Language Paper 1 Skills

 Writing

·       Narrative writing – Gothic Horror

·       Persuasive writing (advertising)

·      Creative writing – Poetry
Year 9

Reading

·      Class novel (e.g. Dracula, Of Mice and Men).

·      Shakespeare (e.g. Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet).

·      Poetry (Moon on the Tides anthology)

·      English Language Paper 2 Skills

Writing

·       Argumentative writing (speech/debate)

·       Narrative/Descriptive writing (The Tollund Man)

·      English Language Paper 2 Skills
Key Stage 4
Key Stage 4
Students follow the AQA syllabus in both English Literature and English Language. The GCSEs develop the skills learnt at KS3 and encourage students to express their ideas confidently and effectively.
English Language

Students explore and analyse a range of fiction and nonfiction texts. They also write creatively for a range of purposes, including descriptive and persuasive writing.

Students are assessed in three areas:

Component 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing 50% Students sit an exam (1 hr 45 mins) at the end of the course in which they answer a series of questions on an extract from a piece of fiction and then complete their own piece of creative writing.
Component 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives 50% Students sit an exam (1 hr 45 mins) at the end of the course in which they answer a series of questions about two nonfiction extracts. They also complete their own piece of persuasive writing.
Component 3 – Spoken Language

 

 N/A Students must give a presentation on a topic of their choice to the class. They receive a Pass, Merit or Distinction for this component.

 

English Literature

Students study a range of literary texts in English Literature. These include:

·         Shakespeare

·         Poetry Anthology

·         19th Century Novel

·         Modern Text

Students are assessed in two areas:

Component 1 Shakespeare and the 19th Century Novel 40% Students sit an exam (1 hr 45 mins) at the end of the course in which they answer questions on their chosen Shakespeare play and 19th Century Novel.
Component 2 Poetry and Modern Texts 50% Students sit an exam (2 hr 15 mins) at the end of the course in which they answer questions on their chosen modern text, the poetry anthology and two unseen poems.

 
Exam Board:

For further details please visit:  AQA (specification 8700 and 8702)

For further details please visit: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse

 

 
Key Stage 5
Key Stage 5
Language:

A-level consists of two written exams and one coursework unit

·      Paper 1 This is the study of language in both an individual and societal context.  This paper

             builds on the knowledge gained from GCSE and also includes the study of

the spoken and written language acquisition of children from 0 – 11 years.

·      Paper 2 This unit draws on the language diversity studied in AS paper 2 and furthers this

             knowledge with the investigation of how language is changing throughout time.

Non-exam assessment - This unit allows students to explore and analyse language data

             independently and develop and reflect upon their own writing expertise.

 

Literature:

A-level consists of two written exams and one coursework unit.

Paper 1 - Option 1A: Aspects of tragedy: Study of one Shakespeare play and one further drama text

Section A: one passage-based question on set Shakespeare text (25 marks) (Othello)

Section B: one essay question on set Shakespeare text (25 marks) (Othello)

Section C: one essay question linking two texts (25 marks) (Tess of the D’Urbervilles / Death of a Salesman)

 

Paper 2 - Option 2B: Elements of political and social protest writing: Study of three texts: one post-2000 prose text; one poetry and one further text, one of which must be written pre-1900

Section A: one compulsory question on an unseen passage (25 marks)

Section B: one essay question on set text (25 marks) (Kite Runner / Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience/ The Handmaid’s Tale)

Section C: one essay question which connects two texts (25 marks) (Kite Runner / Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience/ The Handmaid’s Tale)

Exam Board: AQA

For further details please visit: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/as-and-a-level/english-literature-b-7716-7717

 

For further information about the English curriculum please contact:

Mr J Cox  Head of English Department