English

English at GFAPS 

 

Our aim is to ensure that all our pupils develop the skills and confidence necessary to allow them to communicate in life and access the curriculum.

 

Raikes: KS3 English 

 

INTENT

Most pupils at Raikes KS3 intend to return to mainstream or another long term provision. It is therefore our intention that pupils should have access to a high quality, well assessed and engaging English curriculum. We therefore:

  • provide a breadth of study where students are well-read and able to explore a range of texts that develop wider cultural context so that they are more worldly in their knowledge.
  • provide opportunities for students to explore topics that allow them to develop resilience, empathy, an appreciation for others’ ideas/ contributions, and an open mindedness in regards to equal opportunities, mental health, discrimination, etc...
  • allow students the opportunity to study a diverse selection of texts: prose, poetry, creative writing, transactional writing, plays, and non-fiction texts.
  • build our students vocabulary so that they can access a range of texts with understanding and be able to express themselves with precision.
  • assess pupils literacy needs quickly and accurately so that accelerated progress can be made during their time at Raikes.

Reading:

  • To nurture students to read for pleasure and re-engage with literature and language
  • Use reading to develop lines of enquiry to support analysis of text and engagement
  • To create ‘Rigorous Readers’ who interrogate texts in order to understand and question the information given.
  • To use reading as a tool to learn

Writing:

  • To build writing proficiency so that students can express themselves and communicate with accuracy.
  • To create opportunities for creative writing and expression.
  • To provide opportunities in the curriculum where students can master these skills.

Speaking and Listening:

  • Foster opportunities for students to practise speaking in a range of contexts.
  • To develop students accuracy in expression.
  • Develop listening skills so that students are able to agree, build and challenge their peers constructively.
  • Build in opportunities to develop memory and recall so that students can retain key aspects of the curriculum and skills needed to succeed in both their studies and life.
  • Create opportunities for students to experience theatre live, visit places with cultural significance so that the understanding of the texts they are studying is enhanced.
  • Offer opportunities for our weakest readers to have an intensive reading intervention/scheme that helps foster the ability to read and comprehend with independence.

 

 

IMPLEMENTATION

Key Stage Three English encompasses both the study of language and literature. In order for students to become confident and skilful writers, lesson time is dedicated to developing the building blocks of good writing: grammar, vocabulary acquisition and spelling. Students are offered a variety of opportunities throughout their time at Raikes to demonstrate their imagination and creativity with writing projects such as their own gothic character or screenplay. Students also have the opportunity to develop more formal non-fiction writing such as persuasive speeches and informative texts.   

It is a priority for the school to ensure that students have the necessary literacy skills to access all other subjects in the curriculum so students who need extra support in this area have specific literacy lessons in addition to the regular English curriculum. Here, students are able to build on their understanding of key grammar terms introduced at KS2 and consolidate their reading and writing skills through additional practice and dedicated literacy lessons.

We also recognise how important reading is to a student's academic success and to their understanding of the world. Students read both modern texts such as War Horse and, in order for students to appreciate our wide and varied literary heritage, classics like A Christmas Carol and plays by William Shakespeare. Throughout the study of literature, students are encouraged to develop their ability to analyse language and discuss the choices writers make.

 

 

 

Russet House: KS4 English Language

INTENT

 

Our curriculum will provide students with the opportunity to re-engage with English as a subject and a process.  A process through which we develop control over language both written and spoken so that students can discover the potential power it can have and give to enhance their Post-16 prospects.

 

IMPLEMENTATION

 

The Curriculum for Key Stage 4 is ambitious and Freirean in design, to give all pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEMH, the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life. It is successfully adapted to be ambitious and yet meet the needs of disaffected pupils developing their knowledge, skills and abilities to apply what they know and can do with increasing fluency and independence. For example, units such as ‘What is Youth Culture?’ and ‘What am I doing after Russet?’ address pertinent issues within learner’s experiences underpinned implicitly and explicitly by the GCSE Specifications.

Our Intent statement in English forms the spine to our curriculum. Examples of how our curriculum supports the Intent statement are in students possess some level of autonomy in their learning pathways with a range of activities that demand students think critically and independently, developing their ability to articulate ideas confidently, thoughtfully, and with precision and accuracy. These activities also build our students ability to listen to, evaluate and respond to the opinions of others.

 

IMPACT

We know our curriculum is working in KS4 English through the engagement of students and the quality of teaching and learning which has been praised during learning walks and observations by both external and internal observers.

Skills acquired in English (as highlighted in our Strategic Plan) support a range of FE courses as a standard entry requirement to high level desirability in others such as Law, Psychology, Criminology and other Arts degrees. The skills within the English GCSE assessment objectives (e.g. Understanding of Text) are also essential to employability and vocational courses.

Examination results are good - especially in the light of the instability of Yr.11 cohort’s attendance and SEMH issues throughout the academic year. Our analysis shows Students are now consistently being entered for Speaking and Listening GCSE Component, a 125% increase in the number of students sitting the exam and a 100% increase in number of overall pass (2015-19).