Department: English

Head of Department: Mr C Osbourne

If you wish to learn more about the curriculum, please contact the Head of Department by email: ­­­­c.osbourne@oaklandscatholicschool.org

Curriculum Implementation

We believe that the combined effort of the English team is greater than the sum of its individual parts. It is this that leads to fantastic outcomes for students. We work closely with partner schools and other specialists to inform our planning. Shared teaching resources and shared teaching models ensure cohesion across the department. Frequent moderation sessions across all key stages enable all teachers to feel confident about the application of the mark schemes. English remains our core purpose, this is enabled by focusing on embedding challenge, metacognition, and memory techniques into our curriculum.

Our curriculum covers the different areas of reading and writing fiction and non-fiction, and study of literary texts each year with the sophistication of the skills gradually increasing, and regular spiraling back to ensure key content is secure.

Whilst a student’s journey in school is broken into Key stages, we believe that the knowledge and skill developed in KS3 should not be seen in isolation to that developed at later stages. All that is learned in every key stage provides important building blocks to ensure success in later life.

Key Stage 3

Each year of learning in Key Stage3 English is built around specific core texts which cover the three literary disciplines: prose, poetry and drama. The authors and texts we select are robust; they offer gripping narratives, compelling characters and scenarios which enable students to test and expand their own understanding of human interactions and the potentialities around these. (See curriculum maps). All students follow this programme of study. By focusing on authors whose texts offer timeless narratives in classical forms, we aim to provide a coherent curriculum which is interlinked and cohesive. By choosing authors whose vocabulary and grammatical structures offer avenues for growth, we push students to extend their familiarity with a richer palette of words and stylistic devices while the cultural knowledge becomes part of their world view. The language work grows out of the texts studied and consistent retrieval practice is used to build on prior knowledge.

In year 7,  classes are taught in mixed ability groups, whereas in years 8 & 9 students move into sets based on performance and progress. All students continue to follow the same programme of study, but the pace of lessons may differ according to sets.

Each summer term, there is a rigorous revision of the curriculum map and new materials are often developed at this point as we reflect on the implementation of the curriculum and seek to refine our learning strategies.

Key Stage 4

Our Key Stage 4 curriculum sets out to continue to develop the passion for English. In addition, we recognise that English is commonly used around the world as a trade language or diplomatic language. It is the language of science, aviation, computers, diplomacy and tourism. Finally, it is the language of international communication, the media and the internet. Our curriculum must prepare students for a lifetime of experiences as well as critical assessments at the end of the Keystage.

All Key Stage 4 students follow the joint qualification pathway in English, following a course of study which will enable them to take the Language and Literature GCSE in the summer term of Year 11. Students in Key Stage 4 are set according to academic ability in English.

We have selected the AQA syllabus as the texts on offer provide a strong opportunity for progress and success. All students complete a full course of study, and we expect all students to sit both examinations (for Language & Literature). Differentiation is achieved through the choice of texts by individual teachers to match the ability of the set-in question.

Curriculum leaders at KS4 are constantly creating new materials and engaging resources to stimulate the learning of all students but particularly those who find the academic demands of a non-tiered examination a real challenge.

Membership of the English Hampshire Hub has also been useful in promoting a sense of shared ownership of the examination process and the teaching strategies which might promote strong progress at GCSE.

Key Stage 5

At KS5, we provide students with the opportunity to study three separate A-level options: English Literature, English Language and English Joint. Our focus is for our students to develop a greater sense of independence as part of a high challenge and robust specifications which will enable students to build on the skills they’ve developed at GCSE, by engaging creatively and critically with a wide range of texts and discourses. Students are guided towards A-levels which seem a good match for their skill set and possible projection for their career options.

We have chosen AQA as our examination board. The specifications give us the freedom to develop and tailor our own content, inject our own creativity and teach in a way that brings enjoyment to all students.

Further information Curriculum Detail Key stages 3,4 and 5

Catholic Social Teaching
How we address values and virtues through English

Catholic social teaching is concerned with global social issues, and the Church’s stance is to tackle the issues and find a way to resolve them. There are a number of areas within our curriculum where students are exposed to these issues and the Catholic view point can be discussed

For example:

1) Dignity of the Human Person: Life and dignity are supported through many areas of the curriculum – ranging from KS3 through to KS5. At KS3, many students have ……… click to continue
2) Peace :The concept of peace can be observed in multiple areas of the English curriculum – especially that of our Y9 War Poetry unit. This offers students a real opportunity to ………..click to continue
3) The common Good:  The common good forms a solid foundation for all English teaching across the key stages and the curriculum as a whole. Many students develop their own sense of the common good through their exposure to the rights and responsibilities we are given – as well as those witnessed and read in a variety of texts we study. One Y9 text in particular…………..click to continue
4) The Option for the Poor and Vulnerable: Students are exposed to a variety of texts and scenarios, centred on the notion of the poor and the opportunities (or lack thereof) given in society. This can be pinpointed most prominently to texts such as Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ and William Blake’s click to continue
5) Dignity of Work : This and upholding human participation and fairness is something that lends itself well to the English curriculum. Most notably, Y7 are exposed to the realities of poverty and child slave labour in countries such as Bangladesh and India, through their ‘Voices of Protest’ unit………….click to continue
6) Solidarity: The permeates every part of the English curriculum, whether that be through a shared experience demonstrated in a Literature text or our reaction/perspective to an unseen Language text which offers an insight into challenging concepts. Often when reading a text, either in KS3, KS4 or KS5, students are offered ……….click to continue
7) Care for God’s Creation: Human experience concerns itself with the care for God’s creation and there are outstanding examples of this in KS3 and KS4. In Y8, students are …………..click to continue

To increase a student’s understanding of Catholic Social Teaching

The department empathises the importance of dialogic talk/discussion-based learning. Most research suggests that students think more critically and evaluatively when having the opportunity to speak openly with peers and as a class. This provides students with a platform to discuss, process, question, and challenge different perspectives and attitudes – bolstering their ability to think …………click to continue

Supporting the disadvantaged

The department uses a range of resources and skills to support disadvantaged learners. A range of students have learning passports that include implementation strategies to support learning. One of the strategies that assists many SEND children is the use of learning maps or task lists. Others might include glossaries of key words, printouts of PowerPoints (for students or in the case or hearing SEND, for the LSA to notate for later use), careful and suitable seating in class, use of specific pastel colour backgrounds on PowerPoints for those with visual stress or ensuring handouts are on a specific colour paper.

Assessment

Assessments are designed to test both knowledge and skills gained at a particular stage. Students are assessed regularly by their class teachers through the marking of classwork, the assessment of homework tasks and the half termly timed AOTs (assessment objective tests) which all students must take. Each student is provided with an instructive comment, a target and a grade (KS3 A-E, KS4 9-1), for a substantial piece of work produced. All Key Stage 3 teachers use the Key Stage 3 assessment criteria, a skills-based model which is rigorously monitored through moderation sessions. Students complete a variety of reading and/or writing tasks each year (6 in total) to assess their ability to apply key skills developed and knowledge gained throughout their learning journey, building on the themes/concepts experienced in previous texts. The AOTs may inform the six-week data drop or this may be awarded based on an amalgamation of test and classwork.  In this way, individual progress is measured and whole cohorts are also reviewed regularly. Students have an assessment book that follows the student throughout Key Stage 3.

Similarly, at KS4 and KS5, students are regularly assessed with each component/topic covered. Regular assessment through mock examinations, provide a clear pathway for continued progress, feedback and development. Consistent assessment in all areas of English Language and Literature, provides students with numerous opportunities to reflect, improve and develop their skills and knowledge for enhanced performance. ARE and target grades are regularly reviewed and scrutinised to ensure students are challenged through a robust programme of assessment and evaluation.

We have a clear understanding of what children need to learn and by when. This is reflected in the rich profusion of texts we have to offer throughout the curriculum, going above and beyond the requirement outlined in the National Curriculum. High Prior Attainers are supported in English by offering a more advanced reading group, to ensure students are appropriately challenged and focused on thinking critically about themes and concepts relating to the human condition.

Extra Curricular and Cultural Capital

Within the English department the development of Cultural Capital  is addressed through a students personal, social, spiritual, moral and cultural development. This is achieved through both the formal and informal curriculum.

Personal development includes work on growth mindset and the development of confidence through public speaking. Social development includes working in groups to listen to the views of others and present ideas based on a variety of texts. Initiatives to enhance a student’s spiritual development are achieved through a response to literature, for example, analysing how a student feels if they were a character in a story, or the appreciation of the beauty of language through poetry. Moral development is promoted in a number of ways including exploring the consequences of behaviours of characters in novels and having an opportunity to debate and discuss. Opportunities for cultural development are achieved through a multitude of texts and poetry exposing students to unfamiliar traditions.

In normal times, the department offers theatre trips, both locally and nationally, visiting authors and exciting exposure to contemporary adaptations of text.

Development of Literacy through English

Reading and writing in English is vital to personal and academic development, and our curriculum offers a multitude of opportunities for students to mature and grow further. Our department literacy policy ensures students enhance their academic prowess and progress, both through the reading of challenging texts and discussing complex issues to enhance the understanding of the human condition, and individual ability to apply literacy skills in all facets of life.

Prioritising disciplinary literacy:

  • Dialogic talk/discussion-based learning is an integral component of our curriculum, as well as intrinsic to our teaching and learning methods (e.g. ‘Let’s Think in English, nominated questioning & class debates). This provides opportunities to discuss challenging themes and offers key points to review subject specific vocabulary.
  • Offer bespoke teaching of subject specific vocabulary throughout our curriculum – inculcating a culture of revision and challenge, throughout a students’ learning journey.

Giving students the ability to read complex academic texts

  • Reading a robust profusion of texts and building cultural capital in the curriculum, develops knowledge and learning throughout each student’s learning journey.
  • Emotional literacy is enhanced exponentially through constant exposure to challenging literature, developing intrigue, curiosity and questioning.
  • Encouragement for students to access our Library Learning Centre – offering an eclectic taste of Literature from around the globe and a real multitude of first-class writers from different cultures.

Targeted vocabulary instruction

  • Writing offers an opportunity for students to put their knowledge and skills into practice. High scrutiny of technical accuracy, flair and creativity allows students to feel confident in their ability to produce high-quality writing and innovation is fostered at every juncture.
  • Methods of reflection, review and redrafting, ensure students are constantly learning as part of their continued development and writing skill.
  • Implementation of vocabulary read and learnt through reading, is encouraged to be used in writing tasks.
  • Encouraging students to include an ambitious range of vocabulary in their writing, as a result of their critical reading of various texts.