Within the curriculum area of English at Wadebridge School, it is our goal to achieve a balance between developing the literacy skills needed to achieve examination results that will enable students to unlock the next stage of their learning, whilst fostering an enthusiasm for high quality literature that opens up the world of the past, present and future.

English Curriculum Overview

Key Stage 4 English

A parent's guide to the new GCSE English and English Literature exam

GCSE English Literature Years 9 and 10 - information
English Language  Support Information
English Literature  Support Information
GCSE English Language - course outline
GCSE English Literature - course outline
 

Key Stage 3 English

 

Key Stage 3 (Years 7 & 8)

At KS3, curriculum content is wide, varied and challenging. Students will encounter literature from across time, genres and thematic links - from Gothic to Shakespeare through a range of prose, poetry and drama. Our curriculum design will develop an appreciation and love of reading whist at the same time understanding the craft of writing. The content at KS3 is designed to feed in to Literature at KS4 giving the foundations for deeper, more complex understanding of the subject. At KS3, students are allocated one library lesson a fortnight where they will work through the class reader and have access to the school’s excellent library to promote reading for pleasure. Grammar and Spelling lessons are embedded into our curriculum to help build on existing knowledge and improve the accuracy, structure and effectiveness of their writing – learning to write exploratory essays, narrative and transactional writing in preparation for the demands of KS4. Spoken Language activities are embedded in all schemes with specific teaching in the Drama units covered.

 

Year 7 English Topics 

Year 7

Text and assessment

The Gothic Lang -Narrative/descriptive writing Lit - Gothic short story (setting and atmosphere) Poe

Shakespeare Lit - Presentation of Caliban in Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ Lang - Speech on climate change/environment (F) Bullying (S)

Nature (Romanticism/Art) Lit - Romantic poets (Anthology led) Lang - Article about local area/attractions/ focus to be on the natural beauty of Cornwall

Charlotte Dymond Drama - The Ballad/Dramatic performance

Year 8 English Topics

Year 8

Text and assessment

Power and Conflict Literature and Poetry & Drama Lang -  (Marius) Complaint Letter and Article

Play Lit - Oliver Twist character and theme based analysis Lang - Report and Review

English through the Ages Literature across time Lang - Informal letters

 

Key Stage 3 Homework

At KS3 students are encouraged to read for pleasure. Each year students will read three varied and challenging texts suitable for age and ability. Students will read one book per term and complete linked work as their homework and use library lessons as a forum for discussions.

 

Recommended Reading List (KS3)

All texts are available in the Learning Resource Centre

Speedy Reads	Quick Reads	Gutsy Reads
‘Dark Man’ * - Lancet IHero * - Barlow & Skidmore IHorror* - Barlow & Skidmore Superhero*   - D.C Comics Anything by Helen Orme Graphic Revolve ... Series of Classic Novels in graphic form	Skullduggery Pleasant * - Landy Magyk* - Sage Dead Man’s cove- St John Broken Soup – Valentine Life on the Refrigerator Door – Kuipers Blade Series * - Bowler Artemis Fowl – Colfer Tales of Terror from the Black Ship – Priestley A Dog for Life – Matthews A Year without Autumn – Kessler The London Eye Mystery – Siobhan Dowd My Name is Mina – David Almond Boom – Mark Haddon	Any Book By Kevin Brooks Knife – Anderson Gone* – Grant Ingo* – Dunmore Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins I am Number 4 –Lore Power of 6 - Lore The Secret Garden – Burnett The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe – Lewis Black Beauty – Sewell Swallows & Amazons * - Ransome Mr Creecher – Chris Priestley

 

Gifted & Talented Policy
Year 7

Year 7 is a fresh start for all students; those who may not have excelled previously will have new opportunities to succeed. We feel that Year 7 should begin with a level playing field and that each individual student should be judged on their performance within the context of their new English class.

Year 7 Gifted and Talented students will be identified in the January of Year 7, so that there is a body of assessment to display their skills in the three aspects of English: Reading, Writing and Drama/Speaking and Listening. This judgement will not take into account their KS2 data, only their current performance. The students who achieve GCSE 5 and above in any of the assessed aspects will be identified as Gifted and Talented in that particular area of English.

Year 8

The criteria for Gifted and Talented students in Year 8 will be those who have achieved and are working at GCSE 6 and above in any of the assessed aspects of English, by January of Year 8. They will be identified as Gifted and Talented in that particular strand of English. This list will replace the list of those students who were previously identified in Year 7.

Year 9

The criteria for Gifted and Talented students in Year 9 will be those who have achieved and are working at GCSE 7 in any of the assessed aspects of English, by January of Year 9. They will be identified as Gifted and Talented in that particular strand of English. This list will replace the list of those students who were previously identified in Year 8.

Throughout the academic year there will be a series of enrichment opportunities available for our Gifted and Talented learners, as well as differentiated assessments to allow them to showcase their skills.

Useful Websites 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/ - KS3 English

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/

http://www.parentsintouch.co.uk/English-KS3/4-worksheets

http://u2learn.com/ks3-english-links.html

http://www.tameside.gov.uk/libraries/childrens/webzone/homework/english

http://www.shambles.net/pages/learning/EnglishP/eslgames/