English

Our curriculum is structured to bring about desirable difficulties in the study of English and to ensure that all students have an opportunity to grow a love and enthusiasm for the subject whilst becoming creative thinkers, skilled writers, proficient communicators and confident readers, thereby giving them the strong foundations necessary to succeed at KS3, KS4 and beyond.

Provide an inspiring, diverse and challenging curriculum
Support every student to develop a love of language and literature
Support students to unleash their true potential by enabling them to achieve the very best examination results possible at KS4
Provide regular exposure to a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts
Ignite curiosity and a passion for reading
Equip our students with high standards of literacy
Develop critical thinkers
Build cultural capital within our students by ensuring we are teaching texts in context
Deliver a curriculum covering literature from a range of times, cultures and traditions
Help to prepare students for future learning and the world of work
Communicate how language and literature have been and can be a powerful force in the changing world we live in

Year 7

Inspire, engage and excite – Key Idea – CONFLICT

At Katherine Warington School, Year 7 is a time for exploring a range of diverse fiction and narrative texts as means of building confidence in the four key English skills of Reading, Writing, Oracy and Accuracy.

Students start and end Year 7 with fantastic reading opportunities which allow them to develop a passion for fiction and narrative and this persistent focus on reading skills creates a strong basis for students to become the creators of their own texts when they explore creative and persuasive writing later in the school year.

Autumn Term 1&2

War and Conflict Literature

Private Peaceful by Micheal Morpurgo

Reading

Transition assessment

Analytical essay

Spring Term 1

The Power of Language

Selected speeches: Greta Thunberg, Martin Luther King

Oracy

Persuasive speech

Spring Term 2

Shakespeare

Comedy

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

Reading

Analytical essay

Summer Term 1

The Hero’s Journey

Selected extracts: Beowulf, Theseus & The Minotaur (and many more)

Writing

Narrative and descriptive writing

Summer Term 2

Literature from around the World

Selected poetry and extracts: Englan’ Voice, Search for my Tongue, The Breadwinner (and many more)

Writing

Creative writing project (diary, poetry, description)

Enrichment/Extracurricular

Whole school oracy event, Revision workshops, Read aloud, Youth Speaks competition, Poetry by Heart competition

Big Purple Challenge (Year group reading challenge)
Spooky story competition
Inter-form poetry competition
Anthony Glenn visit – live performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Trip to The Globe

Year 8

Inspire, engage and excite – Key Idea – CONFLICT

In Year 8, our big picture continues to centre on our four key skills of Reading, Writing, Oracy and Accuracy. English students in Year 8 at Katherine Warington School will progress their study of literature by continuing to read, experience and engage with a wide and exciting range of narrative voices throughout the year.

Our units of study in Year 8 utilise a range of media to maintain a focus on engaging and inspiring students with narratives in film, journalism, novel and play form and we expose students to literature from a wide variety of eras; from Shakespeare to Dickens to 20th Century Dystopian fiction.

All units of study give students the opportunity to challenge themselves in a supportive environment, with the ultimate intention of enabling them all to become creative thinkers, skilled writers, proficient communicators and confident readers in their further studies and beyond.

Autumn Term 1

Learning from the Masters

Selected extracts: Harry Potter, Treasure Island, The Hobbit

Writing

Narrative and descriptive writing

Autumn Term 2

Morals in 19th Century writing

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Reading

Analytical essay

Spring Term 1 &2

Dystopian Fiction

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Reading and Writing

Narrative and descriptive writing

Summer Term 1

Shakespeare

Tragedy

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Reading

Analytical essay

Summer Term 2

Introduction to Gothic Literature

Frankenstein, Dracula (and many more)

Oracy

Oral presentation

Enrichment/Extracurricular

Whole school oracy event, Revision workshops, Read aloud, Youth Speaks competition, Poetry by Heart competition

Going for Gold Challenge (Year group reading challenge)
Anthony Glenn visit – live performance of Romeo and Juliet
Trip – Creative writing, The Gothic

Year 9

Consolidate, challenge and build – Key Idea – MESSAGE AND VOICE

By Year 9 we expect students to have a strong knowledge of their own ability in English. Students will have spent a considerable amount of time by this point reflecting on their performance in key skills (Reading, Writing, Oracy and Accuracy) and should understand what skills they need to develop and how. Therefore, consolidating knowledge and skills already developed at KS3 is key to success in Year 9.

Students will also begin to not only engage and enjoy literature but their reading of literature becomes the basis for challenging their ideas and will start to spark interesting debate. A key aspect of the KS4 curriculum is recognising and identifying viewpoint in in texts whilst also being able to communicate your own opinions and ideas articulately. This is why most of our units encourage students to reflect on their own reaction to fiction and non-fiction texts.

In English, Year 9 acts as a bridge to GCSE. Students do not begin looking at GCSE content/texts until the last half term; however the units studied have been created to give ample opportunities to build confidence in some of the most challenging skills in our subject.

Autumn Term 1

America’s Outsiders

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Reading

Analytical essay

Lit – Paper 1

Autumn Term 2

Express Yourself (Writer’s Viewpoints)

Selection of non-fiction texts and speeches

Writing

Newspaper article

Lang – Paper 2

Spring Term 1

Introduction to Poetry

Selection of traditional and contemporary poetry

Reading

Analytical essay (timed)

Lit – Paper 2

Spring Term 2

Comparing Narratives – Diverse Shorts

Selection of three short stories

Writing

Narrative writing (short story)

Lang – Paper 1

Summer Term 1

Shakespeare

Comedy

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

Writing

Film review

Lit – Paper 1

Summer Term 2

Preparing for GCSE Study

Recall, recap, reflection.

Cluster 1 Conflict Poetry

Oracy

Oral presentation (Dramatic reading or prepared questions)

Spoken Language

Enrichment/Extracurricular

Whole school oracy event, Revision workshops, Youth Speaks competition, Poetry by Heart competition, Year group reading challenge, Trip – conflict poetry