Wilson's School

English: Curriculum

Key Stage 3
In Year 7 and 8 students develop their skills in our Core Concepts (below) – reading, writing and speaking and listening. In Year 7, students study a modern novel and a range of dramatic monologues as well as A Midsummer Night’s Dream and a range of writing tasks. In Year 8, students study Sherlock Holmes stories, as well as a modern novel, Much Ado About Nothing and a range of writing tasks. We have adapted our Key Stage 3 curriculum to prepare students for the new GCSE qualifications by ensuring that all Key Stage 3 students read nineteenth century fiction and begin to analyse the structure of texts.
KS3 Core Concepts
1
WRITING
Write interesting texts which are accurate and well-structured

EXCEEDING: Uses a range of sophisticated methods to produce a well-structured, coherent and interesting text. Uses a range of sophisticated methods to produce a text which is subtly targeted to audience and purpose and writes in entirely accurate Standard English.

SECURE: Uses a range of methods to produce a well-structured, coherent and interesting text. Uses a range of methods to produce a text which is accurately targeted to audience and purpose and writes in accurate Standard English.

DEVELOPING: Uses some methods to produce a clearly structured and interesting text. Uses some methods to produce a text which is broadly targeted to audience and purpose and writes in generally accurate Standard English.
2
ANALYSING
Understand and analyse a range of text types

EXCEEDING: Understands subtle literal and metaphorical meanings in texts and refers precisely to aptly selected evidence to support his view. Analyses precisely a wide range of aspects of an author’s craft, including structure and language and they critically analyses the significance of the purpose, audience and context of a text.

SECURE: Understands literal and metaphorical meanings in texts and refers to evidence to support all views. Analyses aspects of an author’s craft and analyses the significance of the purpose, audience and context of a text

DEVELOPING: Understands some literal and metaphorical meanings in texts and refers to some evidence to support most views. Comments on some aspects of an author’s craft and comments on the significance of the purpose, audience and context of a text.
3
SPEAKING
Speak confidently in a range of contexts

EXCEEDING: Gives compelling short speeches and presentations. Makes compelling contributions  and manages others’ contributions in formal debates and discussions. Devises and performs compelling drama and poetry

SECURE: Gives engaging short speeches and presentations, participates fully in formal debates and discussions and devises and performs engaging drama and poetry

DEVELOPING: Gives short speeches and presentations broadly suited to audience and purpose, makes a sustained contribution in formal debates and discussions and devises and performs appropriate drama and poetry
Close
Key Stage 4
AQA GCSE English Language and Literature

In Year 9, students build the skills necessary for GCSE by studying a modern work of literature and poetry from World War One. They study GCSE English Language Paper One (Reading and Producing Fiction texts) and give individual presentations.

In Year 10 students prepare for GCSE English Language Paper Two (Reading and Producing Non-Fiction texts) and GCSE English Literature Paper One (Shakespeare and Nineteenth Century Fiction). They also give an individual talk and study a selection of poetry texts.

In Year 11 students prepare for GCSE English Literature Paper Two (Modern Texts and Poetry) as well as reviewing both English Language papers.
Key Stage 5
Edexcel AS and A Level English Literature

In the Lower Sixth, students prepare for AS English Literature. They study a selection from the Forward Poems of the Decade anthology, Dr Faustus by Christopher Marlowe, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.

In the Upper Sixth, students prepare for A Level English Literature. For the examined units, they study a selection of metaphysical poetry, King Lear by Shakespeare, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguru and for coursework they study The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguru and compare it with a text of their choice.