English

English Language & Literature Curriculum Overview

Click here to download our English Language learning journey.

Click here to download our English Literature learning journey.

Aim

Here at Southmoor Academy, we aim to securely equip all of our students for life beyond school as successful, confident, responsible and respectful citizens. We believe that education provides the key to social mobility and our curriculum is designed to build strong foundations in the knowledge, understanding and skills which lead to academic and personal success.  We want our students to enjoy the challenges that learning offers.

Our aims are underpinned by a culture of high aspirations. Through developing positive relationships, we work towards every individual having a strong belief in their own abilities so that they work hard, build resilience and achieve their very best.

Intent

The curriculum includes formal teaching through subject areas, assemblies and extracurricular activities. We regularly review content to ensure we continue to meet our curriculum aims. The English curriculum is covered through schemes of work, lesson planning, homework, extended independent work, and extra-curricular activities. We regularly review content to ensure we continue to meet our curriculum aims.

Our curriculum is planned to enable all students to develop: a knowledge, understanding and wide range of transferable literacy skills that promote and encourage a love of reading and a willingness to apply themselves to new challenges both across the curriculum and independently; a natural sense of curiosity and a drive to question, argue and persuade; the encouragement of creativity and risk taking; the reading of contemporary and literary texts that promote positive and healthy lifestyles, British values of mutual respect and love of learning about other cultures and traditions; the encouragement of purposeful talk and attentive listening skills in collaborative work and a development of the emotional skills required to listen; opportunities to use their knowledge and skills in language and literature to open possibilities in the world of work and the post 18 opportunities including broadening their experience of the wider literary world of cinema and theatre.

Throughout our programmes of study, every attempt is made to make explicit links to careers and the world of work. In addition to subject specific links, we aim to explicitly reinforce the skills and aptitudes which support employers say are important in the workplace;

Resilience (Aiming High, Staying Positive, Learning from Mistakes)

Collaboration (Teamwork Leadership, Communication)

Creativity (Originality, Problem Solving, Independent Study)

The British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect of those with different faiths and beliefs are taught explicitly and reinforced in the way in which the school operates.

Sequence and structure 

Our curriculum is split in to Key Stage 3 (years 7, 8 and 9) and Key Stage 4 (years 10 and 11). This gives ample opportunities for coverage of all subject areas within the national curriculum, and others which we believe reflect the needs of the community we serve.

• Year 7 KS3 Curriculum

  Click here to view the Year 7 English curriculum intent for 2021-2022.

  In Year 7 we study a range of fiction writing and explore parts of the English Canon of writing. Pupils have the opportunity to read and explore a full contemporary novel, analysing the writer’s style of prose and language. There are ample opportunities for writing in a range of genres, forms and for different purposes and audiences but with a focus on enjoyment and enrichment.  Students are encouraged to plan, edit, draft and redraft their work with a focus on consolidating and building on their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary.  We explore extracts from Shakespearean plays but recognise the importance of studying contemporary playwrights. In Year 7 we examine the impact of war poetry to encourage a love of poetry but also to equip pupils with important analytical skills fundamental in KS4.  The spoken language is developed in all schemes of learning through discussion, debate and working collaboratively with peers.

  A bespoke reading lesson is offered through the English department that focuses on RISE: Read, Investigate, Succeed and Enjoy. These lessons aim to develop pupils’ love of reading through a specific focus of enjoying a novel as a class. We endeavour to select contemporary novels that which pupils will find relatable, entertaining and challenging – whilst developing pupils’ reading skills which will be utilised across the curriculum.

  We know that students who read well achieve well. As such all subject areas are committed to providing regular opportunities to read extensively. We provide regular opportunities for students to read for pleasure and to receive small group interventions if their reading skills are lower than we would expect.

• Year 8 KS3 Curriculum

  Click here to view the Year 8 English curriculum intent for 2021-2022.

  In Year 8, students study both fiction and non-fiction texts. Pupils will read ‘Animal Farm’ with a focus on analytical skills and making links to context. Newspaper articles, speeches and diary entries will give pupils opportunities to develop their knowledge of non-fiction texts but also allow them to create their own pieces of writing on a range of modern topics, developing and refining their written skills.  Whilst building on their knowledge of Shakespeare through the study of ‘The Tempest’, pupils will also be given the opportunity to study poetry from other cultures aiming to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills in addition to analytical skills fundamental to them starting their GCSE texts in KS4.   New vocabulary and grammatical structures are taught explicitly through the study of medieval literature which also encourages resilience, independence and promotes cultural capital.

  A bespoke reading lesson is offered through the English department that focuses on RISE: Read, Investigate, Succeed and Enjoy. These lessons aim to develop pupils’ love of reading through a specific focus of enjoying a novel as a class. We endeavour to select contemporary novels that which pupils will find relatable, entertaining and challenging – whilst developing pupils’ reading skills which will be utilised across the curriculum.

  We know that students who read well achieve well. As such all subject areas are committed to providing regular opportunities to read extensively. We provide regular opportunities for students to read for pleasure and to receive small group interventions if their reading skills are lower than we would expect.

• Year 9 KS3 Curriculum

  Click here to view the Year 9 English curriculum intent for 2021-2022.

  We know that students who read well achieve well. As such all subject areas are committed to providing regular opportunities to read extensively. We provide regular opportunities for students to read for pleasure and to receive small group interventions if their reading skills are lower than we would expect.

• Year 10 KS4 Curriculum

  Our Year 10 Key Stage 4 Curriculum

  In Key Stage 4, we study the AQA specification that studies: ‘Macbeth’, ‘A Christmas Carol’, ‘An Inspector Calls’ and the Power and Conflict Poetry anthology. Pupils are encouraged to think and speak analytically through challenging discourse and questioning. Pupils study the texts contextually discovering their relevance in today’s society by questioning how attitudes change in relation to gender, society and life-style.  In Language, the department continuously updates and self-evaluates the resources we use in lessons so that reading and writing is meaningful and purposeful. Students access a range of fiction, non-fiction and literary non-fiction texts from the 19^th, 20^th and 21^st century in order to extend skills developed in Key Stage 3.  Writing opportunities are regular and pupils are taught to write clearly, coherently and accurately, using a range of sophisticated vocabulary and sentence structures and for different purposes and audiences.  The spoken language is developed in all schemes of learning through discussion, debate and working collaboratively with peers.

  Year 10	English – 6 times per week.  Equal Language x3 / Literature x3 split
  Term 1.1	Macbeth (Shakespeare play) – Focus on Literature skills. AO1 – Understanding. AO2 – Writer’ Methods. AO3 – Context.	Language Paper 1  Language skills: identify and select information (AO1) how writers use language and structural techniques to achieve effects and influence readers (AO2) ), compare writer’s ideas and perspectives (AO3), evaluate texts critically (AO4); Language skills: communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively; organise ideas effectively (AO5) and SPaG (AO6)
  Term 1.2	A Christmas Carol (19th Century Novel) – Focus on Literature skills. AO1 – Understanding. AO2 – Writer’ Methods. AO3 – Context.	Language Paper 2   Language skills: identify and select information (AO1) how writers use language and structural techniques to achieve effects and influence readers (AO2) ), compare writer’s ideas and perspectives (AO3), evaluate texts critically (AO4); Language skills: communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively; organise ideas effectively (AO5) and SPaG (AO6)
  Term 2.1	An Inspector Calls Modern drama –Focus on Literature skills. AO1 – Understanding. AO2 – Writer’ Methods. AO3 – Context.	An Inspector Calls Modern drama – Focus on Literature skills. AO1 – Understanding. AO2 – Writer’ Methods. AO3 – Context.
  Term 2.2	Power and Conflict Anthology – Introduction to poems.	Language Paper 1 & Paper 2 Continuous Revision of skills. Language skills: identify and select information (AO1) how writers use language and structural techniques to achieve effects and influence readers (AO2),), compare writer’s ideas and perspectives (AO3) evaluate texts critically (AO4); Language skills: communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively; organise ideas effectively (AO5) and SPaG (AO6)
  Term 3.1	Unseen Poetry.  Focus on Literature skills. AO1 – Understanding. AO2 – Writer’ Methods	Revision of Paper 1 and Paper 2  skills. Language skills: identify and select information (AO1) how writers use language and structural techniques to achieve effects and influence readers (AO2),), compare writer’s ideas and perspectives (AO3) evaluate texts critically (AO4); Language skills: communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively; organise ideas effectively (AO5) and SPaG (AO6)
  Term 3.2	Language – Spoken Language.  GCSE Speaking and Listening Exam. Planning, Preparation and Completion.	Language – Spoken Language.  GCSE Speaking and Listening Exam. Planning, Preparation and Completion.

  We know that students who read well achieve well. As such all subject areas are committed to providing regular opportunities to read extensively. We provide regular opportunities for students to read for pleasure and to receive small group interventions if their reading skills are lower than we would expect.

• Year 11 KS4 Curriculum

  Our Year 11 Key Stage 4 Curriculum

  In Key Stage 4, we study the AQA specification that studies: ‘Macbeth’, ‘A Christmas Carol’, ‘An Inspector Calls’ the Power and Conflict Poetry Anthology and Unseen Poetry. Pupils are encouraged to think and speak analytically through challenging discourse and questioning. Pupils study the texts contextually discovering their relevance in today’s society by questioning how attitudes change in relation to gender, society and life-style.  In Language, the department continuously updates and self-evaluates the resources we use in lessons so that reading and writing is meaningful and purposeful. Students access a range of fiction, non-fiction and literary non-fiction texts from the 19^th, 20^th and 21^st century in order to extend skills developed in Key Stage 3.  Writing opportunities are regular and pupils are taught to write clearly, coherently and accurately, using a range of sophisticated vocabulary and sentence structures and for different purposes and audiences.  The spoken language is developed in all schemes of learning through discussion, debate and working collaboratively with peers.

  Year 11	English – 7 times per week. Literature x4, Language x3
  Term 1.1	AO1 – Understanding. AO2 – Writer’ Methods. AO3 – Context.  Focus on character, theme, plot, essay writing. ‘Macbeth’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ ‘An Inspector Calls’ Power and Conflict Poetry anthology Unseen poetry	Language Paper 1 & Paper 2 Continuous Revision of skills. Language skills: identify and select information (AO1) how writers use language and structural techniques to achieve effects and influence readers (AO2) ), compare writer’s ideas and perspectives (AO3), evaluate texts critically (AO4); Language skills: communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively; organise ideas effectively (AO5) and SPaG (AO6)
  Term 1.2	AO1 – Understanding. AO2 – Writer’ Methods. AO3 – Context.  Focus on character, theme, plot, essay writing. ‘Macbeth’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ ‘An Inspector Calls’ Power and Conflict Poetry anthology Unseen poetry	Language Paper 1 & Paper 2 Continuous Revision of skills. Language skills: identify and select information (AO1) how writers use language and structural techniques to achieve effects and influence readers (AO2) ), compare writer’s ideas and perspectives (AO3), evaluate texts critically (AO4); Language skills: communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively; organise ideas effectively (AO5) and SPaG (AO6)
  Term 2.1	AO1 – Understanding. AO2 – Writer’ Methods. AO3 – Context.  Focus on character, theme, plot, essay writing. ‘Macbeth’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ ‘An Inspector Calls’ Power and Conflict Poetry anthology Unseen poetry	Language Paper 1 & Paper 2 continuous Revision of skills. Language skills: identify and select information (AO1) how writers use language and structural techniques to achieve effects and influence readers (AO2) ), compare writer’s ideas and perspectives (AO3), evaluate texts critically (AO4); Language skills: communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively; organise ideas effectively (AO5) and SPaG (AO6)
  Term 2.2	AO1 – Understanding. AO2 – Writer’ Methods. AO3 – Context.  Focus on character, theme, plot, essay writing. ‘Macbeth’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ ‘An Inspector Calls’ Power and Conflict Poetry anthology Unseen poetry	Language Paper 1 & Paper 2 Continuous Revision of skills. Language skills: identify and select information (AO1) how writers use language and structural techniques to achieve effects and influence readers (AO2) ), compare writer’s ideas and perspectives (AO3), evaluate texts critically (AO4); Language skills: communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively; organise ideas effectively (AO5) and SPaG (AO6)
  Term 3.1	Exam Revision for Paper 1 and Paper 2 Literature. Paper 1: Macbeth A Christmas Carol Paper 2: An Inspector Calls Power and Conflict Poetry Unseen Poetry	Exam revision for Paper 1 & 2 English Language.

  We know that students who read well achieve well. As such all subject areas are committed to providing regular opportunities to read extensively. We provide regular opportunities for students to read for pleasure and to receive small group interventions if their reading skills are lower than we would expect.

How does our Curriculum cater for students with SEND?

Southmoor Academy is an inclusive academy where every child is valued and respected. We are committed to the inclusion, progress and independence of all our students, including those with SEN. We work to support our students to make progress in their learning, their emotional and social development and their independence. We actively work to support the learning and needs of all members of our community; for example, if a child or young person has SEN, or if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made that is additional to or different from that made generally for other children or young people of the same age. (CoP 2015, p16)

Teachers are responsible for the progress of ALL students in their class and high-quality teaching is carefully planned; this is the first step in supporting students who may have SEND. All students are challenged to do their very best and all students at the Academy are expected to make at least good progress.

In English, SEND support is provided by class teachers through differentiated teaching methods. Additional support is provided by the SENDCO and trained teaching assistants. 

How does our curriculum cater for disadvantaged students and those from minority groups?

As a school serving an area with high levels of deprivation, we work tirelessly to raise the attainment for all students and to close any gaps that exist due to social contexts. The deliberate allocation of funding and resources has ensured that attainment gaps are closing in our drive to ensure that all pupils are equally successful when they leave the Academy.

In English, each member of staff holds a teaching handbook that identifies disadvantaged pupils. Pupils are placed in the classrooms with careful consideration so that they receive high quality focus and support from staff and peers. In assessment, positive discrimination is used to effective and detailed feedback is written in books. In line with school data drops, work is scrutinised, and disadvantaged pupils are identified and interventions put in place. These include: 1:1, lunchtime revision, bespoke independent work, free revision books and visits.

Please see our separate Department plan for our most recent targets and interventions.

How do we make sure that our curriculum is implemented effectively?

The English curriculum leader is responsible for designing the English curriculum and monitoring implementation.

The subject leader’s monitoring is validated by senior leaders.

Staff have regular access to professional development/training to ensure that curriculum requirements are met.

Effective assessment informs staff about areas in which interventions are required. These interventions are delivered during curriculum time to enhance pupils’ capacity to access the full curriculum.

Curriculum resources are selected carefully and reviewed regularly.

Assessments are designed thoughtfully to assess student progress and also to shape future learning.

Assessments are checked for reliability within departments and across the Trust.

Every year, the English department meets to discuss, evaluate and adapt the KS3 and 4 curriculum based upon data, pupil voice, across trust discussions and primary visits. Key roles are allocated to experienced members of staff to ensure the monitoring of the curriculum is implemented correctly and effectively.

The Assistant Principal and subject leaders have clear roles and responsibilities to carry out curriculum design and delivery. They ensure that the curriculum within their key stage expertise has sufficient depth and coverage of knowledge in the subjects. Assessment timelines are created so that enough time is allocated to ensure there is a breadth and depth of a topic and LPs intervene where necessary. A mastery approach is used.  These are shared across the Academy trust.

How do we make sure our curriculum is having the desired impact?

• Examination results analysis and evaluation, reported to the senior leaders and the local governing body to ensure challenge
• Termly assessments-analysis and evaluation meetings
• Lesson observations
• Learning walks
• Book scrutiny
• Regular feedback from Teaching Staff during department meetings
• Regular feedback from Middle Leaders during curriculum meetings
• Pupil surveys
• Parental feedback
• External reviews and evaluations