English
Why is the subject important?
The English curriculum at Trinity Academy Grammar is designed to create a love of literature, language and reading in all students by ensuring that the curriculum is relevant to our modern world and encouraging discussion and debate on a wide range of themes. Students are encouraged to consider the message and characters in a wide range of diverse stories to foster a love of reading as well as their knowledge of English as a subject.
We embed the academy’s core values of empathy, honesty, respect and responsibility by encouraging students to understand the varying viewpoints, characterisation and purposes that sit behind texts. We actively encourage empathy linked to characterisation within the array of texts we study and promote students’ exploration of their own personal identity and aspirations.
The exposure to a variety of fictional and non-fictional pieces enables pupils to engage with world events and current affairs, whilst developing them as citizens who have reasoned opinions and are able to articulate these. We have a focus on ensuring that students have the required literacy and grammar skills to communicate effectively in the wider world.
Year 7
What will I be studying?
Term 1: Modern Gothic – ‘Cirque du Freak’ by Darren Shan: Reading/Analysis
Term 2: Modern Gothic – ‘Cirque du Freak’ by Darren Shan: Creative Writing
Term 3: Modern Mystery – ‘High Rise Mystery’ by Sharna Jackson: Reading/Analysis
Term 4: 19th Century Mystery – ‘The Speckled Band’ by Arthur Conan Doyle: Creative Writing
Term 5: Tragedy – ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare, linked to Non-Fiction Reading/Analysis
Term 6: Tragedy – ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare linked to Non-Fiction Persuasive Writing
Career Links
Career Pathways include law, the police, fiction writing as a novelist, auditing and nursing. All require strong communication skills and the ability to read and comprehend information well.
How will I be assessed?
Assessment Window 1: Reading/Analysis of Gothic extract, Narrative Creative Writing
Assessment Window 2: Reading/Analysis of Gothic extract, Descriptive Creative Writing
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
www.senecalearning.com – This website is free and provides hundreds of revision courses and quizzes. Search for these courses:
- English KS3 Decoding Words
- English KS3 Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar
Year 8
What will I be studying?
Term 1: Political Fiction – ‘Animal Farm’ by George Orwell: Reading/Analysis
Term 2: Political Fiction – ‘Animal Farm’ by George Orwell: Persuasive Writing
Term 3: Poetry and Identity – Analysis of a range of poems focused on individual identity
Term 4: Short Stories and Identity – Analysis of a range of short stories focused on individual identity
Term 5: Modern Tragedy – ‘Blood Brothers’ by Willy Russell: Reading/Analysis
Term 6: Modern Tragedy – ‘Blood Brothers’ by Willy Russell: Creative Writing
Career Links
Career Pathways include campaigning, songwriting, event planning and social work. All require strong communication skills and the ability to read and comprehend information well.
How will I be assessed?
Assessment Window 1: Reading/Analysis of Non-Fiction persuasive speech, Non-Fiction persuasive writing
Assessment Window 2: Reading/Analysis of poem, Narrative Creative Writing
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
www.senecalearning.com – This website is free and provides hundreds of revision courses and quizzes. Search for these courses:
- English KS3 Decoding Words
- English KS3 Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar
Year 9
What will I be studying?
Term 1: 20th Century Novel – ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck: Reading/Analysis
Term 2: 20th Century Novel – ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck: Creative Writing
Term 3: Tragedy – ‘Othello’ by William Shakespeare: Reading/Analysis
Term 4: Tragedy – ‘Othello’ by William Shakespeare: Creative Writing
Term 5: Impact of the Modern World – Non-Fiction Analysis and Writing
Term 6: Power and Conflict Poetry
Career Links
Careers links include social media and communications management, politics, editing, spoken word poetry, sports journalism and psychology. All require strong communication skills and the ability to read and comprehend information well.
How will I be assessed?
Assessment Window 1: Reading/Analysis of Non-Fiction persuasive extracts, Non-Fiction persuasive writing
Assessment Window 2: Reading/Analysis of Shakespearean Tragedy, Narrative Creative Writing
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
www.senecalearning.com – This website is free and provides hundreds of revision courses and quizzes. Search for these courses:
- English KS3 Decoding Words
- English KS3 Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar
- English KS3 Of Mice and Men
Years 10 and 11
What will I be studying?
Year 10
Term 1: ‘An Inspector Calls’ by J.B. Priestley
Term 2: ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens
Term 3: English Language AQA Paper 1
Term 4: ‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare
Term 5: Power and Conflict Poetry
Term 6: English Language AQA Paper 2 and Speaking & Listening
Year 11 – Revision
Term 1: Revision of ‘A Christmas Carol’, Language Paper 1, and Poetry
Term 2: Revision of ‘Macbeth’, Language Paper 2, and Poetry
Term 3: Revision of ‘An Inspector Calls’, Language Paper 2, and Poetry
Term 4 and 5: Overall Revision
Career Links
Careers links include teaching, charity work, management, human resources, policing, and law. All require strong communication skills and the ability to read and comprehend information well.
How will I be assessed?
KS4 students will be assessed termly on their current focus of learning using past paper examination questions.
Year 11 students will have two ‘trial’ examination windows throughout the year in order to prepare them for their GCSE examinations.
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
www.senecalearning.com – Students are set quizzes and courses on this site to complete weekly for homework.
