Rowhill School

English Language and Literature

KS4 English (Year 10 and 11)

Exam Board, AQA in both disciplines

We structure our curriculum to enable pupils to close gaps in knowledge and build on their learning.

Our intention is that all pupils will gain a grade in both English Language and English Literature with a Level 4 as a desired minimum. We implement this by offering a curriculum that is rich and varied in content, focusing on cultural cornerstones such as Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and Shakespeare’s Macbeth in Literature, and teaching language skills that are vital for the pupils’ exams, life and work in English Language.

Our intention is that all Year 11 pupils will leave school with a qualification that reflects their ability in both disciplines as well as the language skills necessary to be successful in both work and life.

Furthermore, regardless of year group or the amount of time spent with us, we hope to add to the pupils wider world knowledge; build on empathy; promote a love of reading and thus close any reading gaps and generally give the pupils a broader and richer cultural capital than they had before arriving at Rowhill. This is achieved by building aspects of SMSC into every English lesson and offering quality cultural experiences such as theatre trips and access to a broad range of literary texts from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

The ultimate impact is that all pupils will be able to move forward in life with the confidence and ability to become useful, productive and driven citizens of tomorrow.

Pupils sit AQA English Language Paper 1 and 2, AQA English Literature Paper 1 and 2 and the AQA Spoken and Listening certificate. 

KS3 English (Year 7, 8 and 9)

KS3 Summary of Course = The Rowhill School English Department aims to help each student to make progress in English and enjoy their learning using a number of different strategies to promote English skills and improve individual needs. Learning at KS3 is tailored to ensure that pupils can access learning long-term. We recognise that many pupils come to us in KS3 with gaps in education which are hindering their ability to access current learning and their ability to access learning in the future.

The intention is to equip all students at KS3 with the skills to enable them to thrive in KS4 – to help them access the curriculum, not only in English but in all subject areas. We aim to close gaps in attainment and empower pupils who return to mainstream schooling to feel confident that they have the knowledge to thrive.

We implement this by streaming our own curriculum, where possible, with that of the pupil’s feeder schools. The curriculum is tailored to ensure that the pupils are working at a level which is challenging and relevant.

The impact at the end of KS3 is that pupils move on to KS4 - whether with us or their mainstream school - feeling confident that they have the tools and knowledge needed to succeed.

Staff list

Ms L. Wells - Head of Faculty English & SMSC

Mrs L. Cordy - Teacher

Mrs S. Knight - Teacher

Useful Information

www.aqa.org.uk

www.bbc.co.uk › bitesize

 www.sparknotes.com

Reading list

A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens

Macbeth – Shakespeare

An Inspector Calls – J.B. Priestley

AQA Poetry Anthology – Power and Conflict

Frankenstein – Mary Shelley

Rabbit Proof Fence - Doris Garimara Pilkington

The Island at the End of Everything - Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck

A Woman in Black - Susan Hill