Vision and philosophy
English at The Colne celebrates language as a form of art and its importance in the way that we make sense of the world around us. Through studying the very best of literature and exploring the way that it has been shaped by the context in which it was written, students learn to appreciate the power of the written word and how they can utilise this power to express themselves, their lives and the world around them. At The Colne, we are guided by the belief that ‘Reading is breathing in and writing is breathing out’. An understanding of this philosophy underpins every aspect of our curriculum. Students will explore the motivations and intentions of a range of authors whilst looking at how they can manipulate language to communicate their own perspectives and voices.
Cultural Capital
In English, students are naturally exposed to a wide variety of ideas and perspectives through an exciting range of diverse texts and topics as well as those from the literary canon. Students are then given opportunities to express their own thoughts and ideas in a variety of ways; including both creatively and analytically.
Throughout the 5 year curriculum, students will explore a range of moral and ethical dilemmas through the full range of text types including plays, prose, poetry, fiction and non-fiction spanning approximately 450 years. To support this, the department offers lots of extra and super curricular opportunities such as visits to the theatre and visits from travelling theatre groups, guest speakers from the local university and participation in competitions including the Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge.
Ultimately, English equips students with the skills to thrive in an ever changing world and teaches them not what to think but how to express their thoughts and opinions articulately and with clarity. English teaches tolerance and understanding of others and introduces them to the very best that has been thought and said and encourages them to contribute to that existing body of work, showing that their voice is equally as important.
Overview of the learning journey in English
Year 7
Chronological journey through literature
We begin the year exploring the origins of storytelling and how they were used by ancient civilisations to empathise with and understand the world. Students will explore the seven main story types before before moving on to exploring Juliet's role as a daughter, wife and woman in a patriarchal society in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. We then move to the rebellious poetry of the Romantic era before immersing students in the Victorian period through the study of Oliver Twist, using both units to explore the role of literature as a social commentary. We end the year by exploring a selection of Dystopian stories to explore why some authors choose to step away from contemporary social commentary and look to the future. Throughout the year, students are encouraged to engage with a range of linked reading to explore these ideas further and deepen their knowledge.
Knowledge Organisers for Year 7
These are the knowledge organiser used by students in lessons to support the learning and retrieval of key information.
Year 8
Literature through a lens
Building on the work of year 7, this year will focus on how language is used by a wide variety of writers to express attitudes and ideas; beginning with a focus on the history of rhetoric from Aristotle to the modern day. Students will write and deliver their own rhetoric, communicating their viewpoint and perspective on a topic that is important to them. We then move to our second Shakespeare study (The Tempest) exploring the theme of power through the ideas of racism, slavery and colonialism, looking closely at how the play has been affected by its historical context. An exploration of Gothic literature encourages students to examine how writers presented their fears of the unknown and how interest in this genre has stood the test of time. We then move to Animal Farm and finish with a range of War Poetry with a strong focus on analysing writer’s intentions; examining the close links between literature and politics. Throughout the year, students are encouraged to engage with a range of linked reading to explore these ideas further and deepen their knowledge.
Knowledge Organisers for Year 8
These are the knowledge organiser used by students in lessons to support the learning and retrieval of key information.
Year 9
Literature through a critical lens
We will begin to look at literature in a more critical way. Students begin the year by looking at a range of diverse authors in a collection called Iridescent Adolescent. Students will explore what is truly implied by the phrase 'Reading is breathing in: Writing is breathing out' as they explore all aspects of what it means to study English. They then look at a range of poetry addressing various issues of identity and examine how writers express their attitudes and opinions through this medium. Students will then look at a range of texts linked to the theme of gender and power with an exploration of the feminist lens reading the core text Medusa by Jessie Burton - a feminist retelling of the classic story. This knowledge of class, gender and identity is then applied to the study of the first GCSE Literature text – An Inspector Calls. Throughout the year, students are encouraged to engage with a range of linked reading to explore these ideas further and deepen their knowledge.
Year 10
GCSE study
Drawing on all of the knowledge from key stage 3, the year 10 curriculum develops students’ understanding of power and conflict in a range of British Literature. Starting with the study of the AQA Power and Conflict Poetry Anthology students explore the power of the written word as a tool of expression and a vehicle for change. This is continued with Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Students will also practice the skills needed for both GCSE English Language papers through a range of fiction and nonfiction materials from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. The spoken language element of the English language GCSE will be completed during year 10. Throughout the year, students are encouraged to engage with a range of linked reading to explore these ideas further and deepen their knowledge.
Year 11
GCSE Study
Students will study a wide range of unseen poetry before revisiting all of the GCSE Literature texts in order to extend and deepen their understanding of the ideas, issues and concepts explored within them. Techniques to help memorise key quotations are developed alongside the analytic and comparative writing skills needed for both the language and literature exams. Students will also practise how to write for a variety of forms and purposes including academic essays, descriptive works of fiction and personal rhetoric. Year 11 students will continue to look at a wide range of fiction and nonfiction extracts from a diverse range of authors in preparation for the unseen element of the language exams. All students are still encouraged to read widely to ‘breathe in’ good quality writing.