ENGLISH

Head of Department:  Mr A Stafford

English in the 1st - 3rd Years

All girls have five periods of English each week, taught in tutor groups.

During the first three years, the skills of reading and understanding, writing imaginatively and for information or explanation are developed and taught. Pupils also develop their speaking and listening skills in a variety of different contexts: presentations, debates; group project work; role play and dramatisation.

These activities are organised into six half-term units which usually focus on a number of core texts and offer opportunities for group and individual work and written exercises to improve spelling, punctuation  and grammar; expression; organisation and development of ideas; and selection of appropriate evidence. 

In the First Year we begin with an introductory unit which is focused on autobiography. Other units are centred on drama, fiction, the media, and poetry. Within these forms we look at particular genres, and these are developed in later years: science fiction; Shakespeare; narrative verse; sonnets; advertisements; the language of persuasion; broadcasting and journalism; newspaper writing; myths and legends, and the history of the English language. 

After each unit we test the pupils’ development against the National Curriculum Assessment Criteria, which allows us to gain a clear picture of where the pupil is and where she should be going in relation to the national achievement. Together with our own internal assessment criteria, these results are used to provide diagnostic information and targets for future achievement.  

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GCSE English and English Literature (AQA examinations Board)

In the Fourth and Fifth Years girls have six lessons of English per week. To date, most girls have been entered for examinations at the Higher Tier in English Literature and English (formerly Language, but re-named because of the additional literary content). This means a 2hr paper for Literature (this counts as 70% of the final grade) and two papers for English (60% towards the final grade). The remaining 30% and 40% respectively will be made up in coursework (including oral assessments) over the two years. One coursework folder of approximately five pieces of work will support both subjects.  The course integrates Language and Literature.  For the English examination, pupils study media techniques, persuasive writing, commentary and review, poems from different cultures and criticism of previously unseen material. 

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English in the Sixth Form

At present, we offer AS and A2 qualifications in English Literature.  We do not offer English Language. From September, 2008, the AS and A2 specifications will change. The English Department will choose the specification which best meets the needs of our pupils. In the broadest terms, the content and examinations can be summarised as follows:

The requirements for all AS specifications in Literature are that candidates will study six texts; three (one of each genre; poetry, prose, and drama) in detail, and three for wider reading and contextual support. Assessment will for all specifications be by both external examination and internally assessed coursework. The importance of Coursework will rise: moving from 30% to 40% of the available marks.  This will allow students both at AS and A2 to read widely across a range of texts, usually linked by a theme (e.g. Victorian literature; First World War; the struggle for Identity in Modern Literature).

Content

We shall provide a course which offers a balance of pre-1900 and post-1900 texts, across the range of Poetry, Prose and Drama.  These will be studied for their literary technique, their effectiveness and significance, and their place in their Literary and Historical Context.  

Literary Criticism will also be studied, not only to elucidate texts but to provide ways of illustrating how approaches to Literature and our understanding of meaning have changed over time, and the impact of social change upon the way people write (e.g. The historical influences upon Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm.  The impact of the First World War upon poetry).

Assessment by examination (60% of total marks)

There will be questions which demand the detailed critical study of specific texts; e.g. close study of narrative method; a comparison of an aspect of narrative across three texts. There will be work which compares the use of an aspect of narrative across different texts. Some boards may provide an Unseen contextual critical piece to which candidates must link in their reading from three different texts.

Assessment by Coursework (40% of total marks)

The Coursework option allows centres to devise programmes of study tailored to the talents of pupils in their Departments. The folder of Coursework will typically consist of two pieces, each of 1,300-1,500 words. The tasks will compare texts and relate them to historical and Literary contexts. It may also be possible to incorporate creative work ( such as reviews of play productions or imitations (re-creations) or analysis of critical reviews, or adaptations for Television or lecture-demonstration scripts. Study of the texts is supported by theatre visits and lecture sessions out of school, as well as by extensive video and library resources.

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