Departments : English

English department staff

Ms Tamsin Fauntkane - Head of Department

Mrs D Tunnard

Mrs J Elsey

Mrs J Barton

Ms L Overton (G&A Coordinator)

Mrs Caroline Payette

Click here to go to the english revision materials page

About the Department

As a core department English is one of the largest subject areas in the College. The department comprises of five full time English staff and 2 other staff who work across other areas of the College. The team has a wide range of experiences and specialist knowledge, from newly qualified teachers to experienced practitioners. As a department they are often highlighted as a role model of good practice, internally and across the region. In key stage 3 students are setted according to ability, using KS2 and CAT scores.

Students study English language with the top set in Y8 currently being fast tracked for SAT examinations and the top two sets in Y9 being fast tracked to study GCSE media studies. Drama is a discrete subject in the KS3 curriculum, however it is delivered by the english teaching staff and students remain in their english sets for this subject. Previous fast track SATs results have proved very successful, hence the extension to two groups in Y8 last year. The rationale for fast tracking is extended into years 10 and 11. The top ability group in Y10 is fast tracked in GCSE English Language and then fast tracked in Literature in Y11. Others sets are fast tracked in Media in Y10 and then English Language in Y11. Nearly all students thus leave the College with two outcomes in English. in years 12 and 13 a good number of students go on to study AS and A2 level English Language, currently sixteen in Yr12.

The number of sets in English is increased compared to other subject areas due to the emphasis on literacy development. The english department use CATs verbal scores and KS2 results to highlight students who need withdrawal lessons and extra support.

KS3

At Ks 3 We set students from the outset. Because teaching time is blocked we are able to move students freely according to progress. Students are formally assessed twice a term and are given clear targets and ways to improve. There is a fast track programme for the more able students - this means that they are able to take SATS a year early and study for a GCSE in Media Studies in Year 9. The units of work in Years 7 and 8 are half-termly and match the National Curriculum programme of study

KS4

At Key stage 4 we offer a fast track programme for more able Year 10 students - they take GCSE English Language at the end of year 10. English Literature is taken in Year 11. All other students take a two year programme leading to GCSE Language. There is also dual entry for the Entry Level examination for those students who might find GCSE too challenging. We follow the AQA syllabus A for both language and literature - coursework represents 40% of the final grade for Language and 30% for Literature.

www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize - BBC's free online study support resource for school-age students in the UK. It is designed to aid students in both school work and, for older students,exams.