English

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

In order to teach and support every pupil at Clare Mount, we aim to personalise their learning as much as possible. Throughout the English Department, the policy is to set pupils based on their ability, enabling the learning to be more appropriately structured and to meet the needs of every student. With the exception of the base and nurture groups in KS3, pupils are grouped to enable the greatest level of appropriate challenge and progression. Texts taught in classes is also varied, selected to meet the needs of pupils' academic ability, as  well as their mental well-being.

Reading is supported through Clare Mount's own reading programme which again, is varied and personalised to pupils. Any prior knowledge of phonics is developed and built upon, as well as repetition and recapping of key words, sounds and stories. Resources have been selected from Read, Write Inc., Multi Sensory Learning materials and Ransom Publishing's Neutron Stars along with some Barrington Stoke publications to support pupils with Dyslexia. The department unviersally adopts the use of Sassoon fonts in a size of no smaller than 14 to further support Dyslexic pupils

 

KS3

Novels taught at KS3 are determined by the pupils ability level rather than by age group so it is not unusual for pupils in the same year group to study different novels. Indicated below is just some of the novels taught at KS3 to pupils on different levels or "steps".

 

Pupils in KS3 will also study different formats of texts including plays, poetry, non-fiction and Media texts. Pupils will be assessed for their written ability across a range of transactional texts including the writing of leaflets, plays, stories, poetry, reports, letters, diaries and reviews.

 

KS4

Year 10 and 11

Pupils in Year 10 are enrolled onto one of three pathways. GCSE English Language and Literature specifications offer one of these pathways and include multiple forms of transactional writing, comprehension and the study of fiction and non-fiction texts including an in-depth analysis of "A Christmas Carol", "An Inspector Calls" and "Romeo and Juliet". Pupils will also study both pre-seen, and unseen poetry.

 

The alternative pathway is called "Step Up To English" and offers an Entry Level Certificate designed to prepare students for achieving a GCSE later in life. Every skill learnt on the Step Up course is transferrable to the GCSE, meaning that it is perfect preparation should pupils be able to access the GCSE during the sixth form. We are incredibly thorough in our evaluation of pupils and ensure that we enter pupils for courses which enable them to reach their potential whilst ensuring that expectations on pupils are appropriate and support their emotional development as well as their academic development.

 

If pupils are unable to access either the Entry Level Certificate or the GCSE, then they can work towards an internally awarded certificate which aims to recognise progress made in reading and writing at a lower level.

 

 

 

KS5

Pupils in Sixth Form English will either be given an additional opportunity to study the GCSE in English Language, look to further hone their literary ability by continuing to work on the Step Up course, or they will be supported in key areas including phonics and handwriting. Pupils may also complete an ASDAN short course to learn key, applicable literacy skills.

 

More information about the GCSE courses, including specimen papers, can be found here:

http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse