English

Students will journey through the literary canon, beginning in Medieval England with Beowulf and Geoffrey Chaucer before travelling on to meet William Shakespeare’s ‘star-cross’d lovers’ Romeo and Juliet. Pupils can meet brooding Romantic heroes like Wordsworth, Byron and Blake before arriving in the Victorian period with Brontë, Dickens and Stephenson’s terrifying duo ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.’ The journey concludes in the modern era where they explore 1930s America and the unlikely friendship of George and Lennie in Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’, followed by the social inequality of Edwardian England with Priestley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’, as well as a range of poetry from diverse and exciting voices.

Students study a rich and challenging curriculum. From engaging with ideas from a wide variety of texts to opportunities for self-expression and creativity in both spoken and written contexts, studying English at Shotton Hall nurtures self-expression and reflective thought. Throughout the key stages, students will encounter a range of literary genres and forms, ranging from Jacobean drama and courtly love poetry to a whole host of non-fiction diaries, essays, letters and autobiographies. We take a cross-curricular approach, encouraging students to think about the social, political and historical context alongside developing their own voice. As well as following the curriculum, students will be encouraged to read for pleasure, experiencing a diverse range of literature as a platform for exploring new ideas, developing critical thinking skills and learning more about the world around them. Students will be inspired by great thinkers such as activist Martin Luther King, environmentalist Greta Thunberg and suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst.

It’s not only English lessons that are exciting at the academy: English teachers also fully immerse themselves in a range of English and Literacy-themed events throughout the year, from celebrating Shakespeare’s Birthday in April to performing their very own version of ‘An Inspector Calls’ on stage for our Key Stage 4 students. The culmination of this is our Reading Rocks week, which coincides with World Book Day. This week entails a host of extra-curricular activities from flash mob reading and Write like an Expert competitions to the Masked Reader Challenge and opportunities to engage in social media competitions in Year 11!

The English department hosts many extra-curricular clubs including Debate Club, where students discuss the issues of the day and hone their arguing skills and Reading Club, which allows students to come together to discuss their favourite books, both of which are very popular with our students. During ‘Everybody Writes Day’, Year 7 students have the chance to write a speech and perform it to the rest of their year group in the hall. English also hosts ‘SOS’ Club, formally known as ‘Shaking our Society’ in which students work together to make school a better, more inclusive, environment where staff and students alike feel valued and appreciated.

Our ‘Keys to Success’ literacy programme ensures students learn the fundamental skills to help them progress not only in English but across the whole curriculum. Students thrive on campaigns such as ‘Don’t Know’ and ‘Sound like an Expert’ which encourages top tier explanations of ideas, utilising the wide vocabulary acquired across the curriculum.

Students enjoy English because it is varied, fast-paced and fun. Every student is inspired to believe in their potential and to aim high. They acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language. Throughout their academic career here, students develop the ability to write accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences. We endeavour to ensure all students become competent orators, including: making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate. 

Our curriculum