Our English curriculum teaches students to become inquisitive learners through a range of carefully considered texts, both across the literary cannon, and from a diverse range of perspectives, voices, experiences and genres. It strives to inspire students to have a thoughtful understanding of people, their emotions, and their intentions – including empathetic views of the wider world.
Students study core knowledge within the curriculum that builds incrementally upon primary school foundations up to GCSE levels and beyond. Within each of the chosen texts, students will be immersed in knowledge of: genre & form, textual references, structure, analysis, context, terminology, grammar, vocabulary and spoken language.
Each main text links to five overarching themes in order to prioritise interleaving and the broadening their knowledge of them within the curriculum: gender, relationships, fate and free will, conflict, and power. We promote the importance of long-term memory by ensuring that the curriculum is sequenced so that students revisit core content frequently.
The English curriculum at Greenacre teaches students to read texts critically and analytically. We aim to give students the ability to engage with challenging texts in order to prepare them their future employment and encourage educational mobility. Students are also given frequent opportunities to write creatively applying their understanding of grammar, rhetoric and vocabulary using the curriculum text studied as a springboard, or staring point. They are challenged to communicate clearly using their own voice to express their ideas; we want them to understand the power and emotion of language. As well as this, students are encouraged to speak in detail about topics with real-world connections and are given opportunities to develop their emotional literacy and vocabulary.
Sitting alongside our English curriculum is a reading programme tailored to individual student ability, where they are exposed to an even greater range of: forms, genres, topics, and viewpoints. The reading programme aims to nurture enjoyment and improvement within reading, with the ambition to equip students with the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
- BBC Bitesize: https://www.bbc.co.uk › bitesize
- Spark notes: https://www.sparknotes.com
- York notes: https://www.yorknotes.com
- MyON: https://www.myon.co.uk/login/. For Ks4 students, you can search the GCSE texts: Macbeth, Frankenstein, An Inspector Calls
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com – search Mr Bruff AQA, or Stacey Reay AQA (KS4 only)
- Geniuscom: https://genius.com › A › AQA (KS4 only)
Further Reading/Resources:
- BBC Bitesize. Revision resources for both GCSE English Language and Literature https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
- Revision guides for exams and texts e.g. York Notes and CGP
- Seneca online for revision practice https://senecalearning.com/en-GB/
- The Royal Shakespeare Company Learning Zone https://www.rsc.org.uk/shakespeare-learning-zone/
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com – search Mr Bruff AQA, or Stacey Reay AQA (KS4 only)
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Geniuscom: https://genius.com › A › AQA (KS4 only)
Which apps should I use to support my learning?
- PIXL Lit – search PIXL lit app on your device (KS4 only)
- Spell Zone – https://www.spellzone.com – ask your English teacher, or form teacher, for your login details.