English at The Cornerstone Academy

Overview

KS3 students follow a structured and varied programme of study in each of the three years. We believe that it is our duty to expose our students to a rich, diverse, and exciting variety of texts and viewpoints, that in ordinary circumstances they would otherwise not encounter.  

To facilitate this, we will do all that we can to ensure that our students can decode texts, understand them, and enjoy them. Our desire is that all students are confident, capable, and courageous readers who refuse to be intimidated by any text that they are confronted with. 

Curriculum Content

All schemes of work have been carefully planned to prepare students for GCSEs in English Language and Literature. In each year, students will study a novel (19th century or contemporary), a Shakespeare play, poetry and non-fiction texts. Alongside this literary study, students will focus on key writing skills for writing creatively and analytically and learn vital grammar and vocabulary.

Assessment

Students have summative assessment's twice-yearly.

Overview

We are using the AQA specifications for English Language and English Literature. With the abolition of coursework comes a new challenge: preparing students for two terminal examinations in English Language and two in Literature. The course requirements for Literature are that students study a Shakespeare play, a 19th century novel, contemporary prose or a play and poetry. Students study the following texts for their English Literature GCSE:

• Macbeth-Shakespeare play
• A Christmas Carol - 19th century novel
• An Inspector Calls-Contemporary play
• Power & Conflict poetry cluster

The English Language course includes reading fiction and non-fiction texts from different time periods and writing for different purposes and audiences.

Assessment

Students will be assessed with two longer writing pieces a half term. These will be marked and whole class feedback will be carried out during lesson. Students will sit English Language Paper 1 during their first ROA series of Year 10 and then will sit both Language Papers and Literature Paper 1 during the second ROA series of Year 10. In Year 11, the class marking remains the same and students will sit both Language papers and Literature Paper 2 in the December mock series and will sit all four papers during the March mock series. These assessments will be used to identify students that will benefit from intervention.