English
CURRICULUM VISION
INTENT:
What is the curriculum aim / vision for this subject?
The English curriculum is designed around 3 key principles or aims:
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The curriculum should give students the opportunity to become highly literate, articulate, critical thinkers who are able to access, analyse and question the world around them.
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The curriculum should give students access to traditional cultural capital through the delivery of canonical texts but also through the delivery of more culturally broad, diverse and contemporary material.
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The curriculum should encourage students to enjoy English, to appreciate the beauty, power and value of language and literature.
What do we expect students to get from this subject?
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Students should enjoy and achieve in English.
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They should be challenged and engaged.
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They should be supported to develop key, transferable skills which prepare them, not only for public examinations, but for making a positive contribution in society.
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They can expect to gain in self-confidence, and to develop the confidence to articulate themselves.
IMPLEMENTATION:
How does learning develop over the five years?
The curriculum for Years 7 to 9 now reflects high levels of challenge.
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Reading and writing assessments linked to reading material.
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High challenge content: Victorian Literature, unseen prose, unseen poetry, two Shakespeare texts, engaging and challenging texts.
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Assessments are all linked to the new more rigorous GCSE criteria
The curriculum at GCSE has also recently be reviewed and rationalised. Curriculum plans are available further down.
What principles have guided our decision making in developing this curriculum? What is distinctive about our curriculum?
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The text choices are very distinctive and broad in the offer. They are fairly contemporary texts but include new, more challenging genres which were not taught in the past: fantasy, romance, bildungsroman etc. Students we feel will enjoy these contemporary texts.
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The transition from Years 7 to 9 through to A-level studies is streamlined in order to provide students with clear stepping stones across the whole curriculum.
In what ways does our curriculum help to develop…?
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Cultural diversity and identity: Texts by diverse authors or with identity as a key theme. GCSE Paper 2.
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Physically and mentally healthy lifestyles Year 9 focuses on mental health and bereavement in two texts.
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Careers and enterprise: Employability interview application forms.
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Technology and the media: Year 7 Writing to Express a Point of View (Speeches that changed the world); Frequent use of multimodal texts at GCSE.
- Creativity and critical thinking: All of our reading units encourage critical thinking; our writing units creativity.
IMPACT:
What forms do assessments take? What is the purpose of assessment?
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In Years 7 to 9, there are 2 formal assessment points.
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For reading schemes of work in Years 7 to 9, this takes the form of:
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Unseen fiction or non-fiction extracts.
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Extracts from the texts studied or a printed poem.
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Essay based questions on the texts studied.
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- For writing schemes of work in years 7 to 9, this takes the form of:
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Narrative and descriptive writing.
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Writing to express a point of view.
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At GCSE, assessments are half-termly and use sections of GCSE past papers where possible. There are two complete mock examinations each year, one Language and one Literature.
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At KS5, assessments are half-termly, per class and use sections of A-Level past papers where possible. There is one partial examination in January year 12 and a full mock in June year 12. Year 13 follows the same pattern
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The purpose of assessment is to measure how much progress students have made against their target grade.
How do we know if we have a successful curriculum?
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Ongoing quality assurance processes at whole school and departmental level including: book checks, learning visits, student and parent voice.
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Accurate Department self-evaluation.
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Students knowing more and remembering more; the curriculum is the progression model.
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Achieving successful outcomes in relation to their starting points.
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“High levels of uptake” in A-level English Literature/English Language.
CURRICULUM CONTENT
KEY STAGE 3
Click here for the English Key Stage 3 Curriculum Map
KEY STAGE 4
Click here for the English Key Stage 4 Curriculum Map
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At Calderstones, we are with AQA for both GCSE English Language and Literature.
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All pupils sit English Language and English Literature and gain two separate GCSEs.
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There are no longer any tiered papers, (foundation or higher) so all pupils sit the same examinations.
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There are two examinations for each of these GCSEs so pupils will sit a total of four papers.
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All GCSE Literature examinations are closed book which means pupils cannot take the text they are studying with them into the examination.
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Some of the questions have extracts for pupils to work with but there is a real emphasis on pupils learning quotations.
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Pupils study GCSE Literature in Year 10 and the GCSE English Language in year 11.
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Pupils will also take part in a Spoken Language Assessment where they will complete a formal presentation before their peers. This does not count towards their final grade but will be printed on their GCSE certificate.
GCSE English Language
Paper 1 |
Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (The “fiction” paper) |
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Section A (Reading)
40 marks |
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Q1 Short question (4 marks) |
AO1 |
List 4 things we learn about… |
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Q2 Longer question (8 marks) |
AO2 |
How does the writer use language |
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Q3 Longer question (8 marks) |
AO2 |
How does the writer structure |
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Q4 Extended question (20 marks) |
AO4 |
What methods does the writer use to present… |
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Section B (Writing)
40 marks |
Q5
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AO5 |
Content and organisation (24 marks) |
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AO6 SPAG |
Spelling punctuation and grammar (16 marks) |
Paper 2 |
Writer’s Viewpoints and Perspectives (The “non-fiction” paper) |
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Section A (Reading)
40 marks |
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Q1 Short question (4 marks) |
AO1 |
Choose 4 true statements (from a choice of 8) |
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Q2 Longer question (8 marks) |
AO1/2 |
Summarise the differences between… |
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Q3 Longer question (12 marks) |
AO2 |
How does the writer use language |
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Q4 Extended question (16 marks) |
AO3 |
Compare the methods used by the two writers to express their viewpoint |
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Section B (Writing)
40 marks |
Q5
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AO5 |
Content and organisation (24 marks) |
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AO6 SPAG |
Spelling punctuation and grammar (16 marks) |
GCSE English Literature
Paper 1 |
Shakespeare and the 19th Century Novel |
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Section A 30 Marks + 4 Marks (SPAG) |
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Section B 30 marks |
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Paper 2 |
Modern Texts and Poetry |
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Section A 30 marks |
Modern Prose
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Section B 30 marks |
Poetry
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Section C 32 marks |
Unseen Poetry
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KEY STAGE 5
Click here for the English Language Key Stage 5 Curriculum Map
Click here for the English Literature Key Stage 5 Curriculum Map
A-Level English Language
What’s |
Assessed |
Component |
Type of |
Marks |
% |
Paper 1: Language and the individual |
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Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes |
Section A Textual variations and representations |
Two texts (one contemporary and one older text) linked by topic or theme.
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70 marks |
40% of A Level
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Section B Children's language development (0–11 years) |
A discursive essay on children’s language development, with a choice of two questions where the data provided will focus on spoken, written or multimodal language (30 marks) |
30 marks |
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Paper 2: Language diversity and change |
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Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes |
Section A Diversity and change |
One question from a choice of two: either: an evaluative essay on language diversity (30 marks) or: an evaluative essay on language change (30 marks) |
30 marks |
40% of A Level
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Section B Language discourses |
Two texts about a topic linked to the study of diversity and change.
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70 marks
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Non-exam assessment: Language in action |
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Part 1: Language investigation |
Students produce:
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100 marks
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20% of A-level
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Part 2: Original writing and commentary |
Students produce:
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A-Level English Literature
At Calderstones, we follow AQA Specification A for English Literature. The course is 2 years with examinations taking place at the end of year 13. There are two examinations and one piece of coursework.
Component |
Text |
Centre Choice |
Type of |
Marks/ |
Percentage |
Closed/ |
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Paper 1: Love through the ages (3 hours) |
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Section A |
Shakespeare |
The Taming |
One passage |
Total 75m |
Total 40%
AO1 14% AO2 12% AO3 12% AO4 6% AO5 6% |
Closed
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AO1 7m AO2 6m AO3 6m AO4 3m AO5 3m |
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Section B |
Unseen poetry |
A collection of paired love poems for practice. |
Compulsory |
AO1 7m AO2 6m AO3 6m AO4 3m AO5 3m |
Closed
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Section C |
Comparing texts one poetry one prose (one must be pre-1900) |
Pre-1900 love poetry Anthology
The Great Gatsby (FC). |
One essay |
AO1 7m AO2 6m AO3 6m AO4 3m AO5 3m |
Open on section C |
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Paper 2B Texts in Shared Contexts - Modern Literature (2 hours 30 minutes) |
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Section A |
Essay question. Pupils choose to write on one of three set texts. |
The Handmaid’s Tale (prose); A Streetcar Named Desire (drama); Feminine Gospels (poetry post 2000) |
Choice of two essay questions with statement to examine (25 marks) |
75 marks
AO1 7m AO2 6m AO3 6m AO4 3m AO5 3m |
Total 40%
AO1 14% AO2 12% AO3 12% AO4 6% AO5 6% |
Open |
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Section Bi |
Respond to unseen prose fiction/no-fiction extract from 1945-present. |
Unseen prose extract anthology |
One compulsory question on an unseen extract (25 marks) |
AO1 7m AO2 6m AO3 6m AO4 3m AO5 3m |
Open |
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Section Bii |
Essay question on remaining two texts. |
See texts above |
Compare the significance of given theme in two texts (25) |
AO1 7m AO2 6m AO3 6m AO4 3m AO5 3m |
Open |
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Paper 3: Independent Critical Study (coursework) |
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Course-work |
Comparative critical study of two texts, at least one of which must have been written pre 1900. |
Comedy Themed: The Country Wife (Wycherley) plus another text of your choice. |
Core set texts studied at AS-A-Level not to be used. 2500 words+ bibliography |
50 marks |
20% Assessed by teachers moderated by AQA |
N/A |
2 |
WIDER READING LIST
Click here for the English KS3 wider reading list
Click here for the English KS4 wider reading list
Click here for the English Language KS5 wider reading list
Click here for the English Literature KS5 wider reading list