English

Appreciate the beauty and power of literature and language

We all know the old lie in the rhyme, ’Words never hurt me’ because words do have power to emote the most wide ranging and deep emotions. Embarking upon your teen years is just the right time to safely experience the myriad possibilities of our world. By travelling in the stories of fictional and real characters, from both the past and the present, our students see how others experience life. Through an integrated programme of skills we aim to promote confidence in students finding their voice and appreciating the beauty in that of others.

Encounter, express, understand, critique, adapt

• All students encounter challenging and exciting examples of Literature appropriate to their age and that stretch their ability.

• They are encouraged to express themselves creatively and imaginatively, and to communicate with others effectively. 

• Through the study of English, looking at its patterns, structures and origins, we understand how and why words, sentences and texts work.

• Variety in modules develops individual pupils as enthusiastic and critical readers of stories and poetry, as well as non-fiction and media texts.

• Ultimately we want to see the students use this knowledge to become able to select what they say and adapt to write in different situations.