It is vital that students coming to Goldwyn develop their skills in literacy and their confidence to express their thoughts and opinions clearly in writing and orally. Above all else, these skills will help them understand and respond positively to all of the subjects they will encounter.
The English Department makes every effort to motivate pupils with relevant, interesting activities and resources. Multi-media equipment and techniques are consistently used to allow pupils the opportunity to research, understand, and explore texts and topics through a hands-on, practical approach. Formal assessments take place three times a year in as non-threatening environment as possible, allowing the students to perform to the best of their ability.
During Key Stage 3, students develop confidence in spoken language; co-operating in small groups and developing the ability to work as independently as possible. They will re-visit basic literacy skills such as correct punctuation and use of grammar. Extended writing is encouraged with an emphasis on varying vocabulary and developing creative approaches to their writing. Students read abridged classic and contemporary texts; a range of media texts and through these, explore social and moral issues. In year 7, there is a two year rolling program to enable inclusion of pupils who are disaffected in other settings.
Year 7 |
||||||
|
Term 1 |
Term 2 |
Term 3 |
Term 4 |
Term 5 |
Term 6 |
Year 1 |
Superheroes |
The Identity Kit |
Skellig |
Skellig |
Out of this World |
Traveller’s Tales |
Year 2 |
Superheroes |
Holes |
Holes |
Making the News |
In search of Adventure |
Your Language |
Year 8 |
||||||
|
Treasure Island |
Treasure Island |
Words of War |
Technology Matters. |
The Three Musketeers |
The Three Musketeers |
Year 9 |
||||||
|
Dare to Scare |
Connections |
Exploring Difference |
My Life, My Choices |
Young Entrepreneurs |
From Talking Drums to Tweets. |
At Key Stage 4, students prepare for GCSE and Functional skills qualifications (written and reading responses are computer based).
There is a focus on work related and college topics for Functional Skills, while GCSE work follows the new AQA English Language Specification which ends in two exams in their final year.
Pupils are given the opportunity to:
Year 10 |
|||||
Term 1 |
Term 2 |
Term 3 |
Term 4 |
Term 5 |
Term 6 |
Bugs |
Fight for Freedom |
Trapped |
All in the Mind |
Traveller’s Tales |
|
Year 11 |
|
|
|
|
|
Term 1 |
Term 2 |
Term 3 |
Term 4 |
Term 5 |
Term 6 |
Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing Preparation for Paper 1 – Section A Reading Functional Skills Preparation |
Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing Preparation for Paper 1 – Section B Writing Functional Skills Preparation |
Writer’s Viewpoints and Perspectives Preparation for Paper 2 - Section A Reading Functional Skills exams |
Writer’s Viewpoints and Perspectives Preparation for Paper 2 - Section B Writing Functional Skills exams |
Exam Revisions and Practise Functional Skills exams |
Exam Revisions and Practise Functional Skills exams |