Year Seven

Autumn

Journeys – Language over time: Your Language: An Introduction to the history of the English Language and Language Change.
Epic Journeys/Pilgrimage: ‘Beowulf’, Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’, ‘Refugee Tales’, ‘Telling Tales’
Introduction to the traditions of literature & the conventions of storytelling across a range of contexts.
Understand that the literary tradition is inherited and rich in its diversity.

Spring

Journeys of Self-Discovery (Novel): ‘A Monster Calls’: learn about story-telling in the novel looking at character, plot, theme and narrative voice.
Journeys of Self-Discovery: Identity Poetry and Prose:
Journeys of self-discovery: this time looking at modern poetry and prose. Our poetry slam will bring us all together.

Summer

Journeys in Love and Forgiveness: The Tempest
You will explore Shakespeare’s fantasy world and continue to explore characters’ journeys to self-discovery.
Transformative Journeys: Short Stories and Creative Writing:
You will read a range of different stories from different cultures and contexts. You will create, design and produce your own short story.

Year Eight

Autumn

Perspectives on Prejudice: Romeo and Juliet, Noughts & Crosses (Play)
Introduction to Tragedy. Exploration of conflict and prejudice presented through drama, considering perspectives and subversions.
Perspectives on Society: History of Rhetoric:
Learn the art of rhetoric and shape views and opinions on current topics; delivering a speech to express their views; explore different ‘perspectives’ on contentious issues in society.

Spring

Perspectives on Power: ‘Julius Caesar’: applying knowledge of rhetoric, you study one of Shakespeare’s best examples of power play – that of Caesar and Brutus in Ancient Rome.
Perspectives on Childhood: ‘Oliver Twist’ and C19th Century extracts: Introducing the work of Dickens with a focus on characterisation.

Summer

Perspectives on Human Nature: ‘Lord of the Flies’
You will study William Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies’, a commentary on the state of human nature.
Perspectives on Equality: Poetry on Equality

Year Nine

Autumn

Power & American Writing: ‘Of Mice & Men’
Focus on interpretations of the relationship between a text and its context.
Power of Words: The Gothic – Writing to Describe
Introduction to the conventions of the Gothic to develop descriptive writing.

Spring

Power & Jacobean Writing: ‘The Merchant of Venice’
Studying Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’ pupils will then step back even further in time to the third iconic writer that exposed the flaws of power dynamics in his society – Shakespeare. The Merchant of Venice fits very well with the themes in this year of the curriculum. Pupils will explore the power dynamics around race and religion, looking at prejudice, anti-Semitism, as well as attitudes to justice and mercy; marriage; wealth and appearance and reality.This will also be a good unit to look at how texts translate into performance, as well as allowing pupils the opportunity to do some drama work and consider aspects of staging.

Summer

Power & Dystopian Writing: Animal Farm/Dystopian extracts
You will explore Dystopian fiction: Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ provides a great platform for exploring wider political issues through its allegorical form.
Power and Conflict: Bridges to Key Stage Four
AQA Power and Conflict Poetry: explore a small number of poems from the AQA Anthology and take inspiration from the studied poems to craft a speech.

Year Ten

Autumn

Conflict & War: Poetry Anthology: analysis and close reading. Explore language, form and structure across a range of thematically linked poems.
Conflict & Societal Change: ‘A Christmas Carol’
The 19th Century novel- a study of ‘A Christmas Carol’ and of 19th Century Fiction and Dickens’ context.

Spring

Conflict Through Time: Paper 2 English
Paper 2 non-fiction, exploring forms such as letters, articles, speeches etc. across a range of topics. You will gain background knowledge of the context whilst also exploring the different ways in which we write for purpose.
Conflict & Social Context: Paper 1 English
Explore and develop descriptive writing skills.

Summer

Conflict & Relationships: ‘An Inspector Calls’ & Poetry Part 2
You will study ‘An Inspector Calls’ by Priestly and the remaining poetry anthology.

Year Eleven

Autumn

The Tragic Identity: ‘Macbeth’:
Engage with Tragedy and Shakespearean Language and context. Introduction to reading literary criticism as bridge to further studies.
Identity & Language: Language Paper 1 – Unseen Poetry will also be covered in preparation for the reconfigured Literature mock exams. After the mock exams will will reread AIC. the text will require rereading first before the key themes ad preparation for the exam is undertaken after Christmas.
Explorations in creative reading and writing.

Spring

Revision:

A Christmas Carol Language Paper 2
Students prepare for An Inspector Calls and A Christmas Carol exam, planning and gaining experience of the exam paper, while refining their knowledge and its application. There will be an emphasis on using examples judiciously, alongside refining analysis and evaluative skills.

Revision will focus on key texts and exam skills according to need at the time.

We will revisit Language Paper 1, which was covered during lockdown and will form part of the Spring mock exams.

Summer Exams

Summer

Targeted sessions according to need.