Curriculum > Departments > English
Subject Outline
Who does not love hearing stories and telling them? Do the words of a hit song
strike you as poetic and moving? Stories and poems are as old as humankind and
language is the medium through which they are told.
The department aims to develop a feeling for and a knowledge about Language
and Literature through a variety of activities written, spoken and read, and
we have a team of talented and enthusiastic specialists to see that it happens.
From Year 7, pupils are encouraged to keep a reading record and to develop skills
such as drafting, note-taking, essay writing, listening and participating in
discussion. Internally assessed coursework for Key Stage 3 is kept in a folder
upon which assessments at the end of Year 9 are based.
In Year 7 pupils are taught initially in mixed ability groups but are later
broadly grouped. They are setted in Years 8 and 9 and placed in 3-4 bands at
Key Stage 4. The department works closely with the Learning Support Department
at all stages of the pupils' progress through the School.
Pupils are expected to keep books clean and neat and to meet homework deadlines.
Letters are sent to parents when deadlines are missed.
Results at GCSE (Key Stage 4) have been very good - 60% A*-C in 2004.
At Adams College, three differing courses are offered at 'A' Level: English
Literature, English Language and English Combined. The latter was a new course
in 2000, but it is now proving as popular and successful as the more established
subjects, where the
success rate over a number of years has been extremely good. English re-sit
is also offered in Year 12 as part of the GNVQ course and for pupils who wish
to improve their grade from Year 11.
Drama at KS3 is taught as a separate subject, but the English department will
still maintain a focus on practical work as a means of exploring texts and issues.
Improvisational and rôle-playing skills will be developed in the pupils,
as well as speaking and listening entitlements being addressed.
We fully recognise the importance of students developing their literacy skills
via the literacy strategy and also liaise closely with the feeder primary schools
so that there is real progression between Key Stages Two and Three.
We run many extra-curricular activities - theatre visits, London weekend trips,
book weeks, Readathons, workshops on Shakespeare, etc. and even trips to France
and Barcelona . The annual school production is largely the work of our members.
We have also contributed to Activities Week with Drama Challenges and Animated
Shakespeare Challenges.
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