English

English at Rugby High School

English Department Vision Statement

In English, we enable all students to develop a love and appreciation for Language and Literature, and to develop key communication and thinking skills. The study of an ambitious, rich, robust and diverse curriculum across Key Stages allows Rugby High School students to become both analytical and creative thinkers. By the end of their learning journey, students have studied a broad range of challenging and exciting poetry, prose, drama, non-fiction and media texts through enjoyable and stimulating lessons. As a department we are committed to fostering a love of wider reading, as we recognise the pleasure and well-being this brings. As writers, our students can express their ideas with precision, insight, fluency and confidence. We recognise that Oracy, and listening skills, are integral to how students refine their thinking, allowing individuals to develop resilience, emotional intelligence and to understand the power of empathy. The department offers a wide range of learning opportunities outside formal lessons such as theatre visits, clubs and workshops, and celebrates academic excellence, creativity, attitude to learning and personal development of all individuals in equal measure.

Extra Curricular Activities on offer in the English Department

Throughout their time at Rugby High School there are a wealth of extra- curricular activities on offer.

Lower school creative writing club “Firefly”
Upper school creative writing club “Aurora”
Lower school book group “Kindle”
Upper School book group
Sixth form book group “Get Lit”
Writing competitions
Jessie Wright Poetry Evening
Celebration of World Book Day and Character fancy dress day
Rugby High School Book Award
Jane Eggleston English Award
Debating competitions
Frequent theatre trips and cultural visits
Editorial committee for the creative writing magazine “Illuminate”

Year 7 English

Topics

How to interpret a novel and write descriptively, including developing analytical skills needed to approach an extract, selecting relevant quotations and deconstructing key/relevant quotations in an extract and understanding why a writer has used the quotation and what it might suggest about a character/theme
How authors present women, through the literary techniques they use, in a diverse range of pre 20th century literary extracts, including the theme of women and power in a range of texts, including the Gothic genre
How to write an analysis on key moments in a Shakespearian play, including understanding character, plot and theme in three different Shakespeare plays and beginning to create a clear argument and present a clear topic sentence point independently
How a poet creates a sense of place in a range of pre and post 20th century poems, including reading and inferring meaning
The dramatic conventions of a play text and performing using story telling conventions

Assessments

Autumn term: Analysis of extract and unaided extract analysis
Spring term: Descriptive writing and dramatic monologue, Short and extended analytical response
Summer term: Reading extract analysis and unaided Poetry analysis, Formal speaking and listening

Year 8 English

Topics

How non-fiction and media texts are effective by analysing key techniques a writer uses for different purposes and then emulating style/key techniques
How to analyse character, plot, setting and embed context in a GCSE format
The plot, character, context and key themes presented in a Shakespeare play
How studying poetry enriches cultural life by studying of poetry from other cultures
How to write about identity in poetry
How to create character, setting develop a plot and understand and emulate structural/stylistic technique

Assessment

Autumn term: Emulated style opinion article, Extended opinion article
Autumn / Spring term: Analysis of extract, Unaided reading analysis, Functional writing - speech
Spring term: Short analytical response - of given extract, Extended analytical response - whole text
Summer term: Poetry analysis, Exam poetry analysis, Descriptive writing - emulated style, Dramatic monologue

Year 9 English

Topics

How to read and analyse a range of texts including: pre-20th century from a diverse range of writers
Read and inferred meaning on a whole Shakespeare play including contextual factors
How to deconstruct a whole novel and write descriptively (with a high level of challenging text choices)
To respond to challenging unseen poem independently and compare two poems emulating GCSE
How to read, infer meaning and analyse a range of non-fiction articles including exposure to a widening range of cultures, attitudes of writers and rich text types

Assessments

Autumn term: Emulated style creative writing, Portfolio of emulated style including commentary
Autumn / Spring term: GCSE style extract analysis, GCSE style whole text analysis
Spring / Summer term: Creative Writing, GCSE Literature style full paper
Summer term: Comparison of two GCSE poems, Unseen Non-fiction

GCSE English and English Literature

Examination Board: AQA

Introduction to the subject at GCSE

At Rugby High School, pupils follow a combined two-year course leading to separate awards in English and English Literature.

Why choose this subject for GCSE?

The English syllabus is a challenging and interesting course designed to develop students’ ability in Reading, Writing and Spoken Language.

The aim is to enable students to become confident and critical readers of non-fiction and fiction texts.

A separate grade is reported for Spoken Language, reflecting the students’ communication and presentation skills.

English Literature is a fascinating subject, requiring students to respond to a range of texts critically and sensitively, and to explore writers’ craft.

Students will have the opportunity to develop their skills of synthesis and analysis. Through their study of Literature, they will develop their essay writing skills

Students are encouraged to attend theatre visits and workshops, which are arranged by the English department. They will also be expected to read widely beyond the set texts.

Course content

English Language

Students will study a range of non-fiction and fiction texts from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries and practise creative, factual and argumentative writing, as well as to develop analytical and evaluative skills.

English Literature

Prose, drama, and poetry will be studied in detail for the examinations, including a 19th century novel, a play by Shakespeare, a modern fiction or drama text and a poetry anthology.

Method of Assessment

English Language

The examination is content-free and totally skills based. In order to prepare for this qualification, students read and analyse a wide range of media, non-fiction and pre and post 20th century literary extracts and texts.

Students also gain a separate grade for Speaking and Listening, gaining a distinction, merit or pass in this element.

English Literature

Students will sit two papers for this qualification:

Paper One: Shakespeare and the 19th Century novel

Paper Two: Modern prose or drama, a collection of poetry and unseen poetry