English

Head of Department: J L Bridges

At Arnold, English is taught through its literature, with significant emphasis being placed on firing the imagination of pupils by exposing them to a wide range of good material. Drama and creative writing play an integral role. The Department places a high value on professional autonomy and independence, enabling the teacher to play to his or her strengths, whilst also seeking to work towards a set of common objectives broadly within the framework of the National Curriculum.

We aim to employ teaching methods and resources that allow all pupils to have equal access to English and to experience success and enjoyment in their work. In particular we aim:

- to develop a sympathetic imagination, cultivating the power to feel (and articulate) experiences and attitudes other than oneï¿½s own, as well as to describe and evaluate oneï¿½s own feelings;
- to foster the habit of reading and to encourage a love of literature;
- to refine powers of analysis and exactness of thought and expression: - to teach pupils to think;
- to equip pupils with skills to become effective communicators in speech and in writing, adapting their language according to purpose and audience;
- to cultivate the skills of listening to other people with attention and respect;
- to encourage pupils to work both independently and within a team;
- to encourage accuracy and good presentation;
- to create a culture of achievement and a high level of expectation.

These aims relate directly to the aims of the School and (where appropriate) to both the National Curriculum Attainment Targets for English and the specifications for AS/A Level. These general aims can be broken down into specific aims within the main strands of English teaching.

Speaking and listening
Pupils work to develop their powers of speaking and listening in an increasingly wide range of contexts, such as pairs, small group discussions, formal debates and activities involving larger, less familiar audiences - for example,
assemblies.

Reading
Pupils are encouraged to become confident, independent readers of a range of texts for a range of purposes, such as gathering information, examining different forms of bias and alternative meanings and for sheer enjoyment and
personal entertainment.

Writing
Pupils learn to identify and manipulate different registers of language for formal and informal situations, and to develop their individual voice in creative and expressive writing. Importance is given to the use of neat, clear presentation and on the planning, note-making and drafting processes which lead to a finished piece of work. Writing not only involves handwriting, but the effective use of word processing, illustration and design skills which also help to convey messages to the reader.

We have three inter-related aims:

Qualifications
We aim to help every pupil achieve the highest standard of which he or she is capable so that they are equipped to be competent users of English in their future studies and working lives. The examination courses currently offered
are:

GCSE English (WJEC)
GCSE English Literature (WJEC)
AS Level English Literature (AQA)
A2 Level English Literature (AQA)
AS Level English Language (AQA)
A2 Level English Language (AQA)

Personal Development
English should give all pupils the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of themselves and their relationships with others. This is achieved by exploring literature and other media, involvement in discussions and presentations and encouraging both creative and factual responses to issues raised.

Social Development
We aim to stimulate discussion, thinking and writing about issues of citizenship, looking at family and personal relationships, rights and obligations in dealings with others and within a wider society, in Britain, Europe and the world community.

A vision for the future
We believe that building pleasure, confidence and competence in English is a complex and developing art, which must respond to the studentsï¿½ needs and interests. It cannot be simply placed into boxes and reduced to a series of ticks or uniformly conducted (or received) lessons.

English classrooms should be places where:

- students are motivated by their teachers' and their own high expectations of success;
- ideas are shared;
- respect for others' opinions is paramount;
- the teacher is not always in possession of the "right" answer;
- feedback on contributions, whether written or oral, is constructive and detailed;
- pupils have the right to test ideas and to make mistakes.

An Overview of English at Arnold

English is part of Arnold's core curriculum. It is taught by six specialist teachers from Year 7 to Year 13. Drama is an important teaching tool but is also afforded separate lessons in Year 8 by the Drama Department. Currently, all members of the English Department teach Drama as a part of their English lessons.

We enjoy the assistance of the Learning Support Department in screening all new pupils' spelling and reading abilities and in providing continuing care for some pupils as they move through their school careers. We are in close liaison with the Library and are further developing exciting links using Information Technology via the Rainbow Reading Scheme.

Years 7-9
Pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 have five 35-minute periods of English per week. They are taught in their mixed-ability tutor groups. They are given an introductory Library course in English lessons during the first term of Year 7.

It is usual for pupils to change their teachers at the end of a year, provided that the timetable allows for this. Years 7 and 8 have one timetabled Library lesson per week, although teachers may well opt to make their visits fortnightly.

Years 10-11: GCSE
Pupils in Years 10 and 11 have five periods per week, of which at least one lesson will be a double to allow time for oral assessments and examination practice (2 hrs 50 mins. total teaching time). They are taught in slightly smaller groups of between 19 and 24 and it is usual for groups to have the same teacher throughout their GCSE course. All pupils will take both English and English Literature examinations.

AS/A2 Level
Pupils can opt for English Literature and English Language in the Sixth Form. Both subjects are taught as two-year courses; the first year ends in AS Level external examinations, the second in the full A Level qualification. Pupils will go forward to the second years of these subjects after consultation with the Head of Department and a review of AS results.

AS and A2 pupils are taught for eight periods per week split between two members of staff. There are no ability sets in either option or either year.

The English Department and its Activities in Outline

External Examinations

All pupils in Year 11 are entered for English and English Literature GCSEs: we currently use the WJEC specifications. For AS/A Level we use the AQA specifications for both English Language and English Literature.

SKA Coordinator for Year 8 English
Debating
English Department Internet pages

JLB Head of Department
Setting of English Entrance examination
Curriculum development at A Level and GCSE
Editor of The Arnoldian (Arnold School Magazine)

PEH Head of Middle School
Coordinator for Year 9 English

MCJ Coordinator for Year 7 English
Special Needs liaison
English Club
Drama
Year 6 liaison

DM Deputy Head of Sixth Form
Editor of The Rumour (School newspaper)
Editor of Sixth Form Yearbook

DES Second in Department
Coordinator for GCSE English
Curriculum development for Years 7-9
Assisting with production of The Arnoldian
Organisation of Summer Term "Evening of Spoken English"
Organisation of English Speaking Board examinations for Year 8
Debating Society
Public Speaking and quiz teams

Main Aims of the English Department in Year 7

To foster an interest in different kinds of writing, reading and speech
activities.
To reinforce and consolidate basic grammar and comprehension skills.
To highlight the importance of presentational skills - handwriting,
punctuation, text layout and redrafting.
To learn to use available facilities - the library, CD ROMs, ICT resources.

By the end of Year 7 every pupil should:

- know the terms noun, verb, adjective, pronoun and adverb and be able to recognise them in a sentence;
- be able to distinguish between the main punctuation marks used in prose;
- know that every sentence contains a verb and begins with a capital letter; be aware of the subject and the object of the sentence;
- recognise and practise direct and indirect speech; be able to separate speech from prose with appropriate punctuation and layout;
- be able to write an accurate business letter and personal letter;
- know that prose is divided into paragraphs and have some notion of what constitutes a paragraph.

Extension

- have learnt about proper, common, collective and abstract nouns and be able to recognise them in a sentence;
- be aware of and have practised apostrophes for possession and contraction;
- know the difference between regular and irregular verbs and have practised using irregular verbs;
- have learnt about the use of commas in a sentence and their ability to affect the meaning of a sentence;
- recognise past, present and future tense and have the ability to write in all three;
- have awareness of and practice in punctuation of titles, quotations and speech;
- be aware of and be able to discriminate between common homophones and homographs and be able to differentiate between words commonly confused: e.g. already/all ready; it's and its; quite/quiet; we're/where/were; who's/whose; your/you're; their/they're/there; no/know; practice/practise; of and have as in could have, would have, might have, etc.