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Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School & Sixth Form College
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Our Curriculum

English Language & Literature

Intent:

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At HCCS, the intent of the English curriculum is to do three things: 

  1. Provide our students with the opportunity to explore the nuances of the world through a range texts. 

  2. Enable students to use language (both written and spoken) purposefully for a variety of functions: persuade, entertain, inform, describe, explain.

  3. Encourage analytical thinking across all topics which will then extend into life after school.

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Implementation:

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Despite their many crossovers, English language and English literature are two very different subjects and so we treat them as such throughout the curriculum journey. From KS3-KS5, students at HCCS will have designated English language and English literature lessons.

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KS3 - at this point in their curriculum journey, we aim to encite enthusiasm and interest through our topic choices.

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At KS3, students have 7 English lessons over a fortnight: 3 language, 3 literature, 1 LRC (library).  The long term scheme (see below) outlines the curriculum overview and assessments for language and literature.

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LRC lessons are focused on fostering a love for reading whilst developing and enhancing a range of reading skills, therefore promoting lifelong learning through a variety of engaging texts. 

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Below is a breakdown of what we implement in LRC lessons:

  • Book recommendations

  • Assess reading ability 

  • Intervention for struggling readers

  • Guided reading

  • Independent reading 

  • Explicit teaching of key vocab 

  • Stories read aloud 

  • Cultural understanding of books linked to themes

 

KS4 - At this point in their curriculum journey, we aim to continue to encourage enthusiasm whilst preparing the students for the GCSE exams.

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At KS4, students have 9 English lessons over a fortnight: 4 language, 5 literature. Literature has more time allocated to account for time spent reading the texts in lessons, though students are expected to read and/or reread their GCSE texts at home too. Please click the relevant links below for English language and English literature long term schemes. These outline the curriculum overview and assessment for both subjects.

 

KS5 - At this point in their curriculum journey we aim to reinforce the students’ enthusiasm for the subject whilst making them experts in a field they will potentially make a career out of.

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At KS5, students can choose to study English language and/or English literature - yes, many students choose to study both! 

 

In English language, students study:

  • Meanings and representations of texts 

  • Methods of language analysis

  • Child language development

  • ​Language diversity 

  • Language and change

  • Language discourses

  • Non exam assessment 20% - 1) language investigation 2) Original writing and commentary

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In English literature, students study:

  • A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

  • Hamlet by William Shakespeare

  • Carol Anne Duffy poetry

  • Christina Rossetti poetry

  • Phillip Larkin poetry

  • The Duchess of Malfy by John Webster

  • Unseen poetry and prose

  • Non exam assessment 20% - prose study

Embryonic Stem Cells

Impact

 

Impact of the curriculum is measured through rigorous assessment throughout the year.

 

At KS3, each topic follows the model below. Please note that points 2 and 3 are interchangeable.

  1. Baseline assessment (shorter response e.g. single paragraph)

  2. Keyword quiz

  3. Peer/self assessed or ‘whole class feedback’ response

  4. End of topic assessment (longer response e.g. essay)

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Assessments aim to gauge student understanding of what has been taught and so, in each assessment, a mark is given per skill that we expect to see. Marks are not allocated to skills that have not been taught during that topic, though written teacher comments may address these.

 

At KS4, each topic follows the model below. Please note that points 2 and 3 are interchangeable.

  1. Baseline assessment (shorter response e.g. single paragraph)

  2. Peer/self assessed piece

  3. ‘Whole class feedback’ response

  4. End of topic assessment (longer response e.g. essay)

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All assessments at KS4 follow the style of GCSE exams. End of topic assessments are always questions/sections from past exams and GCSE mark schemes are used to award marks. 

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Please note that, during mock exam seasons, the above model may alter slightly.

 

At KS5, each topic follows the model below.

  1. Baseline assessment (exam style)

  2. Peer/self assessment (exam style)

  3. End of topic assessment (past exam question or full mock paper)

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At the teacher’s discretion, this may be altered to take into account the needs of changing cohorts as well as including ‘low-stakes quizzing’.  A Level mark schemes will be used.

 

Whilst all assessments allow us to measure progress and report on this, we also use them to identify any gaps in learning or misconceptions at individual and class levels. Following assessments, there will always be a minimum of one lesson in which students are retaught content. This is how the English department ensures the implementation of the curriculum intent has a positive and successful impact.

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