ENGLISH AT PRINCE HENRY’Sl

Welcome! We are a lively and successful department of thirteen staff, accommodated in the old part of the school building. At Key Stage 3 classes are mainly taught in mixed attainment groups although there are also small teaching groups in each year group to support particular learning needs.

In year 7 students have a reading lesson where they are encouraged to develop their experience of private and shared reading. As a department we are very committed to foster a love of literature through our extra-curricular reading groups: The Carnegie Medal Group enables Key Stage 3 students to discuss nominated texts and The Book Group runs a half-termly meeting for staff and older students to discuss classics and best-sellers.

At Key Stage 4 students are taught in broad attainment groups which will prepare them for either Higher or Foundation Tier entry to GCSE. We follow the AQA Syllabus A specification and we enter most students for both GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature. Students following the Work Related Learning programme are fast-tracked to study GCSE English Language in one year.

We offer AQA AS/A2 English Language and AQA AS/A2 English Literature specification B – both of which are very popular.

At all key stages we enrich the learning of our students by offering theatre trips, booster classes, enrichment days and opportunities to work with writers. We liaise with our feeder schools by delivering a Gifted and Talented day to year six pupils and all of year 7 students send a buddy letter to all the year 6 pupils who will be joining us in September.

For more information please contact me, Annie Cunniffe, Head of English.