English
FACULTY LEADER: Mr C Smith
KS3 Curriculum
The PHGS English Curriculum is broad and balanced, exploring genres of English Literature and use of the English Language from ancient times to modern. Students begin by studying Aspects of Narrative, where compelling Fantasy and Mystery stories are used as a basis to understand character and narrative theory – with story at the heart of a love of reading, something explicitly developed in the time given to Reading Lessons which occur throughout Key Stage 3.
This first year ends with an introduction to Shakespeare, focusing on the skills needed to explore a writer’s methods, an area which is developed in Year 7 from first teaching at Key Stage 2.
In the second year, students study narratives of Dystopia, the Gothic genre and a Shakespearean Romance in some detail, finishing Key Stage 3 in the third year with a study of Power and Conflict literature, Postcolonial English (where students explore the poetry and prose of World Literature), and a Shakespearean Tragedy, which allows students to apply what they have learnt about genre, context and analysis of a writer’s methods.
In addition, important Reading, Writing and Spoken English skills are embedded throughout these first three years, allowing students to explore, re-visit and develop their literacy abilities – especially focused on the accuracy of Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar. This includes Media literacy, a particular strength of the PHGS English Curriculum, where students can apply their understanding of communication and decoding texts, images, and representation, to the context in which they live their lives.
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Term 3 |
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Year 7 |
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Year 8 |
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Year 9 |
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KS4 and KS5 Curriculum
Please see the Key Stage 4 and Sixth Form Pages for details of the KS4 and KS5 offered by the English faculty.
ENRICHMENT
As part of our enrichment programme students at all key stages can participate in theatre and cinema trips, work with professional writers, attend academic lectures, engage in literary competitions, get involved in our reading groups and work as part of the school’s student magazine.