Curriculum Aims And Values

The English curriculum at Greenbank aims to equip all students, regardless of ability, with the skills they need to be successful beyond school. Our vision is for every pupil to leave school with the tools they need for the wider world, including the ability to write formal letters, the confidence to present their ideas and opinions to an audience, and the skills to read a range of texts fluently.

In addition to these key skills, our aim is to foster a love of English and a passion for learning in English. Our curriculum has been designed to inspire and motivate students, providing appropriate stretch and challenge, whilst ensuring, as far as possible, that the assessment and texts are accessible to the full range of students.

Our curriculum design will enable students of all abilities to develop the skills they need to read, understand, and analyse a wide range of different texts covering the 19th, 20th and 21st century time periods, as well as to write clearly, coherently, and accurately using a range of vocabulary and sentence structures.

Overall, our curriculum aims to:

• Provide students with the opportunity to read challenging and engaging texts from a range of different cultures and time periods.
• Ensure that students are equipped with the literacy skills they need in order to be successful beyond their school years.
• Develop higher order skills, such as evaluation, synthesis, and analysis.
• Bring texts to life through enrichment opportunities, including theatre visits and live performances of set texts.
• Promote a love of reading and a passion for English Literature.
• Develop essay-writing skills and provide pupils with the opportunity to write for extended periods of time.
• Promote creativity and provide students with the opportunity to express themselves and their feelings through writing.
• Support character education by developing empathy skills and understanding of others through exploring texts from different cultures and perspectives.
• Address misconceptions through the structure and design of schemes of work.
• Inspire students to continue their study of English Language and Literature at A-Level or Degree level.
• Combine all three strands of the English curriculum: reading, writing, and speaking and listening to engage all pupils and foster their individual talents and interests.

Fostering A Love Of Reading

Reading is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to promoting the importance of reading and creating keen readers of every genre. We aim to foster a love of reading through the following strategies:

• A dedicated reading lesson once a fortnight for years 7 and 8.
• Reading in PDT time, supported by the English department.
• Showcasing the teachers as readers through ‘What are we reading?’ displays on classroom doors and around the school.
• Support pupils with the transition from year 6 to year 7 with NGRT testing, identifying pupils who need support with reading or literacy, including pupils who are Not Secondary Ready.
• Identify potential barriers to a pupil’s reading skills/development, providing support and individualised reading intervention where appropriate, including phonic support and the Catch Up Literacy programme.
• Paired reading in PDT managed by Literacy Leaders and overseen by Literacy Coordinator.
• Literacy themed events and extra-curricular activities, including Book Club led by our school librarian.
• Having a well-stocked library with the books pupils want to read.
• Exposure to authors through regular author visits for whole year groups as well as targeted pupils.
• The high profile of World Book Day. At Greenbank, we have World Book Week, which raises the profile of reading in all subjects. Staff are fully involved in promoting World Book Week, and do so through a range of strategies, such as dressing up as their favourite fictional characters, completing book-based quizzes in PDT and planning book/character themed lessons on the day.

Reading Road Maps

Curriculum Organisation , Delivery And Assessment

A typical English lesson involves a combination of the core skills for English: reading, writing, and speaking and listening. Seating plans are in place in every classroom to ensure all pupils are ready to learn and reach their potential. Student voice is valued in English lessons and all students are encouraged to be active participants in lessons through independent, paired, and group work. Targeted questions are planned to support all pupils.

Schemes of work are in-place to ensure all pupils have the same quality of experience in every classroom. This also ensures continuity and consistency for shared groups and assists with Key Stage Four sitting a single tiered exam. Schemes of work employ dyslexia friendly strategies in their presentation and use of resources, and are differentiated for each class, with a particular focus on resources for lower ability and More Able pupils.

Vocabulary is explicitly taught in English lessons and pupils are given opportunities to read full texts and write for extended periods of time. Every lesson also has a technical accuracy focus, linked to whole school Literacy initiatives, such as Word of the Week and Fortnightly Focus.

Homework is set regularly and is often intended to support pupils to remember key quotes, themes, and ideas. Revision is something that we do from year 7, and often includes learning quotes/key contextual facts, spellings, research, reading and summarising, and essay writing skills. Knowledge organisers are provided for every scheme of work. Homework projects are implemented in Key Stage 3 to encourage independent work, autonomy, creativity and to foster a determined work ethic and develop personal skills that will be useful outside of the classroom.

All students have a work book for English as well as an assessment book. Our rationale for this is to encourage pupils to be reflective and to be willing to draft, re-draft, and make mistakes in their work book. The work books are mainly self and peer-assessed by pupils, with the teacher using Marking Codes to encourage reflection and specific targets for improvement (see appendix 1). Assessment books are intended to showcase the best work of pupils, which is a record of their achievement as well as being a revision resource. The book is kept from year 7 through to year 11.

In years 7 and 8, students are taught in mixed ability groups. This allows students to work collaboratively and to learn from and support each other. Teachers differentiate work for pupils in their class in order provide appropriate challenge and support.

Assessments typically take place once or twice per half term and cover reading and writing. Students are assessed on speaking and listening in-class with one formal assessment taking place during the year. Assessments inform our data entry (PIPs).

The assessments are divided between self-assessed and teacher assessed and build up in level of skill. For some assessments, students are assessed on a short piece of writing, to ensure they are not too onerous. While the assessments mirror GCSE objectives, they are not intended to teach to the exam.

When students begin year 9, they are placed into sets to support their study of GCSE English Literature. At this stage, setting allows for pupils to complete their GCSE study alongside pupils of a similar ability, aiming for the same end of year targets, in order to allow for pupils to achieve their potential.

Regardless of the set, all pupils have access to the same curriculum which is Quality Assured linked to the exam. Teachers have high expectations of all pupils and progress is not limited. Teaching takes into account the needs of individuals in each group and is personalised.

Assessments take place one per term in year 9 and 10, with mini checks and quizzing to ensure memory and retention.

When students get to years 10 and 11, three formal PPEs (pre-public examinations) are scheduled, with in-class assessments also taking place once per half term.

• Year 7

  Students begin their study of English at Greenbank with a unit named Telling Tales of Mystery and Intrigue. This is the first of three fully resourced, lesson-by-lesson Schemes of Work. Materials are all available on Sharepoint for pupils who are absent to access, and the lesson-by-lesson scheme ensures consistency in coverage for pupils.

  The first unit of work is intended to support the transition process and for teaching staff to get to know the new pupils in a creative way. It builds on the skills and content covered in Key Stage Two creative writing by consolidating understanding of key terms for English. Pupils reading skills, including the skills to infer, are also built on in the Telling Tales unit.

  This scheme allows for pupils to show their skills through a self-assessed analytical task and a creative writing exercise which is assessed by the teacher. This unit also introduces students to essay-style writing, as well as teaching students the skills to reflect on their own work and complete ‘Improvement Time’, which is a key part of English lessons at Greenbank. This unit forms a baseline diagnostic for pupils. The study of this unit creates opportunities for students to study pre-1914 fiction through challenging and engaging texts, such as: Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.

  Following on from this, during term 2, students build on the skills to read and analyse Shakespeare’s language in our unit of work: ‘Love, Conflict and Consequence’. Students complete a scheme of work on Shakespeare’s methods, intentions and his use of themes. Students will creatively explore the lives of characters and learn empathy with creative tasks designed to immerse, inspire and engage readers. The assessments in this unit include a self-assessed newspaper article based around unrest in the city of Verona and a piece of analytical writing based around a key theme, marked by the class teacher. This unit of work has been designed to enable learners to engage collaboratively with Shakespeare’s world through oracy activities as well as written activities.

  In the final term, Students are given the opportunity to read poetry steeped in natural imagery and varying cultures in our unit: ‘The World We live in – Nature and identity poetry’. Within this unit learners will read, act out, annotate and analyse nature poems from poets such as Wordsworth as well as composing their own pieces for performance within the classroom. For the second part of this unit, learners will read and enjoy poetry from a diverse mix of marginalised voices, before being encouraged to compose their own ‘I am…’ poem for performance to the group in a mini poetry slam. The oracy work here will enable all to showcase their skills and ability as well as finding their own individual voice. Assessments in this unit include analysis of a given poem as well as a performance of a self-composed poem of their choice – assessed by the class teacher.

  All assessed pieces of work are showcased in assessment books with a bespoke tracker sheet and reflection sheet available for immediate viewing by both staff and students alike.

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• Year 8

  Students begin year 8 with a unit on Detective Fiction. Through the teaching of this unit, students are exposed to the study of context related to Victorian London and the Industrial Revolution and have opportunities to undertake research relating to education over time, through their study of Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes. Here, links are made to the year 8 history curriculum. Students will also have the opportunity to produce a creative piece that allows students to showcase their creative talents and create a mystery story of their own understanding literary techniques as well as language devices and structure.

  Following this, students continue their study of literature through the play text of Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. This unit of work builds on inference, deduction and focuses on personal development and inclusion with the character of Chirstopher being the basis of a speaking and listening assessment that is presented to the class. Students will have lessons that focus on a neurodivergent protagonist and allows them to comment more thoughtfully on the writer’s intent and the effects on the audience/reader.

  The next area of study is a selection of Power and Conflict poems, selected from the AQA Anthology. Within the selection chosen students will further their knowledge of important cultural differences and identities as well as world and historic events. Students are encouraged to work towards reading a variety of poetry in year 8 and will be assessed on a comparison of two poems: War Photographer and Remains. This assessment is marked by the class teacher with feedback.

  In Spring Term 2 students are offered the opportunity to speak publicly in front of their peers and create ‘A New Law’ in our Power of Words unit. Within this unit of work students will study transactional writing styles, conventions and features as well as watching famous speeches to monitor impact and effect. Students will learn about black writers and their struggle for equality before analysing their written arguments in an analytical self-assessment.

  Towards the end of year 8 students will read and study Shakespeare’s Hamlet. This text has direct links to our GCSE text; Macbeth. Students will learn how to spot themes and motifs as well as familiarising themselves with the structure and language of a Shakespearean tragedy. This unit of work features analytical tasks as well as creative and transactional tasks but features embedded oracy tasks within the lessons such as debates, paired work and circle time. Students are assessed on how a character develops over time within the play and are offered the chance to read aloud their essay to increase confidence and participation in speaking and listening.

  Year 8 ends with the study of a novel. Class teachers are free to choose between classics: Little Women or Treasure Island. This unit of work encourages debate and close reading. Students will listen to an expert reader and complete consolidation tasks as they read along. It is structured to allow confidence as they enter Key Stage 4, knowing they have read a full classic literature text and understand the conventions, ideas and subtext within it. This scheme also allows students to begin to explore historical context around their chosen books, via homework projects.

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• Key Stage Four
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• Year 9

  In English, our GCSE curriculum begins in year 9. Students are entered for English Literature at the end of year 10, meaning year 11 can be used for the teaching of English Language. We believe that focusing on Literature first enables students to cover the content of the course in-depth, as well as allowing them to manage their time well and revise more effectively. The skills for English Language are taught throughout the Literature course to ensure pupils are exam-ready, and Language is taught more explicitly in year 11.

  The year begins with an introduction to GCSE poetry for Literature paper 2: AQA Love and Relationships Anthology. Here, pupils build crucial analytical skills and revise technical vocabulary, which allows them to refine the approaches offered at Key Stage Three in line with GCSE assessment objectives. Pupils also learn the importance of social and historical context as they consider how the texts reflect the attitudes and values of the times in which they were written, and make links to the curriculum for Religious Education by exploring different types of love.

  Following this, pupils embark on the formalised study of the whole text of Macbeth. Through this unit, skills of analysis and explorations are developed, alongside a focus on the dramatic features of the text and its historical context.  Links are made here to the study of Romeo and Juliet and Henry IV in Key Stage Three, as well as links to Religious Education, specifically through the study of religious allegories in Macbeth. Students who opt for GCSE drama will also be familiar with the text through their study of ‘Macbeth and the performance space’ in the first term of year 9.

  After the teaching of Macbeth, students will study character, theme, context, and dramatic devices in An Inspector Calls. They will consider the writer’s intentions closely as well as the effect on the audience. At this point, they will be able to apply the skills they have learnt when studying Macbeth in order to analyse the conventions of the play. Links are also made to the year 8 history curriculum again when studying An Inspector Calls through references to the First and Second World War, and the curriculum for Religious Education through interpretations of one of the main characters, Inspector Goole.

  Linked in with the study of An Inspector Calls, students will study another Literature Paper 2 topic: unseen poetry. As with other topics, unseen poetry will be re-visited frequently in order to build pupils’ confidence and analytical skills. Learning of quotes for set texts will also be revisited through interleaving over the course of the year and websites such as SENECA and APPS such as PIXL Lit are used to support pupils’ memory and retention. Both websites generate data sets for teachers which summarise pupil performance, indicating if a pupil/class are underperforming or unsure of a certain topic or theme. Knowledge organisers, PLCS, and RAG charts help teachers and pupils to understand where they are currently at.

  To conclude year 9, pupils will complete a formal PPE: Literature Paper 2. This will allow them to build their skills in revising for English Literature, as well as preparing them for the demands of a 2 hour 15 minute exam.

• Year 10

  Term 1 begins with A Christmas Carol (Literature Paper 1). The higher order skill of analysing how writers use language for effect is key here and links are made to previous study of Victorian Literature and the Industrial Revolution. Assessment takes the form of a sample question from AQA which is then marked and internally moderated. Following this, students will then re-visit Macbeth in order to complete a PPE of English Literature Paper 1 at the end of the autumn-winter term.

  In preparation for PPE 2, pupils focus again on poetry and An Inspector Calls. This forms part of a second PPE for students. The rationale behind regular, formal PPE assessments is to ensure students are equipped to manage their time successfully in an exam, and are trained to write under exam conditions.

  To conclude year 10, pupils complete their GCSE in May and then begin study of English Language in preparation for year 11. They also complete the Spoken Language component of the course: completing a speech on a topic they feel strongly about.

• Year 11

  Term 1 of year 11 begins with a focus on Language Paper 1. Students build on the skills needed to write creatively and imaginatively by producing stories and descriptive pieces. This links to their study of AQA Language Paper 1 in Key Stage Three. As part of this unit, they also build on their analytical skills and consider the language and structure used in stories. Furthermore, students will be given time to develop their evaluation skills in preparation for question 4.

  In the second half of the autumn-winter term, students focus on transactional writing and non-fiction pieces for English Language Paper 2 (see appendix 2). A link is made here to the speeches produced for their Speaking and Listening assessment at the end of year 10. Students build skills in comparison, synthesis, and inference, and develop the skills to analyse texts from different time periods.

  In the spring term, staff adapt teaching to reflect areas which their classes need to improve on. Revision skills explicitly taught in lessons to support pupils in their study, and an interleaved approach is used for Language (similar to Literature). Regular quizzes and mini tests are used at the start of every lesson ‘Starter for Five’, for example, including testing pupils on key terminology needed for the exam. PIXL Resources such as the Personal Learning Checklists support teachers to check on what pupils are learning and to assess their understanding. There is also an area of the VLE dedicated to revision, including past papers and mark schemes.

  Language papers 1 and 2 are revisited and two further PPEs take place at February half term and before the spring holiday.

• Cultural Capital

  Our school is committed at every stage to ensure that no pupil is disadvantaged because they do not have the cultural experience to access the full curriculum and within English, the following key areas are developed:

  • A love of the subject and a love of learning is fostered through interactive and inspirational displays, a range of teaching resources and strategies, enrichment and cross-curricular links, and a visible staff love of the subject evident across the department.
  • Careers provision and aspiration is linked to a number of schemes of work, for example, when year 8 study Women in Literature, they are also given the project of studying famous and inspirational females. They present on a female they find particularly inspiring. Also within this unit, students study non-fiction texts and are able to write speeches, formal letters, and articles, with links being made to real life situations and scenarios. A link is also made here to journalism club and debating club/public speaking.
  • When students study Paper 2 Language they are exposed to a wide range of texts and topics. Students read about interesting or unusual jobs, inspirational figures, and current events in society. When students study Paper 1 Language they are taught the skills to write creatively. There is an opportunity for students to meet authors and others working in creative fields.
  • To develop character, students study a wide range of texts from different time periods and of cultural or historical significance. They are exposed to these texts and also given the platform to form their own opinions and ideas and to share them with an audience. Public speaking and debate club allow for students to present their ideas on these topics.
  • In English, we offer a number of trips and curriculum based visits. A number of these trips are solely for our disadvantaged pupils. For example, in year 7, pupils visit a local book shop. In year 8, they take part in a shared reading experience with Formby Library and a local primary school. They also take part in a cinema visit intended to inspire their creative writing.
  • In years 9 and 10, pupils take part in a Macbeth workshop and also watch live performances of Macbeth, A Christmas Carol, and An Inspector Calls. In years 10 and 11, pupils also take part in ‘masterclasses’ and workshops for each scheme of work.
  • Extra-curricular clubs offered by the English department include film club, journalism club, debate club, and a creative writing club (see appendix 3). Alongside the extra-curricular clubs, we also offer revision for years 10 and 11 (see appendix 4). This takes place before school starts, at lunch, and after school. Support is also offered to students from all year groups, including paired reading opportunities for years 7 and 8.
  • Literacy skills are a key component of accessing all curriculum areas. In English, skills are developed through the use of a SPAG focus for every lesson, whether it be English Language or Literature. Students are given the opportunity to produce extended written responses, as well as reading whole texts as a class reader and texts of their own choice. This is particularly evident in the provision for years 7 and 8 where students have a reading lesson once a fortnight.
  • Reading skills are also monitored and supported through reading lessons which take place once a fortnight for year 7 and 8 pupils. This data is tracked and intervention is provided for students whose reading age is below their chronological age. Students are also given the opportunity to read one-on-one with staff in reading lessons, with students regarded as needing ‘urgent intervention’ and disadvantaged pupils taking priority for this.
  • The catch-up strategy also supports pupils in years 7-9 with reading and supports exam readiness and engagement with reading.
  • All lessons compose elements of reading, writing, and speaking and listening. Students are taught key terms and vocabulary before beginning their unit of work. This helps to support pupils who have less cultural capital.
  • Disadvantaged pupils’ access to this provision is monitored carefully in order to support those whose cultural gap may be wider. Many of these strategies are outlined in our Pupil Premium Action Plan (see appendix 5), including tracking and monitoring after every PIP entry, small-group and one-to-one intervention with the department’s Pupil Premium Lead and also with the Pupil Premium Intervention teacher.
• Personal Development

  The personal development curriculum embraces the strands of Citizenship, Personal, Health and Social Education (PHSE), Careers Education and Guidance (CEAG) and Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) educational policies. In English, the personal development of pupils is supported by:

  • Workshops with theatre companies.
  • Enrichment opportunities and visits.
  • Workshops with local authors and poets.
  • The opportunity to take part in national competitions, such as the National Theatre Playwriting Competition and The Foyle Young Poet of the Year Award.
  • Author talks.
  • Supporting SEND and disadvantaged pupils to access extra-curricular and enrichment opportunities through opportunities for these targeted groups, for example, all Pupil Premium trips are covered by the school Pupil Premium fund.
  • Monitoring trips that are open to all pupils to ensure SEND and disadvantaged pupils are accessing these opportunities, for example, arrangements for the workshops and access to Pupil Premium funding to cover any costs incurred.
  • Exposure to texts about different career paths, jobs, and inspirational figures.
  • Interactive and inspirational displays.
  • Exposure to texts from different time periods and different cultures.
  • Linking college visits with study of English Language Paper 2: producing leaflets about different colleges or speeches on their chosen college.
  • Opportunities to creatively explore feelings and emotions.
  • Opportunities to improve speaking and listening skills by engaging in debates on current affairs and topics.
  • Opportunities to develop Leadership through the Pupil Librarian and Literacy Leaders Enrichment Programme.