Curriculum Maps can be found here

Head of Department: Miss C Murphy

Departmental Verse:

“I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.”

(Revelation 3:8)

Key Stage 3

Intent

The Key Stage 3 English curriculum at Trinity is broad, challenging and has a love of literature at its core. Pupils are introduced to a range of text types encompassing fiction, non-fiction, poetry, novels, and drama across varying eras.

Year 7 study a range of great men and women of literature focusing on poetry from the medieval to the modern; an exploration into Dystopian fiction and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ follows.

Year 8 are invited to examine ‘the play’ and its function as a social commentary within ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and other dramas, followed by an examination of Victorian Poetry leading the way to a focus on Literary Satire,

focusing on ‘Animal Farm’.

Year 9 begin by looking at Conflict Throughout the Ages and representation in poetry; followed by Different Cultures and Traditions within Shakespeare. This exploration fits well with Year 9’s last unit, Inclusion and Exclusion in Literature; considering what it is to belong.

Pupils are actively encouraged to read with enthusiasm, write effectively, and to express themselves confidently.

Impact

​The expected impact of this broad curriculum is to provide breadth and depth. Students are able to put texts in their rightful context and to understand how literature has been changed by social, historical and political transformations. This provides students with a firm grasp of literature throughout the ages; they are then prepared to sit further English qualifications. 

Curriculum Map

The information below outlines the curriculum programme for KS3:

Assessment 

The assessment descriptors for this subject at KS3 are available here.

Key Stage 4

Intent

The English department at Trinity is a varied and exciting department committed to excellent learning and teaching. The offer at Key Stage 4 reflects our innovative practice. We teach both Literature and Language following an interleaved curriculum to maximise information retention for our pupils. Across the two years, pupils are exposed to a wealth of pre and post 19th century literature to support their qualifications. All texts are thematically linked to make sure students can draw connections between them and aid memory.

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Qualification Title: English Language

Qualification Level: GCSE

English Language is a two year course that is interleaved with English Literature. This means that over the course we teach students connected ideas and skills that develop independence and creative thinking. We ensure that pupils are proficient with analysing language and structure to aid both qualifications.

Students will encounter a wide range of 19th century literature to prepare them for the exam, but also to aid contextual knowledge for their Victorian novel and poetry. Students examine a variety of 20th and 21st century non-fiction writing.

Through both their Literature and Language studies there is ample opportunity for our students to become confident and accurate writers, we foster imagination in our students to help them with a large part of their qualification. We help develop their conviction of opinion and show them how to express this both in writing and in their spoken language qualification.

English Language is examined by two exams culminating in four hours of examinations.

Link to exam board specification:

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/english-language-2015.html

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Qualification Title: English Literature

Qualification Level: GCSE

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English Literature at GCSE covers some of the most well-known texts, we start the two years covering the ever popular ‘An Inspector Calls’. Students do not only learn about the text (themes and characters) but they examine how the text is a social commentary, they learn sophisticated historical, political and social contexts. Students continue exploring some of these themes as we move into studying ‘Macbeth’ and finally ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’. All texts share common ideas about identity, conflict and class. Texts also enable us to have complex conversations about mental-health, contemporary society and religion.

Moving into the second year students revisit Conflict Poetry and learn how to tackle unseen poetry. We spend the remainder of Year 11 revising and perfecting exam rubric and skills. English Literature is interleaved with English Language.

English Literature is examined by two exams culminating in four hours of examinations.

Link to exam board specification:

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/english-literature-2015.html