What is taught? 

The English curriculum combines the reading and study of texts with writing for a variety of purposes. Alongside these activities, we develop learners to become confident orators in a variety of different settings.

From Years 7 to 11, learners are exposed to challenging texts across all genres and time periods. Each unit of the curriculum will have links to others, which enables students to see clear connections and patterns in texts. We aim to foster a love of literature and to develop resilience in approaching more complex texts.

Skills acquired in English are essential for all other curriculum subjects and are vital in life.  

Skills include, but are not limited to: reading, writing, communication, problem-solving, analysing, time management, developing a broader vocabulary, thinking critically and arguing a point. 

Year 7

Term 1: Diversity - Nonfiction reading and writing and Myths and Legends

Term 2: Dystopia - Reading and responding to dystopian fiction

Term 3: Murder Mystery - The reading of Hound of the Baskervilles

Term 4: Songbird - Analysing and comparing poetry. Learning and performing poetry

Term 5: Wonder - Close Reading of the whole text

Term 6: Magical Shakespeare - Study of a wide variety of Shakespeare texts.

Year 8

Term 1: Disasters and Diseases - Reading and writing non-fiction

Term 2: Gender - The presentation of men and women in Shakespeare

Term 3: Lord of the Flies - Whole text study

Term 4: Icarus - Whose fault was it? Writing from different perspectives. Conflict poetry

Term 5: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time - Play study

Term 6: Freedom and Civil Rights - The study of literature and speeches.

Year 9

Term 1: Heroes and Villains across Shakespeare’s texts

Term 2: A voyage across Africa - Reading and writing non-fiction

Term 3: From Hover to Trump - The study of Of Mice and Men.

Term 4: Your Voice - The Art of Rhetoric

Term 5: Too Spooky for you - Reading and writing gothic texts

Term 6: The study of the Crucible.

 

In Years 10 and 11, students begin to study for the AQA English Language and English Literature GCSEs. For English Literature, students will study An Inspector Calls, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Macbeth and the Power and Conflict cluster of poetry from the anthology. Students will study units focused on the skills required for the English Language papers as outlined below.

How is it taught? 

At Beacon Hill Academy, we use a wide range of teaching and learning strategies which allow learners to work collaboratively and independently, taking responsibility for their own learning and enabling them to work effectively with others in groups.  

Our lessons take a thematic approach, mixing both language and literature skills throughout each half term. We explore a wide variety of texts and learners are given opportunities to debate, discuss, analyse and challenge perceptions and ideas in order to develop their skills and learning. We study a breadth of texts from poetry, drama, prose fiction, non-fiction and media. 

 

What makes your subject unique? 

We enable access to the wider curriculum, we are the gateway to greatness and the very foundation from which to flourish.  

The teachers in English have the passion and enthusiasm to help learners achieve their full potential.