Intent

At The Limes College, through the study of English we aim to develop students who are articulate speakers, critical readers, and ambitious writers. Our guiding moral purpose is to enable students to gain the skills they need to reach their next destinations including further study, potential apprenticeships, and future employment. We believe being able to communicate well, read fluently and write accurately are crucial elements in enabling success for our students once they leave The Limes College. We want every student to be able to meet every citizen as an equal and to do that they must have a clear grasp of reading, writing and speaking. Our focus in on developing students who can part take in discussion, read texts critically and write with sophistication.

Implementation

In KS3, students will follow a curriculum which aims to:

• Deepen their knowledge of literary texts
• Enhance comprehension skills
• Develop extended writing abilities
• Teach vocabulary explicitly
• Assess for mastery

This is delivered through three lessons a week and these lessons, a wide range of texts will be explored from classics like Dickens’ Oliver Twist to contemporary poetry from Benjamin Zephaniah. The curriculum exposes pupils to a vast range of fiction and non-fiction texts in a variety of mediums exploring themes that apply to both past and present worlds. Similarly, grammar and writing are taught in isolation so that students gain the foundational knowledge from which creativity can emerge. All of the content and knowledge at KS3 is connected so that students form a firm foundation of literary and linguistic knowledge that enables them to read and write accurately and critically, not just in English, but across the curriculum.

In KS4, students will build upon the foundations of knowledge they have from KS3, addressing any gaps in knowledge as they follow a curriculum which prepares them for their iGCSE English Language. The curriculum will:

• Enhance comprehension skills
• Deepen summary skills
• Develop language analysis skills
• Explore writer’s intentions
• Intensify writing abilities in both creative and transactional writing
• Assess for mastery

This is delivered through a thematic curriculum route where students will focus on one exam skill per half term alongside an overarching theme apparent in the set texts they will study. Again, the themes selected will expose students to a vast array of concepts and they will study fiction and non-fiction texts from both the literary canon and contemporary works to ensure diversity and inclusivity within our curriculum. We aim to expose students to a variety of challenging and engaging topics to deepen their understanding of the world, the societal issues that have transcended time in literature and the differing experiences people have.

Impact

As a result of the English curriculum at The Limes College, students leave with an exceptional result in their English Language examinations, but more importantly leave with the skills that will enable them to meet every citizen as an equal in society. They are able to read with a critical eye, form and voice opinions and thoughts, and write with accuracy and intention. The study of English is valued by all career pathways as it prepares students for further study and equips them with vital skills needed for life after academia. At The Limes College, English is a subject grounded in providing our students with the skills to go out into the world and hold conviction in their skills as readers, writers and speakers.