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We have designed our curriculum using the KS3 National Curriculum and it is delivered under the framework of the IB Middle Years programme. We have also referenced the KS2 Programmes of Study in our initial planning. English at Mascalls Academy secures students with a substantive and disciplinary knowledge based curriculum that offers breadth and depth.

Our modules span over 12 weeks to enable us to ensure that deep learning takes place and supports the school ethos of Academic Excellence, Character and Culture. Students explore a range of fiction and non-fiction texts that span across time and cultures to give them a rich and empathetic understanding of the world around them. Vocabulary is taught explicitly to support students’ verbal and written responses and enable them to articulate complex ideas. We create a culture that fosters their own reading as we know how integral this is to their development, both academically and personally.

Pupils need to be able to express themselves and communicate coherently, appropriately and with sophistication. Our spiralling curriculum provides students with the essential skills and knowledge they need for their future roles within society and aims to develop young people who are confident, creative, ethical and critical thinkers. To achieve this, we ensure that our curriculum is regularly reviewed and refined to accommodate our learners.

KS3 English

Imaginative writing and analysis of poetry through the study of other cultures’ poetry, both contemporary and heritage. Students gain understanding of different perspectives through exploration of multicultural poetry.

Identification of  key devices, analysis of language and structure and relation to perspective, context and identity. Challenging stereotypes. Exploration and analysis at word level. Selection of quotes and embedding into analysis. Justifying opinions using examples. Development of an academic register. 

Transactional writing – poetry to imaginative writing. Application of studied devices to writing. Development of and employing ambitious vocabulary and oracy.  Completion of the Writing Mastery Programme to build consistent accuracy and automaticity in writing. 

Statement of Inquiry

Poetry, as a form of personal and cultural expression, allows us to explore identities and relationships within a global context.

Key Concept(s)

Identity

Related Concept(s)

Self expression
Context
Structure

Tracking physical and metaphorical journeys through the reading of A Monster Calls. Development of analytical skills that transfer to a diverse range of employment opportunities.

Exploration of setting, context, plot structure, language, figurative devices, narrative voices, symbolism, subtext, inference, to understand nuances in meaning, to evidence and justify ideas with close reference to the text. Develop the habit of reading widely and often. Development of skills to write an analytical essay effectively. Development of oracy.

Statement of Inquiry

All protagonists face change and development when identities and relationships are challenged.

Key Concept(s)

Change

Related Concept(s)

Character
Point of View
Theme

Range of short stories (fables, Greek myths, Sci-Fi, flash fiction). The impact of different perspectives and development of analytical skills that transfer to a diverse range of employment opportunities.

Exploration of a dystopian short story with a twist in the tale. Creation of a unique and fictional perspective to produce a persuasive speech. The speeches will be delivered collectively to support oracy skills and develop an ambitious range of vocabulary with which to express  ideas. Exploration and analysis of a piece of flash fiction that has been written from a very unique perspective. Ambitious vocabulary will be examined for its precision in crafting imagery. Creative opportunities to write a fictional perspective. Exploration the use of extended metaphors in poetry and fiction.

Statement of Inquiry

Poetry, as a form of personal and cultural expression, allows us to explore identities and relationships within a global context.

Key Concept(s)

Identity

Related Concept(s)

Self expression
Context
Structure

Learning to write in a formal register and how to adapt to suit the audience and purpose, a key skill for all employers as effective communication.

Analysis, creation and comparing of a range of texts. Analysis of language and structure to be more analytical and evaluative of writers ideas and perspective. Development of comparative skills. Build on syntax and embedding ambitious vocabulary. Development and understanding of ‘register’ and how to adapt to suit purpose. Creation of a speech and development of oracy skills.

Statement of Inquiry

It is imperative to develop a strong voice to communicate within the context of our fast-paced and global community

Key Concept(s)

Creativity

Related Concept(s)

Structure and Audience
Style
Form

The reading of this novel will build upon the previous unit that explored global issues created by the climate crisis, considering political principles through a dystopian lens and making links across time. Analysis of language, structure and evaluation skills will be developed in a more detailed and intensive process. Exploration of global issues created by the climate crisis. Consideration of political principles through a dystopian lens and make links across time. Analysis of language and structure will be developed further. Exploration of a range of themes and concepts across the novel – encompassing: family, pain, morality, truth, friendship and education. 

Statement of Inquiry

Dystopian literature allows the reader to view civilisation and social history through different perspectives, contexts and settings.

Key Concept(s)

Perspective

Related Concept(s)

Context
Genre
Purpose

 Exploration of 19th Century prose with exposure to archaic vocabulary and sophisticated sentence structures. Analysis of texts on their linguistic and structural merits. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the texts and making analytical links between context and symbolism and writers purpose. Consideration of gothic conventions and becoming immersed in the era beyond the texts. Development of wider reading and understanding. Creation of imaginative writing.

Statement of Inquiry

How has scientific and technical innovation influenced and connected texts across time?

Key Concept(s)

Time, Place and Space

Related Concept(s)

Intertextuality
Point of View
Context/study

 Analysis of non-fiction articles regarding the death penalty and the consideration of concepts around morality. Relation of these ideas to Shakespeare’s Hamlet supported by close analysis of language and structure. A range of texts will be studied to support.

Statement of Inquiry

Writers can use conventions in literature to convey the importance of relationships.

Key Concept(s)

Communication

Related Concept(s)

Genre
Theme

Poems – Cousin Kate, Half Caste, The Class Game, No Problem, What Were They Like? Challenging stereotypes. Students gain understanding of different perspectives through exploration of multicultural poetry.  

Analysis of the language, structure, form and context of 5 poems from the GCSE anthology. The poems come from a diverse range of poets from different cultures and times. Challenging stereotypes of race, culture, class and gender.

Statement of Inquiry

Writers can use conventions in literature to convey the importance of relationships.

Key Concept(s)

Communication

Related Concept(s)

Genre
Theme

Novel – To Kill a Mockingbird. This unit will offer a deeper understanding of challenging stereotypes and racial prejudice. The novel will also offer complex analytical opportunities as a transferable skill in all areas of employment. They will also learn about freedom of speech and relate to their own contexts.

Exploration of context; American Civil Rights Movement, Great Depression etc. Introduction of Bildungsroman and its purpose and effects. Analysis of narrative voices, themes and structure. Consideration of  motifs, imagery, language and writers purpose.

Statement of Inquiry

To consider context, through exploring character, setting, theme, we can explore the connections between what is fair and what is not.

Key Concept(s)

Connections

Related Concept(s)

Character
Setting
Context
Theme

KS4 English

Literature GCSE – A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens. Introduction of English Language Paper 1. Analysis of more complex texts that offer a density in prose style and introduces more archaic language to broaden vocabulary understanding. Skills and knowledge that relate to a range of careers.

The 1st semester will be initiated with 2 weeks of a short unit that will introduce the language papers and skills. The unit will make explicit links between language and literature to secure knowledge of which assessment objectives are assessed in different components. A Christmas Carol will build on the skills priorly developed with regards to 19th Century fiction to explore key themes and analyse extracts for language and structure. 

Literature GCSE – An Inspector Calls. Political insight to 2 contexts and relate to own experience, general understanding of processes that are integral to any place of work.

Introduction to two new contexts – 1912 and 1945. Relation of knowledge to political ideologies that were pertinent at the time and relate to relevance today. Exploration of characters, plot, dramatic devices, varied interpretations and relating to writers purpose. Exploration of relevant themes and relate to context. Use text as inspiration for creative writing.

Challenging stereotypes. Understanding of different perspectives through exploration of poetry. Understanding of working under timed conditions and writing to suit audience and purpose – universal employment skills.

Analysis of the remainder of poems in the GCSE anthology and the relation to context. Build upon understanding of structure and form and relate to key ideas in poems. Analysis of unseen poems and development of comparative analytical skills. Study the demands of Language papers 1 and 2 covering all assessment objectives across both papers. Revisiting A Christmas Carol and An Inspector Calls. Completion of mock papers that cover Language paper 1 and 2 and all the Literature modules except Macbeth.

Analysis of more complex texts that offer a density in prose style and introduces more archaic language to broaden vocabulary understanding. Skills and knowledge that relate to a range of careers.

Revisit plot of Macbeth. Analysis of  short extracts under timed conditions for language, structure and form. Selection of  appropriate quotes and embed them. 

Use results from mock exams to revisit required content and skills. Short writing unit developing responses and completion of speaking and listening assessments.

KS5 English

Develop knowledge and understanding of how children acquire language from 0-8 years old in spoken and written form. High level of terminology embedded and evaluation of linguistic theories. Independence instilled to enable the annotation of transcripts and expression of findings in a sophisticated and academic register.

Develop knowledge and understanding of how language can shape and reflect identity.

Develop and understand how language has evolved from the 15th century to the modern day. High level of terminology embedded and evaluation of linguistic theories. Independence instilled to enable the annotation of transcripts and expression of findings in a sophisticated and academic register.

Independent research to explore a genre/theme as released by the exam board. Production of coursework that will demonstrate understanding of how language is manipulated for audience and purpose.