Calderstones School - English

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Est. 1921

English

CURRICULUM VISION

INTENT:

What is the curriculum aim / vision for this subject?

The English curriculum is designed around 3 key principles or aims:

The curriculum should give students the opportunity to become highly literate, articulate, critical thinkers who are able to access, analyse and question the world around them.
The curriculum should give students access to traditional cultural capital through the delivery of canonical texts but also through the delivery of more culturally broad, diverse and contemporary material.
The curriculum should encourage students to enjoy English, to appreciate the beauty, power and value of language and literature.

What do we expect students to get from this subject?

Students should enjoy and achieve in English.
They should be challenged and engaged.
They should be supported to develop key, transferable skills which prepare them, not only for public examinations, but for making a positive contribution in society.
They can expect to gain in self-confidence, and to develop the confidence to articulate themselves.

IMPLEMENTATION:

How does learning develop over the five years?

The curriculum for Years 7 to 9 now reflects high levels of challenge.

Reading and writing assessments linked to reading material.
High challenge content: Victorian Literature, unseen prose, unseen poetry, two Shakespeare texts, engaging and challenging texts.
Assessments are all linked to the new more rigorous GCSE criteria

The curriculum at GCSE has also recently be reviewed and rationalised. Curriculum plans are available further down.

What principles have guided our decision making in developing this curriculum? What is distinctive about our curriculum?

The text choices are very distinctive and broad in the offer. They are fairly contemporary texts but include new, more challenging genres which were not taught in the past: fantasy, romance, bildungsroman etc. Students we feel will enjoy these contemporary texts.
The transition from Years 7 to 9 through to A-level studies is streamlined in order to provide students with clear stepping stones across the whole curriculum.

In what ways does our curriculum help to develop…?

Cultural diversity and identity: Texts by diverse authors or with identity as a key theme. GCSE Paper 2.
Physically and mentally healthy lifestyles Year 9 focuses on mental health and bereavement in two texts.
Careers and enterprise: Employability interview application forms.
Technology and the media: Year 7 Writing to Express a Point of View (Speeches that changed the world); Frequent use of multimodal texts at GCSE.
Creativity and critical thinking: All of our reading units encourage critical thinking; our writing units creativity.

IMPACT:

What forms do assessments take? What is the purpose of assessment?

In Years 7 to 9, there are 2 formal assessment points.
For reading schemes of work in Years 7 to 9, this takes the form of:
- Unseen fiction or non-fiction extracts.
- Extracts from the texts studied or a printed poem.
- Essay based questions on the texts studied.
For writing schemes of work in years 7 to 9, this takes the form of:
- Narrative and descriptive writing.
- Writing to express a point of view.
At GCSE, assessments are half-termly and use sections of GCSE past papers where possible. There are two complete mock examinations each year, one Language and one Literature.
At KS5, assessments are half-termly, per class and use sections of A-Level past papers where possible. There is one partial examination in January year 12 and a full mock in June year 12. Year 13 follows the same pattern
The purpose of assessment is to measure how much progress students have made against their target grade.

How do we know if we have a successful curriculum?

Ongoing quality assurance processes at whole school and departmental level including: book checks, learning visits, student and parent voice.
Accurate Department self-evaluation.
Students knowing more and remembering more; the curriculum is the progression model.
Achieving successful outcomes in relation to their starting points.
“High levels of uptake” in A-level English Literature/English Language.

CURRICULUM CONTENT

KEY STAGE 3

Click here for the English Key Stage 3 Curriculum Map for 2022/23

KEY STAGE 4

Click here for the English KS4 Curriculum Map for 2022/23

At Calderstones, we are with AQA for both GCSE English Language and Literature.
All pupils sit English Language and English Literature and gain two separate GCSEs.
There are no longer any tiered papers, (foundation or higher) so all pupils sit the same examinations.
There are two examinations for each of these GCSEs so pupils will sit a total of four papers.
All GCSE Literature examinations are closed book which means pupils cannot take the text they are studying with them into the examination.
Some of the questions have extracts for pupils to work with but there is a real emphasis on pupils learning quotations.
Pupils study GCSE Literature in Year 10 and the GCSE English Language in year 11.
Pupils will also take part in a Spoken Language Assessment where they will complete a formal presentation before their peers. This does not count towards their final grade but will be printed on their GCSE certificate.

GCSE English Language

Paper 1	Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (The “fiction” paper)
1 hour 45 minutes 80 marks
Section A (Reading) 40 marks	One literary fiction extract from a novel or short story. Candidates should spend 15 minutes reading and annotating the extract and questions before writing. 45 minutes to answer the questions on this section.
	Q1 Short question (4 marks)		AO1	List 4 things we learn about…
	Q2 Longer question (8 marks)		AO2	How does the writer use language
	Q3 Longer question (8 marks)		AO2	How does the writer structure
	Q4 Extended question (20 marks)		AO4	What methods does the writer use to present…
Section B (Writing) 40 marks	Q5 A choice of question from two creative writing tasks. Descriptive or narrative writing. Some questions have visual stimulus. 45 minutes to answer the question on this section.
	AO5	Content and organisation (24 marks)
	AO6 SPAG	Spelling punctuation and grammar (16 marks)

Paper 2	Writer’s Viewpoints and Perspectives (The “non-fiction” paper)
1 hour 45 minutes 80 marks
Section A (Reading) 40 marks	Pupils spend 15 minutes reading two extracts linked by theme. Texts can be non-fiction and/or literary non-fiction and tend to be high quality journalism, articles, reports, essays, travel writing, accounts, sketches, letters, diaries, reports, autobiography, biographical passages etc. Two sources are from different times (one tends to be Victorian) and genres.
	Q1 Short question (4 marks)		AO1	Choose 4 true statements (from a choice of 8)
	Q2 Longer question (8 marks)		AO1/2	Summarise the differences between…
	Q3 Longer question (12 marks)		AO2	How does the writer use language
	Q4 Extended question (16 marks)		AO3	Compare the methods used by the two writers to express their viewpoint
Section B (Writing) 40 marks	Q5 One compulsory question. Writing to present a viewpoint. Pupils must argue, persuade or inform about a subject. The question usually contains a quotation which pupils must respond to.
	AO5	Content and organisation (24 marks)
	AO6 SPAG	Spelling punctuation and grammar (16 marks)

GCSE English Literature

Paper 1	Shakespeare and the 19th Century Novel
1 hour 45 min (closed book) 40% of Lit GCSE 64 marks
Section A 30 Marks + 4 Marks (SPAG)	Students currently study Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet The exam will contain a printed extract from the play. Pupils must respond to a theme or character in the extract and then consider the presentation of this theme or character in the rest of the play.
Section B 30 marks	Students currently study Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The exam will contain a printed extract from the play. Pupils must respond to a theme or character in the extract and then consider the presentation of this theme or character in the rest of the play.

Paper 2

Modern Texts and Poetry

2 hours 15 min (closed book)
60% of Literature GCSE
96 marks

Section A

30 marks
plus 4 marks AO4

Modern Prose

Pupils currently study J.B. Priestley’s, An Inspector Calls.
Choice of two essay questions; one usually on character and one on a theme.
No printed extract.
4 marks are available on this section for spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Section B

30 marks

Poetry

Pupils study an anthology of 15 poems.
There are two to choose from: love and relationships or power and conflict. This is at teacher discretion.
One question per cluster. Poem named in question is printed.
Compare printed poem to one other from memory.

Section C

32 marks

Unseen Poetry

Two printed unseen poems.
2 questions. Students must answer both.
Q1 on 1st poem (24 marks)
Q2 a comparison of both poems (8 marks)

KEY STAGE 5

Year 12/13

Click here for the Year 12 Curriculum Map (Core) for 2021/22 Academic Year

Click here for the Year 13 Curriculum Map (Core) for 2021/22 Academic Year

A-Level English Language

What’s assessed?	Assessed	Component	Type of Question	Marks	%
Paper 1: Language and the individual
Textual variations and representations Children's language development (0–11 years) Methods of language analysis are integrated into the activities	Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes	Section A Textual variations and representations	Two texts (one contemporary and one older text) linked by topic or theme. A question requiring analysis of one text (25 marks) A question requiring analysis of a second text (25 marks) A question requiring comparison of the two texts (20 marks)	70 marks	40% of A Level
		Section B Children's language development (0–11 years)	A discursive essay on children’s language development, with a choice of two questions where the data provided will focus on spoken, written or multimodal language (30 marks)	30 marks
Paper 2: Language diversity and change
Language diversity and change Language discourses Writing skills Methods of language analysis are integrated into the activities	Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes	Section A Diversity and change	One question from a choice of two: either: an evaluative essay on language diversity (30 marks) or: an evaluative essay on language change (30 marks)	30 marks	40% of A Level
		Section B Language discourses	Two texts about a topic linked to the study of diversity and change. A question requiring analysis of how the texts use language to present ideas, attitudes and opinions (40 marks) A directed writing task linked to the same topic and the ideas in the texts (30 marks)	70 marks
Non-exam assessment: Language in action
Language investigation Original writing Methods of language analysis are integrated into the activities	word count: 3,500 assessed by teachers moderated by AQA	Part 1: Language investigation	Students produce: a language investigation (2,000 words excluding data) (50 marks)	100 marks	20% of A-level
		Part 2: Original writing and commentary	Students produce: a piece of original writing and commentary (1,500 words total) (50 marks)

A-Level English Literature

At Calderstones, we follow AQA Specification A for English Literature. The course is 2 years with examinations taking place at the end of year 13. There are two examinations and one piece of coursework.

Component	Text Requirements	Centre Choice	Type of Question	Marks/ AOs	Percentage	Closed/ open
Paper 1: Love through the ages (3 hours)
Section A	Shakespeare drama text	The Taming of the Shrew	One passage based question with linked essay covering whole text (25 marks)	Total 75m	Total 40% AO1 14% AO2 12% AO3 12% AO4 6% AO5 6%	Closed
Section A	Shakespeare drama text	The Taming of the Shrew		AO1 7m AO2 6m AO3 6m AO4 3m AO5 3m		Closed
Section B	Unseen poetry	A collection of paired love poems for practice.	Compulsory essay linking two unseen poems (25 marks)	AO1 7m AO2 6m AO3 6m AO4 3m AO5 3m		Closed
Section C	Comparing texts one poetry one prose (one must be pre-1900)	Pre-1900 love poetry Anthology The Great Gatsby (FC).	One essay question from choice of two, linking two texts (25 marks)-must write on at least two poems.	AO1 7m AO2 6m AO3 6m AO4 3m AO5 3m		Open on section C
Paper 2B Texts in Shared Contexts - Modern Literature (2 hours 30 minutes)
Section A	Essay question. Pupils choose to write on one of three set texts.	The Handmaid’s Tale (prose); A Streetcar Named Desire (drama); Feminine Gospels (poetry post 2000)	Choice of two essay questions with statement to examine (25 marks)	75 marks AO1 7m AO2 6m AO3 6m AO4 3m AO5 3m	Total 40% AO1 14% AO2 12% AO3 12% AO4 6% AO5 6%	Open
Section Bi	Respond to unseen prose fiction/no-fiction extract from 1945-present.	Unseen prose extract anthology	One compulsory question on an unseen extract (25 marks)	AO1 7m AO2 6m AO3 6m AO4 3m AO5 3m		Open
Section Bii	Essay question on remaining two texts.	See texts above	Compare the significance of given theme in two texts (25)	AO1 7m AO2 6m AO3 6m AO4 3m AO5 3m		Open
Paper 3: Independent Critical Study (coursework)
Course-work	Comparative critical study of two texts, at least one of which must have been written pre 1900.	Comedy Themed: The Country Wife (Wycherley) plus another text of your choice.	Core set texts studied at AS-A-Level not to be used. 2500 words+ bibliography	50 marks	20% Assessed by teachers moderated by AQA	N/A	2