Year 11 students study Macbeth
We welcome an actor from the Globe Theatre. ...
28 February, 20201 LikeThe JRCS English department is committed to providing supportive, thought-provoking and challenging lessons in Literature and Language at Key Stages 3, 4 and 5. Our aim is to inspire all students to be successful; to flourish in a safe and secure learning environment; to become confident and creative users of the English Language; and to develop into enthusiastic appreciators of literary texts.
The JRCS English department is committed to providing supportive, thought-provoking and challenging lessons in Literature and Language at Key Stages 3, 4 and 5. Our aim is to inspire all students to be successful; to flourish in a safe and secure learning environment; to become confident and creative users of the English Language; and to develop into enthusiastic appreciators of literary texts.
We aim to build on the skills students have learnt at Key Stage 2 by meeting their changing literacy needs through a curriculum that is diverse, relevant and challenging, using ICT, and linking with other subject areas to support their studies across the school.
At Key Stage 3, students work through the following topics of study each year:
KS3 English Curriculum Overview
Students are formally assessed in reading, writing, speaking and listening throughout each unit of study. The assessments for each unit are carefully designed to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum for English.
Weekly homework tasks are set by individual teachers, based either on the scheme of work that is being studied or wider literacy skills. Homework is either task marked or peer-marked, depending on the nature of the task.
Read On is a unique reading programme at JRCS. The aim of this project is to champion reading for enjoyment. Students are provided with access to a well-equipped school library and they spend one hour per week of curriculum time being given the space and time to read the books they enjoy.
All of our Year 7 students also use Lexia on a regular basis. This software has been developed to support reading progression for readers of all abilities. We have a dedicated Literacy Suite equipped with a bank of computers for students to enjoy Lexia.
KS4 students will continue to sit the reformed 9-1 GCSEs in Literature and Language. Rather than achieving a grade (A*-C), these students will gain their English qualifications using a score where 9 is the highest and 1 is the lowest.
The key elements of the GCSE specification are:
Students will sit their GCSEs with AQA exam board. The units of study they will be following during Year 10 are as follows.
While Year 10 focuses on studying the set texts for the first time, our Year 11 curriculum prioritises revision and exam preparation.
Our Year 11 students work towards the following units of study:
In order to best prepare our Year 11 students for their final exam papers, we operate several mock exam periods throughout the year.
December: English Language/Literature school mocks
March: Full pre-public exam mocks in Literature and Language
It is crucial that students work independently to supplement their learning in class. Wider reading and research around the subject areas we are studying is actively encouraged at all ages. The resources we would recommend to help students achieve this are: Spark Notes – online study guides for a range of GCSE texts LitCharts – detailed online study guides for a range of literary texts BBC Bitesize – an online resource which helps students develop their skills in English and other subjects.
The York Notes or Phillip Allan Literature Guides are also useful for students when it comes to studying particular texts in class. Study guides for other texts can be purchased on Amazon.co.uk.
Please also use the JRCS English website, which has a wealthy of resources and information to guide you: www.sites.google.com/view/jrcsenglish/home
Please note that the A Christmas Carol element has been removed for the Year 11 2021-2022 exams due to circumstances surrounding COVID-19. The details for the following exam for Year 10 in 2022-2023 will continue with the full specification). If you have any questions concerning these changes, please discuss with the class English teacher.
Students continue to develop their critical thinking and literary analysis skills throughout their two year A level study. Our current KS5 students are working through the following texts and topics:
Year 12 |
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley Carol Ann Duffy, Rapture (coursework unit) A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey The Bloody Chamber, Angela Carter The Gothic: selection of extracts |
Year 13 |
Hamlet, Shakespeare The Duchess of Malfi, John Webster Selected poetry by Christina Rossetti
Revision of all texts studied at Year 12 |
Our students sit the OCR A level in English Literature.
A level teachers set weekly homework: these may be full essays, shorter writing tasks, or reading and preparation for the following lessons. These are checked by teachers and either formally task-marked or peer-marked in class, depending on the nature of the task that has been set.
The English department prides itself on providing excellent wider learning opportunities for students, taking full advantage of our close proximity to the theatres in Central London. In recent years, we have taken Y13 on trips to see Hamlet at the National Theatre, Tis Pity She’s a Whore at the Globe, and to an exam-preparation lecture day at Imperial College University. Recent Key Stage 3 trips have included tours and sword-fighting demonstrations at Shakespeare’s Globe, a day at Harry Potter World, and a production of Titus Andronicus at the Globe. We also seek to find opportunities wherever possible for KS4 students to see live productions of the texts they are studying, for example Pigeon English at the National Youth Theatre.
At the core of our approach to marking at JRCS is task marking.
In non-practical subjects one substantial piece of work will be task marked at least once every eight hours of teaching. Students will respond to the tasks and they will be checked by staff. In between that time students’ work may be peer or self-assessed or briefly checked by staff.
It is likely the same piece of work will be assessed for literacy. Staff will mark work using the literacy marking code:
Sp | spelling mistake |
P | punctuation mark missing or incorrectly used |
Voc | incorrect use of vocabulary |
^ | word missed out of sentence |
~ | unclear meaning or grammar within a sentence |
// | new paragraph required |
CL | capital letter error |
Years 7 and 8 will have their assessments marked using the ‘Life after Levels’ categories introduced in all subjects:
Year 9 students will be graded according to the new 9-1 categories, as this is treated as a transition year preparing students for GCSE.
Each time they receive assessment feedback, students will record areas of strength and development on their ‘reflection sheets’ which will be at the back of the book. At the end of each term a level is reported for students in each subject, which reflects all their work over that term. These are found on students’ pale yellow progress cards, which are stuck into their planners. These cards show students whether they are in line to meet their end of key stage target.
KS4 practice exam questions and mock exams are likely to be graded. This work might not be in student books. Students will record grades and areas of strength and development in their ‘reflection sheets’ which will be at the front or back of the book. All students receive an attainment and predicted grade at the end of each term. These are found on their pale yellow progress cards, which are stuck into their planners. These cards show students whether they are in line to meet their end of key stage target.
At KS5 students take a series of VIMAs (Sixth Form Milestone Assessments) during their course. Students receive developmental comments to help them improve their work. Each VIMA result includes four parts: the grade for that assessment, a comparison of the grade with their expected progress grade (EPG), a Learning Capability mark and a prediction of their end of year grade (PEG). The outcomes of these assessments and other graded work will be in student folders. They are also sent home to parents. A summary of VIMA marks and the students’ expected progress grade is also recorded in their planner.
We welcome an actor from the Globe Theatre. ...
28 February, 20201 LikeYear 10 group were involved in a session with David and Jordan from E16 Spillers Co...
24 May, 20194 LikesIf you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the school office on 020 8270 6222 or contact the Director of Learning, Miss N Eastman at NEastman@jorichardson.org.uk