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Southfields Academy

Southfields Academy

English

Teacher contact details
 

Welcome to the English & Film Department 

Through the study of English Language, English Literature and Film Studies at Southfields Academy, we aim to provide students with the written and verbal communication skills that will see them thrive at secondary school, in the next stages of their educational journey and in their future careers.

We offer a curriculum that rigorously develops students' core skills in English throughout Key Stages 3-5, and provides opportunities for creativity and extra-curricular enjoyment of the subject, whilst promoting the academy's community and core values through the texts we teach and the schemes of work we create.

What knowledge and skills will students develop at KS3?
 

Contact Teachers

Mr. Justin Peck (Head of English)

Grouping/organisation/setting/teaching time

Year 7, 8 and 9 students are grouped by attainment in English lessons.  Year 7 students currently receive 5 hours of timetabled lessons per week.  This includes monitoring of engagement with the Accelerated Reader programme through one dedicated reading lesson every week and one timetabled library lesson every fortnight.  Students are assessed regularly in English, at least one a half term.  Their performance is reviewed after each assessment point and it is possible that students will change sets so that they are placed in a class that best meets their needs.  Assessment feedback is shared with students and parents and is graded in flightpaths ranging from 'Entry Level' to 'Exceptional'.

Students develop their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills during lessons while studying units of work.  They are expected to write creatively, but also analytically with an awareness of how the writer constructs characters and plot and conveys tone.  Reading skills are developed from primary school in order to prepare students for the demands at GCSE - students are taught how to analyse the way in which writers use language and structure methods to shape meaning.

Course 

Year 7 and Year 8

Students study a range of authors and texts in their English lessons throughout Key Stage 3. This comprises a diverse range of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and drama from across different eras and cultures. The literature texts included as part of the curriculum are chosen to encourage empathy and understanding of universal themes and prevalent topics. Some of the literature studied across Key Stage 3 includes: plays by William Shakespeare, 19th Century literature and extracts from classics such as ‘Oliver Twist’ and ‘Treasure Island’ as well as contemporary dystopian literature and literature exploring other cultures such as ‘Boy 87’.

Students will also develop language skills of analysis, evaluation, comparison and creative writing. These core skills are taught through separate language modules and embedded into literature schemes of work.

Assessment

Students are formally assessed at least once every half term by their classroom teacher. The unseen assessments will either test how well a student can analyse text or how well they can create their own piece of writing. The assessment allows teachers to enter a flightpath grade, otherwise known as an attainment level. These levels are shared with parents on IEAP days and annual parents’ evenings.  After each assessment, students are given the opportunity to respond to their teacher’s marking and often, to re-draft the task so that it becomes part of the wider learning process.

Homework

Homework is set by the classroom teacher on a weekly basis and will be linked to units studied during lessons or revision of previously studied content.  Homework is set via websites like Educake and Google Classroom.

Year 9

What and how will you learn?

Students study texts including William Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’ and the modern classic ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck. Shorter texts are also used to explore and write about a variety of contemporary societal issues whilst developing functional and transactional writing skills. The focus on functional reading and writing skills is continued from Years 7 and 8. Students are grouped by attainment in English lessons.

How will you be assessed?

Students should expect regular extended writing tasks, completed under examination conditions. Teacher feedback will enable students to improve their performance: parents and carers will be informed of progress each half term.

Currently, Year 9 sit formalised examinations in the hall as part of their January mock exams and at the end of the academic year in preparation for the GCSE curriculum that they will begin in Year 10.

What next?

Year 9 is a crucial stage in the development of a students’ English skills. Evidence suggests that a positive performance in Year 9 is a strong indicator of GCSE success. All students will study both an English Language and an English Literature GCSE in Years 10 and 11. The Year 9 curriculum is designed to enable students to achieve their full potential in both courses.

What knowledge and skills will students develop at KS4? 

English Language and English Literature

Level 2
Qualification type GCSE
AQA English Language 601/4292/3
AQA English Literature 601/4447/6
For more information, speak to  Mr Peck

What and how will you learn?

The English Language GCSE is the compulsory qualification that students must pass in order to progress on to Level 3 courses in the future. The course asks students to explore how writers create meaning in both fiction and non-fiction texts ranging from the 19th to the 21st centuries.

They will also be asked to become writers themselves - formulating creative fiction pieces and writing to present a viewpoint. The curriculum is structured so that students will explore writers’ methods through analysis of both fiction and non-fiction texts and there will also be opportunities to develop creative and functional writing skills. 

The English Literature GCSE provides an opportunity to explore a breadth of prose, poetry and drama across the ages. As part of the GCSE, students will study the following: 

  • A 19th Century Novel: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
  • A Shakespeare Play: Romeo and Juliet 
  • A Modern Text: Pigeon English or Animal Farm 
  • An anthology of Power and Conflict poetry 

The skills required of the English Literature GCSE overlap well with the English Language GCSE as students will explore how writers convey meaning through literary devices and develop their essay writing skills. 

Students follow the AQA exam board for both English Language and English Literature.

How will you be assessed?

Students should expect regular extended writing tasks, completed under examination conditions. The English Language GCSE is made up of two papers, both 1 hour and 45 minutes long. The English Literature examination is also made up of two papers. Paper 1 is 1 hour and 45 minutes long and Paper 2 is 2 hours and 15 minutes long. All students must also complete a Spoken Language Endorsement in order to receive their English Language GCSE qualification. In Year 10, students will plan, write and perform a speech or presentation to their class. Some of the speeches will be recorded and submitted to the exam board for moderation. Although the Spoken Language Endorsement does not contribute towards students’ final English Language grade, students must receive a ‘Pass’, ‘Merit’ or ‘Distinction’ in order to be awarded their English Language GCSE.  

Teacher feedback will enable students to improve their prformance in English Language and English Literature; parents and carers will be informed of progress regularly throughout the school year. 

Students are grouped by attainment in English lessons. Assessments take place throughout the year and culminate in end of year examinations that mirror the terminal style of examination that will occur at the end of Year 11. 

What next?

Evidence suggests that a positive performance in Year 9 is a strong indicator of GCSE success. All students will study both an English Language and an English Literature GCSE in Years 10 and 11. The Year 10 curriculum is designed to explore both Language papers and the majority of the Literature content in detail so that a solid foundation for Year 11 can be made, where students will be continually assessed and developed so that they are ready for the terminal examinations. 

Please support your child by encouraging them to read as much as possible. This is the best way to prepare them for the study of all of their GCSE subjects. We use the Accelerated Reader programme in Year 9 to monitor how much students read and understand. Please ask them what they are reading and encourage this to become a habit. The sooner this becomes a habit, the more likely it is to have a positive impact on both their reading and writing skills which are key requirements for the study of English Language and English Literature at GCSE.

The study of both English Language and English Literature helps to develop students’ written and verbal communication skills in preparation for the next steps of their educational journey and future careers. Skills developed through the study of English can prepare students for a wide range of professions - from journalism, law and professional writing to careers in social media, public relations and teaching.

What knowledge and skills will students develop at KS5? 

AQA A Level English Literature A
7712 601/5327/1

Course Leader

Mr Jack Garratt jack.garratt@southfieldsacademy.com

Course specification

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/as-and-a-level/english-literature-a-7711-7712/specification-at-a-glance

English Literature’s historicist approach to the study of literature rests upon reading texts within a shared context. Working from the belief that no text exists in isolation but is the product of the time in which it was produced, English Literature A Level encourages pupils to explore the relationships that exist between texts and the contexts within which they are written, received and understood.

Both examined elements of the course have the methodologies of historicism at their centre. In Love through the ages, the theme of love, one of the most central themes in literature, is explored across time. In Texts in shared contexts, pupils explore texts written within a narrower and clearly defined time period of WW1.

The non-exam assessment element offers pupils the freedom to compare texts on a theme of their choice.

Trips that are available to A level pupils include viewing stage productions of plays which are studied, and visiting places where they can enhance their understanding of the genres and contexts surrounding their texts.

 

 

 

Eduqas A Level Film Studies
A670QS 603/1147/2

Course Leader

Mr Jack Garratt jack.garratt@southfieldsacademy.com

Course specification

https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/film-studies-as-a-level/#tab_overview 

The course is designed to introduce A Level learners to a wide variety of films in order to broaden their knowledge and understanding of film and the range of responses films can generate. This specification offers opportunities to study:

  • mainstream American films from the past and the present.
  • recent and contemporary British films and American independent films.
  • global films, both non-English language and English language.
  • Studies in documentary, experimental, silent film and short films.

Production work is a crucial part of this specification and is integral to learners' study of film. The coursework is designed to give learners the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding of how films are constructed to their own filmmaking and screenwriting.

We will endeavour to participate in trips that will enhance knowledge of films. Previous cohorts have attended trips to the BFI (British Film Institute) and gained an insight into production and distribution of British films. We often have competitions such as a short film competition by University of London, where entries can win up to £500.

In previous years we have had a number of pupils who have gone on to study Film Studies after sixth form. Studying it at A Level provides pupils with key skills which can be developed in further education, and opens up doors to a range of jobs within the film sector and beyond.

Pupils can expand their knowledge of film by watching a broad range of films across different genres and contexts. Watching films critically and reading other critical reviews can help pupils to develop their own critical style when analysing films. If pupils wish to complete extra assessments of past papers, these are available on the exam board website at the top of this page.

Enrichment and extra-curricular activities 

Extra-curricular

Students will be given opportunities to expand their love and knowledge of English and Film Studies through extra-curricular writing competitions, Debate Club, author talks and events at the Wimbledon BookFest, in addition to organised trips to theatre productions and film sets.

Year 7 students attending a performance of Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' at The Globe Theatre to support their study of the play in lessons:

Year 13 Film Studies students visiting the Warner Bros. film set for the movie 'Wonka'.

 

How can you help your child? 

How parents can help

Encourage your child to read regularly at home and to bring a book to school as their book is a crucial piece of school equipment.  If possible, listen to them reading to develop their confidence and ability.  Please check your child's planner and Google Classroom to discuss the homework that is set and to check that homework is completed to a high standard.  Please ensure your child is aware of and able to use your local public library as well as the school's library.

Useful revision links to support the study of English:

BBC Bitesize KS3 English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z3kw2hv

BBC Bitesize GCSE AQA Language: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/examspecs/zcbchv4

BBC Bitesize GCSE AQA Literature: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/examspecs/zxqncwx

CGP Revision Guides GCSE English: GCSE English | CGP Books

Mr Bruff revision – YouTube: Mr Bruff - YouTube

The English Teacher revision – YouTube: The English Teacher - YouTube

Course links:

AQA GCSE English Language: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english-language-8700

AQA GCSE English Literature: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english-literature-8702

AQA A Level English Literature A: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/as-and-a-level/english-literature-a-7711-7712

Eduqas A Level Film Studies: https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/film-studies-as-a-level/#tab_overview

How can students extend their thinking and challenge themselves in the subject? 

Students can extend their thinking and challenge themselves in English by reading widely and regularly. Through the Accelerated Reader programme at Key Stage 3, we encourage reading to become a habit; something that is frequent, fun and challenging. Make use of school and local libraries, read daily newspaper and magazine articles or ‘comment’ pieces, and watch film and television adaptations of literary classics. We encourage students in Key Stage 4, especially those who may wish to study English Literature at A Level or beyond, to ask their teachers for book recommendations and to engage in some literary criticism.   

What are the career opportunities for students that study this subject? 

The study of both English Language and English Literature helps to develop students’ written and verbal communication skills in preparation for the next steps of their educational journey and future careers. Skills developed through the study of English can prepare students for a wide range of professions - from journalism, law and professional writing to careers in social media, public relations and teaching.