Department Overview
At Biddenham, English empowers students to engage with the world.
We aim to inspire students to become curious readers, critical thinkers and powerful communicators.
We will introduce our students to a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts. These are chosen to model the values of tolerance, mutual respect that we wish to instil in our young people. Through these texts, we aim to foster a love of reading as well as expanding their cultural capital and awareness of great literature.
We aim to recognise the prior learning of our students, allowing them to build their reading and writing skills in order to achieve their maximum potential.
Subject Learning Journey
Who to contact for extra information:
Mrs Bartoli Abdo
domenica.bartoliabdo@biddenham.beds.sch.uk
Assessments
| English - Key Stage 3 | English - Key Stage 3 |
| Year 7 Autumn 1 – Refugee Boy: writing a letter in persona Autumn 2 – Refugee Boy: close analysis of an extract Spring 1 – An Introduction to Poetry: analytical response to a poem Spring 2 – The News and Opinion Pieces: writing an opinion piece Summer 1 – The History of the English Language: writing and presenting an academic poster Summer 2 – A Midsummer Night’s Dream: writing Hermia’s monologue |
Year 8 |
| English Language - Key Stage 4 | English Language - Key Stage 5 |
| Paper 1: Explorations in creative reading and writing One fiction extract Four reading questions and one writing question (exam, 1 hour and 45 mins, 80 marks, 50% of the exam) Paper 2: Writers’ viewpoints and perspectives Two non-fiction extracts Four reading questions and one writing question (exam, 1 hour and 45 mins, 80 marks, 50% of the exam) Non-exam assessment: Spoken Language endorsement – students complete a presentation on a topic of their choice. They will be awarded either a pass, merit or distinction. |
The following topics are studied: An investigation into an area of each learner’s particular individual interest Analysis of how children acquire language How language changes over time Language in the media Linguistic analysis of authentic texts Original writing for a real-world purpose on a topical language issue Exploring language (80 marks, 2 hours 30 minutes, 40% of A level) Dimensions of linguistic variation (80 marks, 2 hours 30 minutes, 40% of A level) Independent language research (40 marks, non-exam assessment, 20% of A level) |
| English Literature - Key Stage 4 | English Literature - Key Stage 5 |
| Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th Century Novel (written exam, 1 hour and 45 mins, 64 marks, 40% of GCSE) Section A – Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet Students will answer one question on the play. They are required to write in detail about an extract from the play and then to write about the play as a whole. Section B – The 19th Century Novel: Jekyll and Hyde Students will answer one question. They are required to write in detail about an extract from the novel and then to write about the novel as a whole. Paper 2: Modern texts and poetry (written exam, 2 hours and 15 mins, 96 marks, 60% of GCSE) Section A – Modern Texts: An Inspector Calls Section B – Power and Conflict: A comparative question with one named poem printed on the exam paper and one other poem. Section C – Poem: Students will answer one question on one unseen poem and one question comparing this poem with a second unseen poem. |
Love Through the Ages: (40% of A level) Othello The Great Gatsby and pre-1900 poetry Unseen Poetry Texts in Shared Contexts: Modern Times (40% of A level) Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Revolutionary Road Skirrid Hill Unseen Prose NEA Coursework: (20% of A level) One pre-1900 text One other text |
Exam Board Information
