Welcome to the English Department

 

Teachers

Mrs Robins is the Head of English and the department is made up of Mrs Buckland, Mrs Budden, Mrs Howell-Davis, Mrs Price, Miss Stanbridge and Mr Warde. The department is supported by Teaching Assistants when a pupil requires targeted support in lessons.

 

What pupils can expect from English in Year 7

Pupils across Key Stage 3 are taught in mixed ability English groups and have three lessons each week. Every other week pupils have a Library lesson to support facilitation of the Accelerated Reading Programme.

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Lessons focus on developing skills in the key areas of Reading, Writing and Speaking and Listening. Pupils will read at least one class novel, a short-story, poetry, non-fiction and a play and will experience Shakespeare using drama activities from the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Teacher’s Toolkit.

Accelerated Reader Programme

Accelerated Reader is a computer aided program that helps to develop and encourage independent reading.

Pupils will sit a Star Reading computerised reading assessment, questions continually adjust to the pupil’s responses.  If a question is correct, the difficulty level of the next question is increased and if a question is missed or incorrect, the difficulty level of the next question is reduced. The test uses multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 20 minutes.

Teachers help pupils choose books at an appropriate reading level that are challenging without being frustrating, ensuring that your child can pass a short quiz and experience success upon finishing their reading book.

Pupils using Accelerated Reader choose their own books enabling them to choose books that are interesting to them and making reading a much more enjoyable experience for them.

 

Theatre Visits

Each year in December we take Year 7 to watch the Christmas production performed at The Birmingham Rep to help to foster a love and appreciation of live theatre. In December 2021 we hope to take Year 7 to watch Nativity! The Musical.

 

Skills you develop in English

In Year 7 pupils continue to develop their English through the exploring a range of texts. Pupils extend their range of subject terminology and the skills necessary to write for different purposes and audiences. Extended pieces of writing include analysing extracts from texts, autobiographical writing, descriptive writing, writing to inform, letter and diary writing in role, persuasive writing and short stories. Pupils also explore poetry and experiment with their own poetry writing and explore texts through drama in our Drama Studio.