English
Key Stage 3 (Years 7 - 9)
In Years 7 - 9 the National Frameworks for Key Stage 3 are followed but are not prescriptive. All pupils participate in a variety of speaking and listening tasks in which they are encouraged to be confident in their use of language through presentations, class and small group discussion and drama. Literature is an integral of teaching and pupils study a Shakespeare play in Years 7, 8 and 9 in preparation for GCSE. Independent reading for pleasure is encouraged and novels, plays and poetry are studied by classes as a whole. Pupils enjoy opportunities to write creatively, to broaden their vocabulary and improve accuracy.
An annual English and History Day is held in which Years 7 - 9 take part in a themed day, providing an opportunity to explore these subjects beyond the curriculum and to engage in cross-curricular activities with other departments including ICT, Geography and Music. Themes have included writing a Victorian newspaper, Caribbean poetry, Shakespeare and a murder mystery set in the 1920s.
GCSE
Most students at Ockbrook School achieve both English and English Literature at GCSE. AQA Specification B is followed in both subjects. The English coursework folders include writing to entertain and writing to inform, in addition to responses to Shakespeare and prose. The examination tests responses to media texts, poetry from other cultures and traditions and writing to persuade, inform, argue, review or comment. Students are required to participate in Speaking and Listening tasks as part of their coursework.
In English Literature the coursework folder consists of responses to Shakespeare, prose written before 1914 and poetry written after 1914. The English Literature examination tests responses to pre-1914 poetry and post-1914 drama and prose.
A Level
English is a popular subject at A Level with both English Language and English Literature offered separately. AQA Specification B is followed in both subjects.
English Literature
A wide range of texts is studied including American and Contemporary literature. Texts currently studied at AS include ‘The Great Gatsby’, ‘Enduring Love’, ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’, poetry of Thomas Hardy, ‘Othello’ and ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. At A2 texts include ‘Dracula’, ‘The Bloody Chamber’ and ‘She Stoops to Conquer’. We encourage students to read widely and to develop their own ideas and opinions about texts. Lessons involve lively debate and discussion, as well as the presentation of seminar papers.
Our results are consistently good with a 100% pass rate regularly achieved, with most grades at A or B.
English Language
English has proved a popular innovation at A Level in recent years. It is highly sought after and respected by universities and lends itself to many other courses, including English Literature, Psychology, History and Philosophy, as well as English Language itself. At AS Level students have the opportunity to classify a wide range of texts by analysing what they have in common. Social contexts are also studied in terms of language and power, gender and technology.
There is an opportunity to undertake original writing in any form preferred by our students. At A2 students study Language Development and, as coursework, undertake an investigation into an aspect of language which interests them. Excellent results have been achieved so far.