English
The English Faculty is based at Penn House, a short distance from the main school. The teaching accommodation is both beautiful and unusual; all rooms are idiosyncratic, whilst Penn House provides a pleasant working environment for the faculty and students.
The English Faculty is a team of nine who enjoy sharing diverse enthusiasms and lively exchanges about the art of good teaching and effective learning. Our approach to teaching and learning is built on mutual respect and preparedness to learn from each other. We recognise the role we have as teachers and as members of the faculty team in sustaining high expectations and success. We seek to provide equal access to a relevant and wide-ranging curriculum whilst recognising that students have differing potentials. We seek to provide an enriched curriculum for all our students.
As the main specialism, English Arts status enables us to work across subject areas and to enhance the learning of students. The opportunities which are enabled by the specialism enhance the working environment and personal development of all staff.
Arts specialism: English, Media Studies Drama and Art
In September 2004 we achieved Arts specialism from the DCSF, with English and Media Studies the focus curriculum areas. In September 2008 Arts became the main school specialism with Drama and Art as further focus curriculum areas.
The following four targets are our current focus for developments:
- KS2, KS3 + KS4 Reading across the Curriculum: To raise the quality and popularity of reading across the curriculum through a specific focus on reading for meaning skills in English and other subjects (s) and the development of a reading community (c).
- KS4 Writing across the Curriculum: To improve students’ writing at KS4 across the curriculum through a specific focus on writing skills for a range of GCSEs and to raise the profile of writing across the school (s).
- Media Studies: To promote Media Studies skills and techniques across the curriculum through the development of digital photography and media / ICT awareness and opportunities in KS3/4 and 5 (s, c).
- The Arts collaborative and outreach work: To provide opportunities for staff and students to work on collaborative projects in Art and Drama in order to enhance their cultural and artistic experiences and raise the profile of arts subjects in school and the community (s, c).
Most members of the English Faculty are involved in this work, with specific targets collaboratively devised. Each year will see developments with different faculties / departments at Oldfield School, as well as projects with local primary schools and involvement with at least one other secondary school. The funding allows an additional Teaching Assistant to work with KS4 students and supports the work of Drama and Art through specialist links and funding. The whole school Arts Event in Term 6 is an excellent showcase for students’ work and staff creativity.
English
Teaching groups:
KS3 – all teaching in years 7 and 8 is in mixed ability groups, with a top set established in Y9.
KS4 – one group is created as a ‘top set’ each year and four groups are re-mixed to form broad ability groups. All groups follow the same exam board but the top set will be given more challenges, difficult texts and the teacher will have higher expectations for their eventual attainment. There is one group of students in each year group who are on reduced courses in the school – this group is taught English and Media Studies, most but not all will enter both GCSEs.
‘A’ level – we have groups studying English Literature, English Language, Drama and Theatre Studies and Media Studies. The Faculty sometimes also has a group completing Critical Thinking AS/A level courses. Courses within the Faculty are consistently popular with the students. Media Studies is also taught as part of the Bath collaboration.
Curriculum:
The KS3 curriculum has been written collaboratively, monitored and revised by the faculty team over the last years. The current scheme of work consists of six or seven units in each year with the aim of providing continuity and progression whilst allowing individual teachers to select their own ‘route through’ according to individual preferences and strengths. Each unit contains an ICT element. Drama is delivered by a drama specialist in two lessons per fortnight for all KS3 groups. Media Studies consists of one unit per year within the English curriculum. The Faculty welcomes the disappearance of KS3 SATs and is currently reviewing the Y9 curriculum. English Arts is leading the development of the Creative and Media Diploma levels 1 and 2. We are a pilot school for English Functional Skills in 2008 - 9.
The KS4 curriculum is dictated by the WJEC whose syllabus we follow for English, English Literature and Media Studies. GCSE Drama and GCSE Media Studies are thriving courses with one or two groups in each year. The Faculty has recently reviewed the KS4 English and Literature course plan.
In the Sixth Form, Media Studies and English Literature AS/A2 follow the WJEC syllabi; Drama and Theatre Studies use Edexcel; English Language follows AQA ‘B’ and Critical Thinking is an OCR course.
The Faculty is keen to provide courses which are of interest and relevance to the students.
Drama
Drama is taught as a discrete subject, co-ordinated by a subject specialist. The drama curriculum explores a range of skills and issues and the department aims to teach both through and about the art form. The Drama curriculum will give students new insights into the world and the means to communicate their personal response to issues in creative and effective ways. Students will be taught the skills involved in different aspects of theatre. The art of the playwright, director, designer, technician and critic will be as much a part of the student’s experience of drama as the art of the actor.
KS3 Drama
At KS3, all girls will have one drama lesson a week and will be taught a varied and engaging curriculum. Students will develop personal and social skills and will try to learn about a wide range of situations through exploring perspectives other than their own. They also will learn theatre and performance skills and explore different theatrical genres and conventions.
Level descriptors such as those used by all curriculum subjects are used to assess pupils and help them achieve their potential. By Year 9 they should have developed interpersonal skills and a thorough grounding in many theatre techniques. Drama is taught in tutor groups in years 7 and 8 and in mixed teaching groups in year 9.
GCSE and A level Drama
Students follow the Edexcel Drama specification which assesses them both practically and through written coursework. It follows on from what has been studied previously but with improvisation and acting skills developed to a higher degree. Students will devise their own theatre and look at plays, finding different ways of bringing a script alive on stage.
Extra Curricular Opportunities
There are lots of opportunities for students to extend and enrich the work they do with a wealth of opportunities.
Theatre visits are regularly arranged for GCSE and A level students and all KS3 students will be given at least one opportunity to see a live performance.
There is a school production, often run on connection with the Music and other departments.
Drama clubs
There are a number of drama clubs run throughout the year focusing on improvisation and drama skills.
Accommodation and Resources
The accommodation at Penn includes a faculty office, teaching classrooms and ample storage space. One classroom in Penn has been converted to an ICT room, maintained and managed by the EngArts ICT technician. One room in the basement has been converted to a drama studio, whilst most drama lessons are taught in a classroom on the ground floor. One small room in the attic provide a quiet working environment for Sixth Form groups and another is an editing room for Media Studies.
Media Studies is well resourced and Photoshop is used for the ‘A’ level production work. Three interactive whiteboards in the faculty provides an excellent projection facility and all classrooms have a data projector and ICT work-station. A portable projector and laptop computer unit is also available. The English office offers an additional two ICT workstations. Two sets of 15 laptops are available. The ICT technician is available for in-class support.
Main building has with four larger ICT rooms, which can be booked for use with teaching groups. The new Learning Resource Centre is currently being revamped and extended.
The Department
Jan Malt - |
Head of Faculty. Overall responsibility for curriculum planning and delivery, for organisation of resources and management of the team. Overall responsibility for Key Stage 4 and A level. Arts Specialism: administration, organisation and budget |
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Scott Proudman - |
Second of Faculty. Overall responsibility for Key Stage 3 English, in consultation with the Head of Faculty. Arts Specialism: Target leader for Reading and Writing, the whole school Arts Event. ITT Student Mentor |
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Elizabeth Bloomfield - |
Co-ordinator of Drama. Overall responsibility for drama within the faculty and as a discrete subject |
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Hilary Bufton - |
Theatre visits co-ordinator. Public Speaking and Debating Co-ordinator. English Arts: Primary links and Competitions |
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Helen Cross - |
Teacher of English and Drama. Extended Schools club – Raise Your Voice |
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Graham Nash - |
Teacher of English and Media Studies. Administrative responsibility for GCSE and A level Media Studies |
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Nichola Payton - |
Arts Specialism: target leader for KS3 / 4 Gifted and Talented.Administrative responsibility for A level English Language |
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Kim Reed - |
Part-time teacher of English. Arts Specialism: target leader for reading and writing in BV, History & Art |
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Verity Teagle - |
Teacher of English and Drama. Drama Club |
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Carlo Baio - |
English Arts ICT technician |
Examination Results
English results are consistently of a very high standard. In 2008 GCSE students achieved 84% A* - C passes in English, 92% English Literature, 82% Media Studies and 86% in Drama. In 2008 95% of pupils achieved level 5 or above in the NC Key Stage 3 tests, 60% achieved level 6 or above.
A and AS level results in 2008 were pleasing. In English Literature 69% of candidates achieved a grade A or B and 58% at AS. English Language students gained grades commensurate with their abilities with 40% at A or B. In Media Studies A Level 70% achieved grades A or B – 69% at AS. Theatre Studies A level gained 100% A – C grades. Critical Thinking AS (Y11) achieved 69% at grades A or B
Resources
Year 8
Poetry Quiz - (PDF)
Definitions and examples of key poetic techniques:
Adjectives
Alliteration
Assonance
Hyperbole
Metaphor
Onomatopoeia
Personification
Repetition
Rhyming Couplets
Simile
Syllables
Year 11
Of Mice and Men
Key Quotations - (PDF)
Chapter Summaries - (PDF)
Character Notes - (PDF)
Blood Brothers
Notes and Questions on Blood Brothers - (PDF)
Year 12
Important Quotations for Winston - Part 1 - (PDF)
Features for Analysis - (PDF
