Ysgol Stanwell School

English

Head of Department

Mrs M Williams

Teachers

Miss R Davies

Mrs R Fulton

Miss C Jones

Mrs L Jones

Miss E Knight

Mr J Laidlaw

Miss S Owen

Miss K Phillips

Mrs S Rogers

Mrs J Sheldon

Miss I Smith

Mrs H Thomas

All pupils in Key Stages 3 and 4 study English as a compulsory subject. The English Department consists of highly qualified full-time and part-time members of staff. Pupils follow the National Curriculum and sit two separate GCSEs (English Literature in Year 10 and English Language in Year 11).

The Department has an excellent record of examination success at GCSE and A Level which is a testament to the high quality teaching and learning that takes place throughout the key stages.

Key Stage 3 English

Year 7

Term 1
‘Children’s Fiction’

Term 2
‘Class text’

Term 3
‘Caring for the Planet’

Reading

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens
Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J K Rowling
A Christmas Tree by Charles Dickens (Christmas lesson only)
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Rauf
Boy and other works by Roald Dahl
‘Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats’ by T S Eliot

Reading:

Point Blanc – Anthony Horowitz
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – J K Rowling
Boy – Roald Dahl
Abomination – Robert Swindells

Reading:

Non Fiction texts
‘Reflections’ poem found

Writing:

Description
T: ‘Description of setting based on novel’

Writing:

Essay writing
T: ‘Should animals be kept in captivity?’
Persuasive charity leaflet

Oracy:

Individual Presentation

Oracy:

Group discussion on the following:
P: Should exotic animals be kept as pets

Key Stage 3 English

Year 8

Term 1
Short Story Unit

Term 2
Class text

Term 3
‘Teenagers Today’

Short Stories

Sniper by Liam O’Flaherty
I Never Forget a Face by Lennie Henry
Humming Through My Fingers by Malorie Blackman
Ozioma the Wicked by Nnedi Okorafor
Gelert [Traditional Welsh]
Jumanji by Chris van Allensburg

Short Films

‘Synaesthesia’ dir. Terri Timely
‘Item 47’ dir. Louis d’Esposito
‘The Black Hole’ dir. Philip Sansom, Olly Williams

Poetry

Talkin’ Turkeys by Benjamin Zephaniah (Christmas lesson only)

Darkside – Tom Becker
Boy in the Striped Pyjamas – John Boyne
Holes – Louis Sachar

Non Fiction texts

Writing:

Description of setting

Writing:

Account Writing
T: ‘Write about a time you overcame a challenge.’

Writing:

S: Write a review of the episode ‘____________’ (Junior Apprentice Series 1).

Oracy:

N/A

Oracy:

Group discussion on the following:
P: ‘Bring back work experience for teenagers’

Key Stage 4

GCSE English Language

This course consists of two exams, worth a total of 80% of the overall mark, and a Non Examination Unit (Unit 1 Oracy) worth 20%. The course is assessed as follows:

Unit 1 20% Oracy

Individual Researched Presentation (based on WJEC set themes)
Responding and Interacting (Group discussion on stimuli provided by WJEC)

Unit 2: (2 hour examination worth 40% of GCSE)

Section A 20% Reading Understanding of at least one description, one narrative and one exposition text, including continuous and non-continuous texts, assessed through structured questions. This section will also include an editing task worth 5 marks.
Section B 20% Writing One writing task selected from a choice of two that could be description, narration or exposition. This section will also include a proof reading task worth 5 marks. Half of the marks for will be awarded for communication and organisation and the other half for writing accurately.

Unit 3: (2 hour examination worth 40% of GCSE)

Section A Reading (20%) Understanding of at least one argumentation, one persuasion and one instructional text, including continuous and non-continuous texts, assessed through structured questions.
Section B Writing (20%) One compulsory argumentation writing task and one compulsory persuasion writing task. Half of the marks for will be awarded for communication and organisation and the other half for writing accurately.

Useful Link: English Language GCSE in Wales.

GCSE English Literature

This course consists of two exams, worth a total of 75% of the overall mark, and one controlled assessment. The course is assessed as follows:

Unit 1: 35% (2hrs)
- Unit 1: Prose (different cultures) and poetry (contemporary)
- Section A 21% (INDIVIDUAL TEXTS IN CONTEXT)
  - Different Cultures Prose: Of Mice and Men (Steinbeck) OR To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee)
- Section B 14% (COMPARATIVE STUDY) Contemporary:
  - Contemporary: Unseen poetry comparison
Unit 2a: 40% (2hours)
- Unit 2a: Literary heritage drama and contemporary prose
- English/Welsh/Irish Literary Heritage Drama: An Inspector Calls (Priestley)
- Contemporary Prose: Heroes (Cormier) OR About a Boy (Hornby)
Unit 3 25% Controlled Assessment (LINKED TEXTS)
- Unit 3:
- Section A: Shakespeare Assessment will be based on a thematic essay question on a Shakespeare play. Candidates will be required to study a Shakespeare play) in its entirety. The stipulated theme for study will be published on the WJEC secure website. Candidates may have up to 2 hours to complete this non-examination assessment.
- Section B: Welsh Writing in English Assessment will be based on a group of 15 thematically linked poems taken from the Library of Wales anthology, Poetry 1900-2000: One Hundred Poets from Wales (edited by Meic Stephens). Candidates will be required to study all the poems listed for the chosen theme. The stipulated theme for study will be published on the WJEC secure website. Candidates may have up to 2 hours to complete this non-examination assessment.

Useful Link: English Literature GCSE.

GCSE Overview
Year 9-11 overview Entry 2022 (current year 10)

Year 9
September – January 2019/2020	Thematic Unit focusing on GCSE Language skills	Preparation for GCSE English Language
January – July 2020	Introduction to GCSE Literature Study Of Mice and Men/to Kill a Mockingbird Unseen Poetry	Preparation for GCSE Literature Unit 1 (35%)
Year 10
September 2020	Narrative Writing	Preparation for GCSE Unit 2
October 2020	Unseen Poetry	Preparation for GCSE Lit Unit 1 Section B
November – December 2020	GCSE English Lit Welsh Writers Poetry NEA	GCSE English Lit Unit 3 (12.5%) KEY ASSESSMENT
December – February 2020/2021	GCSE English Literature Shakespeare text	GCSE English Lit Unit 3 (12.5%) KEY ASSESSMENT POSTPONED DUE TO ONLINE LEARNING
January – April 2021	GCSE English Literature Heroes Robert Cormier	Preparation for GCSE English Literature Unit 2 (40%) Section B
March – May 2021	Revision of Unit 1 GCSE English Literature To Kill a Mockingbird/Of Mice and Men Unseen Poetry	GCSE English Literature (35%) External exam: KEY ASSESSMENT Examination cancelled due to COVID
Year 11
September -October 2021	GCSE English Language Group Interaction	GCSE English Language Unit 1 KEY ASSESSMENT
October – November 2021	Thematic Unit Life focusing on GCSE Language skills	Preparation for GCSE English Unit 2 Unit 3
December 2021 – If there is an exam in January	Revision of Unit 1 GCSE English Literature To Kill a Mockingbird/Of Mice and Men Unseen Poetry	GCSE English Literature (35%) External exam: KEY ASSESSMENT
January – March 2021	GCSE English Literature An Inspector Calls	Preparation for GCSE English Literature Unit 2
April	Thematic Unit Film focusing on GCSE Language skills	Preparation for GCSE English Language Units 2 and 3
May	Revision for Unit 2 Literature (40%) Unit 2 Language (40%) Unit 3 Literature (40%)	External Exams KEY ASSESSMENT

Key Stage 5

A Level Language and Literature

AS Level
Unit 1	20%	Comparative analysis and creative writing (closed book) 2 hour examination	Pre 1914 Poetry Anthology	Section A: Comparative analysis of poetry and unseen text One question requiring a comparative analysis of one poem from the WJEC English Language and Literature Pre-1914 Poetry Anthology and an unseen text from a choice of two, one of which will be a spoken text. Section B: Creative writing and commentary One question presented in three parts comprising two writing tasks, one of which will require a text written to be spoken, and a commentary
Unit 2	20%	Drama and Non-literary Text Study (open book) 2 hour examination	In Cold Blood Capote A Street Named Desire Williams	Section A: Post-1900 drama One two-part question based on the reading of one play from a prescribed list Section B: Non-literary text study One question based on the reading of one non-literary text from a prescribed list
A2 Level
Unit 3	20%	Shakespeare (closed book) 2 hour examination	King Lear	Section A: Shakespeare extract One extract-based question based on the reading of one Shakespeare play from the prescribed list for thisunit Section B: Shakespeare essay One essay question based on the reading of one Shakespeare play from the prescribed list for this unit
Unit 4	20%	Unseen Texts and Prose Study (open book) 2 hour examination	The Color Purple Walker	Section A: Unseen texts One question requiring comparative analysis of three unseen texts, one of which will be spoken language Section B: Prose study One question based on the reading of one prose text from a prescribed list
Unit 5	20%	Critical and Creative Genre Study Non Examination Unit	Theme: Dystopia	Section A: Genre study A critical and sustained study of a prose genre Section B: Related creative writing One original writing assignment linked to the genre studied for Section A2,500-3,500 word folder

Useful Link: English Language and Literature.

A Level Literature

AS Level
Unit 1	20%	Prose and Drama (closed book) 2 hour examination	Mayor of Casterbridge Hardy Hardy A Streetcar Named Desire Williams	Section A: Prose fiction pre-1900 One question in two parts, based on the reading of one prose text from a prescribed listSection B: Drama One question based on the reading of one play from a prescribed list
Unit 2	20%	Poetry Post 1900 (open book) 2 hour examination	Ted Hughes: Poems selected by Simon Armitage (Faber) Sylvia Plath: Poems selected by Ted Hughes (Faber)	Section A: Critical analysis One question requiring critical analysis of one poem from the prescribed list of poetry texts for this unitSection B: Poetry comparison One question requiring comparison of two poetry texts from the prescribed list for this unit
A2 Level
Unit 3	20%	Pre-1900 and Unseen Poetry (open book) 2 hour examination	Christina Rossetti: Selected Poems (Penguin Classics)	Section A: Poetry pre-1900 One question in two parts, based on the reading of one poetry text from a prescribed listSection B: Unseen poetry One question requiring comparative analysis of two unseen poems
Unit 4	20%	Shakespeare (closed book) 2 hour examination	King Lear	Section A: Shakespeare extract One question based on an extract from one Shakespeare play.Section B: Shakespeare essay One essay question based on the reading of one Shakespeare play.
Unit 5	20%	Prose Study Non Examination Unit	One pre 2000 novel One post 2000 novel	One 2500-3500 word assignment based on the reading of two prose texts from different periods, one pre-2000 and one post-2000, nominated by the centre.