English

At the heart of our English curriculum lies a commitment to fostering a lifelong enjoyment of reading and equipping students with the skills needed to be articulate and confident members of society. We aim to ignite students’ curiosity and creativity, encouraging a sense of discovery as they explore the power of language and literature across a broad range of voices and contexts. Our curriculum is built on the principles of diversity and representation, ensuring that all students encounter different perspectives that challenge, inspire, and broaden their understanding of the world. We focus on the acquisition of knowledge through carefully sequenced units that build progressively on prior learning, deepening pupils’ understanding of plays, novels, poems and non-fiction texts. Pupils learn how to read critically, write effectively, and speak confidently, developing skills such as analysis, inference and evaluation. Vocabulary is explicitly taught, revisited, and embedded across the curriculum. Subject-specific words are carefully sequenced to strengthen long-term memory and support both comprehension and written expression. Pupils are taught how to unlock meaning through context and etymology, which in turn supports wider reading and deeper understanding of the English language. Through formative and summative assessment students are taught how to reflect, redraft, and improve, developing expertise over time. Our aim is to shape independent, literate individuals who leave school ready to succeed in a diverse world.