1. GCSE Coursework: Information Evening for Year 10 Parents
18/02/2018
English at KS4
Miss McMinn
Director of English
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2. The English Department Vision
The English Department will equip students with the ability to write accurately, fluently and at length both for pleasure and critically through our love of the subject and enthusiasm for teaching and learning Students will develop a love for reading; actively drawing on new vocabulary and sentence constructions and using these consciously in their own writing to achieve deliberate effects Students will enter their terminal exams with confidence, equipped with strategies to overcome their weaknesses and excel in their strengths

3. GCSE Coursework: Information Evening for Year 10 Parents
18/02/2018
The Programme of Study
A two year course: Year 10 and 11 English Language GCSE (AQA 8700) English Literature GCSE (AQA 8702)
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4. GCSE Coursework: Information Evening for Year 10 Parents
18/02/2018
English Language GCSE
Assessment: Only one tier of entry 100% Terminal examinations (May/June 2018) Two papers: both test Reading and Writing - equally weighted
Paper 1
Paper 2
Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing
1 hour 45 minutes
50% of GCSE
4 Reading Questions (4, 8, 8, 20)
1 Writing Question – Descriptive/Narrative (24+16)
Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives
4 Reading Questions (4, 8, 12, 16)
1 Writing Question – Discursive/Persuasive (24+16)
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5. Reading
In the exam students will be expected to read and answer questions on previously unseen extracts from literary fiction and non fiction texts from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries
Paper 1
Paper 2
The source for the reading questions will be a literature fiction text.
It will be drawn from either the 20th or 21st century.
Its genre will be prose fiction. It will include extracts from novels and short stories
The sources for the reading questions will be non-fiction and literary non-fiction texts.
They will be drawn from the 19th century, and either the 20th or 21st century.
The choice of genre will include high quality journalism, articles, reports, essays, travel writing, accounts, sketches, letters, diaries, autobiography and biographical passages

6. Writing
In the exams students will be expected to produce descriptive/ narrative writing (Paper 1) and also discursive / persuasive writing (Paper 2)
20% of English Language GCSE is awarded for technical accuracy in writing –spelling, punctuation, sentence structure and range of vocabulary

7. English Language GCSE Non – examination Assessment: Spoken Language
Presenting a talk to an audience
Responding to questions and feedback
Use of Standard English
Teacher set and marked but recorded and moderated by the exam board
Separate endorsement (0% weighting of GCSE)
Valued by colleges and employers

8. English Literature GCSE
Assessment Only one tier of entry 100% Terminal examinations All closed book
Paper 1
Paper 2
Shakespeare and the 19th Century Novel
Two questions
1 hour 45 minutes
40% of GCSE
Modern Texts and Poetry
Three questions
2 hours 15 minutes
60% of GCSE

9. Texts studied include:
Shakespeare:
Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, Julius Caesar
The 19th Century Novel:
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (R.L.Stevenson)
A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations (C. Dickens)
Jane Eyre (C. Bronte)
Frankenstein (M Shelley)
Pride and Prejudice (J Austen)
The Sign of Four (A.C. Doyle)

10. Modern texts and poetry
Texts include: Drama An Inspector Calls (J.B. Priestley), Blood Brothers (W. Russell), The History Boys (A. Bennett), DNA (D. Kelly), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (play script S Stephens), A Taste of Honey (S Delaney) Prose Lord of the Flies (W Golding), Telling Tales (AQA Anthology various writers), Animal Farm (G Orwell), Anita and Me(M Syal), Never Let Me Go (K Ishiguro) Pigeon English (S Kelman) Poetry 15 poems from the AQA anthology ‘Poems Past and Present’

11. Key changes No controlled assessment/coursework One tier of entry
100% terminal exam
Closed book
Challenging British texts from 19th ,20th and 21st century
20% of English Language GCSE is awarded for technical accuracy in writing –spelling, punctuation, sentence structure and range of vocabulary
Focus on Standard English

12. Preparing the way in KS3 to meet the requirements of the New National Curriculum
A formal English assessment each term (autumn, spring and summer) in Years 7,8 and 9 testing reading and writing skills to ensure our students are very familiar with the experience of performing well under exam pressure. These match the exam format in Year 11.
BFL grades carefully tracked through books and class time.
An additional English lesson each week – focusing on basic literacy skills, including handwriting.
Reading for Pleasure scheme
Programmes of Study include compulsory core pre – 20th century texts e.g. Shakespeare in Years 8 and 9; Dickens in Year 8; Mary Shelley in Year 7
Lots of timed practice questions in class
A whole school focus on the use of Standard English in the classroom.
Failure to complete homework monitored carefully

13. Extra Curricular Activities at KS4
Theatre visits run by the English Department
KS4 Reading Club
Sports Newsletter
Word Club
Philosophy and Critical Thinking Club
School Production
Debating Club
AS ‘Taster’ sessions at Notre Dame sixth form college

14. How can you support your child?
Support your child with their organisation of homework deadlines – be aware and check the planner!
Encourage reading by supporting the Reading for Pleasure scheme: ensure they have access to good quality journalism and fiction texts
Get in touch with the department if you have any cause for concern