English

The English Curriculum will take students on a learning journey, in which all students will acquire skills that will enable them to become success and confident members of, and contributors to society, and gives pupils access to accumulated knowledge that is part of their cultural identity and heritage.

Year 7

The aims of the English curriculum in Year 7 are to consolidate literacy knowledge, develop engagement with reading, and to ensure students are challenged with work that enables them to engage with the key knowledge, skills and understanding that will be used throughout their study of English at Copley Academy.

Within their four English lessons per week, students will study a range of high quality texts and thought-provoking topics that develop their reading, writing and spoken language abilities, as well as their resilience and independence.  Additionally, students have a reading lesson once a fortnight to ensure progress and engagement with reading and a tutor time reading session every week. 

Year 8

The main aims of the English curriculum in Year 8 are to build on the foundations of Year 7 and allow students to continue to establish and develop the key skills and knowledge needed, and to continue to engage and challenge students ensuring they make good progress.  Independence continues to be developed through challenging reading homework, independent learning projects and opportunities to lead learning in the classroom through discussion and group work. 

Within their four English lessons per week, students continue to study a range of high quality texts and thought-provoking topics that develop their reading, writing and spoken language abilities.  Students continue to have a fortnightly reading lesson and a tutor time reading session every week to support reading progress.

Year 9

The main aim of the English curriculum in Year 9 is to act as a bridge to the GCSE curriculum to equip students for the transition to GCSE study.  Students will embed and consolidate the skills and knowledge they have been developing for the previous two years as a basis on which to move to higher level reading analysis, develop a critical writing style and consider challenging ‘big ideas’. 

Within their four lessons per week students will engage with challenging texts and concepts to inspire and stretch them, to ensure they continue to make good progress.  Independence continues to be developed through challenging reading homework, independent learning projects and opportunities to lead learning in the classroom through discussion and group work. 

GCSE English Intent at Key Stage 4


The English Curriculum is a learning journey in which all students will acquire communication and critical thinking skills that will enable them to become successful and confident members of and contributors to society, and gives students access to the accumulated knowledge that is part of their cultural heritage and identity. 

Aims: 

  • To engage and challenge all through excellent teaching and relevant content 
  • To ensure further progression of skills through out the key stage
  • To increase students’ cultural capital

To enable students to: 

  • develop the habit of reading widely, often and for pleasure, a range of texts, including classic literature, fluently and with good understanding. 
  • appreciate the depth and power of the English literacy heritage
  • read in detail, critically and evaluatively, so what they are able to discuss and explain their understanding of ideas and make connections between the texts 
  • acquire and use a wide vocabulary, including the grammatical terminology and other literary and linguistic terms they need to criticise and analyse what they read 
  • write accurately, effective and analytically about their reading, using standard English 
  • to use knowledge gained from wide reading to inform and improve their own writing
  • use grammar and punctuation correctly and spell accurately 
  • apply a wide vocabulary, including grammatical terminology and linguistic conventions in writing and spoken language
  • listen to and understand spoken language, and use spoken standard English effectively. 

If you wish to discuss the English Curriculum further please contact Ms Shah, Associate Assistant Principal/Head of English, on sshah@copleyacademy.org.uk

Key Stage 3 Supporting Documents

Motif

Key Stage 4 (AQA) Supporting Documents