English Language & Literature

All pupils will explore, analyse and celebrate language and literature in their many forms, and come to appreciate their power, effectiveness and beauty. Gaining knowledge and skills in the study of English empowers young people with the means by which they can explore and enjoy other worlds and lives and understand and respect those who live a different life to themselves. LHAA students will become creative risk-takers who are confident writers. They will use these skills to read texts for pleasure and with analytical insight, they will be confident in their spoken communication and they will develop a skill set to use beyond school. The life-changing possibilities of using language with accuracy and purpose will be a thread which runs through the teaching from year 7 to 11 and across subjects. Confidence, purpose and respect underpins everything we do. 

At LHAA we set pupils on a journey. This
thoughtfully crafted pathway enables all pupils to become English specialists in the classroom and in the wider world. The KS3 journey starts in year 7 with ‘The Journey of Self’, encouraging pupils to consider their individual roles in an ever-broadening and ever-changing world. We engage the pupils in confidence-boosting story telling; consider the experiences of other, individual journeys and focus on the immediate world around us. As the pupils enter year 8, they are asked to ‘Journey into the Wider World’. These wider world experiences encourage Socratic reasoning and debate. Contextual reflections enable the pupils to empathise and engage with real life human issues that surround them on a daily basis.  

Our KS3 journey ends in year 9 with the chance to reflect on previous learning and develop expertise. The My Language Unit turns the focus of the importance of English in our everyday lives with in depth linguistic study. Using this more in depth understanding of language, we journey on to the world of absurdity and language creativity with a literary focus. Expertise in language, literature and form is explored further through Shakespeare’s Macbeth and dystopian texts. The final unit of KS3 looks at impact of language and uses a range of influential speakers to give all pupils the chance to write a speech to change the world. Reading is a core part of the curriculum and, not only do students have the opportunity to study a diverse and ambitious range of texts in the classroom, but they also have weekly library lessons to explore a text together and foster an independent love of reading. 

This section builds on the skills, knowledge and confidence inculcated at KS3 to create a pathway to GCSE success. The curriculum is designed to offer a range of enrichment opportunities, such as seeing live theatre and poetry and has deliberate choices of texts to continue to enhance and deepen the students’ wider understanding of the world. Through exam-linked processes, students learn the fundamentals of accuracy and clarity of expression with coherence and precision. Through independent research and wider reading, students will continue to be supported to practise reading as writers, exploring the literary canon and experiencing contemporary and media texts. English is used as a tool of empowerment for students to help create strong, able confident users of language.