English Literature

Course summary

In English, our curriculum intent is: • To empower students to communicate with clarity, creativity, and flair, using a wide range of vocabulary and oracy skills • To experience reading a variety of literature from different eras, cultures, genres, and voices • To develop a range of analytical skills when interpreting texts, including an understanding of how context shapes meaning Year 1 – ‘Love through the Ages’ • Students will read an anthology of pre-1900 love poetry, ‘Othello’ by William Shakespeare, and ‘The Great Gatsby’ by F. Scott. Fitzgerald and some unseen poetry and prose extracts. • Students also begin their NEA (Non-Examined Assessment) – a 2500-word essay comparing two texts (one of which has to be pre-1900). Year 2 – ‘Modern Times’ • Students will read ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ by Tennessee Williams, ‘Feminine Gospels’ by Carol Ann Duffy, and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ by Margaret Atwood. • Some texts will be revisited from year 1 and students will also study some unseen poetry.