Y7 Content Autumn

Pupils begin their year by studying ‘Wonder’ - using their independent reading of the novel to explore characters, experimenting with narrative perspectives through their own creative writing. Students then explore the text ‘Frankenstein’ in the form of the play but also with supportive extracts from the novel. The analytical task cements their ability to secure their understanding of the What, How, Why form and whole essay structure. The linked imaginative task builds upon the Wonder Bridging unit, allowing students to see the progression within their writing skills.

Towards Christmas, pupils will begin their study of their class novel, Philip Pullman’s ‘The Ruby In The Smoke’. They will immerse themselves in the dark and dangerous underworld of Victorian London and, through creative and analytical tasks, solve the mystery of the missing ruby. They will explore how the author crafts effective characters, creates atmospheric settings and builds tension throughout the novel.

Y7 Content Spring

Students continue their study of ‘The Ruby in the Smoke’ engaging in the text through lively drama approaches such as character monologue and hot- seating activities. The focus on effective writing continues, working towards an analysis of key methods and developing their essay writing skills using the What, How, Why structure. Students will also learn review writing skills, considering the BBC adaptation of the text and learning how to express their opinions and evaluate media in mature and sophisticated manner.

Y7 Content Summer

The first half of this term focuses on a media text ‘The Greatest Showman’, and encourages students to explore ideas surrounding diversity and belonging. Again, the choice of text allows for contextual analysis and cements their learning of how to analyse language and context. Student writing skills are developed as they learn how to write a speech thus encouraging them to adopt a critical voice and to question the world around them.

Finally, students explore poetry focussing on poetry, introducing and consolidating students’ understanding of key poetic techniques by exploring a range of poems by different poets. Students will explore how ideas and feelings are conveyed, experimenting with interpretations using drama and creative writing and learning to structure their reading responses.

Y8 Content Autumn

Students begin by studying non-fiction travel writing, considering how writers convey their perspectives using a range of descriptive and rhetorical devices.

They then begin their study of the novel The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon. The text explores attitudes towards migrants through the story of a refugee child in Australia, and students will develop their analytical skills through considering the importance of the presentation of setting, building upon their expectations of Australia from travel Writing, as well as the construction of character and themes.

Y8 Content Spring

Students will return to their study of travel writing with a new perspective after reading the novel. Pupils will develop the skills to write more nuanced transactional writing as well looking at how writers convey their perspective using language and persuasive techniques.

Students will then begin their study of poetry, looking at how poets use their poetry as an act of political or social protest to criticise issues within society and encourage change. Students will build knowledge of the effect of a range of poetic techniques, and  craft analytical responses to poetry written in response to a range of political issues across time. 

Y8 Content Summer

 Students begin the summer term by learning about the work of Charles Dickens and the unit looks at extracts from a range of novels in order to broaden pupils exposure to classic literature. Pupils will consider the context and presentation of Victorian London in Dickens’ writing as well as using this  as provide for creative writing in preparation for their exam. 

In the second half term, pupils are introduced to Shakespeare’s The Tempest, recapping knowledge from KS2 and building pupils analysis of drama. Pupils continue to practice WHW analysis based on Shakespeare’s characterisation and use of language. 

Y9 Content Autumn

Students will build on their work on Shakespeare in the summer term by beginning year 9 with the study of Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Students will explore the text both analytically and creatively, beginning to consider how the meanings and style of the play is shaped by the context in which it was written.

Students their develop their Language analysis skills for GCSE by considering a range of texts from across different cultures and time periods that are inspired by Romeo and Juliet. Looking at Noughts and Crosses, Fair Rosaline, These Violent Delights and other media, students will develop their ability to make links between texts, to consider the importance of context and to be inspired in their own creative writing.

Y9 Content Spring

In the spring, students will begin to learn how to compare poems, building on their knowledge of how to analyse language and structure in year 7 and 8. Students will look at poems themed around the idea of identity and belonging and will identify similarities and differences in poets’ attitudes and methods used.

Students will then study a non-fiction unit on the Art of Rhetoric building their transactional writing skills by studying a range of texts including adverts, articles and speeches. Students will be assessed not only on their ability to write persuasively, but also to deliver their speech confidently and with enthusiasm on a topic of their choice.

Y9 Content Summer

In the summer term, students will study a classic American text: the Great Gatsby. Students will learn about the context of the roaring 20s, the American Dream and changing societal values in early 20th century America. The text will provide challenge as a step towards GCSE study and allows students to explore complex concepts and ideas.