English

The English curriculum at Central Academy celebrates the power of reading, writing and oracy and the vital role it plays in preparing students for the different pathways they will take through life.  

As they move through our 7-year curriculum, pupils master a range of life-long skills, including: the ability to analyse sophisticated ideas, how to synthesise complex information, how to construct a convincing argument, and how to be an effective speaker and writer. By studying a diverse range of texts which span different time periods and cultures, we encourage students to understand how society shapes the construction of a text, and, conversely, how social change shapes our response to texts and their messages.   

Our KS3 curriculum has been designed intentionally to allow our pupils to secure the knowledge needed to transition effectively from KS3 to KS4, and onto a successful completion of their GSCE course, and beyond. 

Our KS3 curriculum is thematic and supports students through an exploration of the causes and consequences of conflict in Year 7, a consideration of our place in the natural world in Year 8 and a reflection on the importance of identity and relationships in Year 9. Our spiral curriculum is designed to continually revisit and build on the fundamental skills of reading, writing and oracy to ensure progression within and between key stages. In each year at KS3, pupils study a  novel, an anthology of poetry, a Shakespeare play and an anthology of non-fiction texts. Alongside their study of Literature, pupils in every year group complete fiction and non-fiction writing units aligned with their thematic focus. 

At KS3, our Literature lessons are complimented by weekly Literacy lessons, where pupils focus on sentence construction and explicit teaching of tier 2 vocabulary.  

As our pupils move through each year, they are moving closer to the reality of the outside world and it is essential that they develop the oracy skills needed to communicate successfully, and effectively, in the modern world. Within each unit of work, teachers will build in opportunities for oracy-based activities as a way of scaffolding independent thought and work. Each year, pupils will complete a specific spoken language unit where they work in groups, pairs and individually to discuss, debate and present their ideas in a spoken form.  

Each unit of work begins with reflective discussion focused on prior learning. Staff will encourage pupils to make links between knowledge they have encountered previously and their new text or topic.  

Staff adapt centralised units of work considering two important factors: appropriate challenge and a passion for learning. Lessons also provide sufficient opportunity for guided and independent practice during clear ‘we do’ and ‘you do’ phases: meaning that students of all abilities are provided with a learning experience that is tailored to their individual progress.  

There is a consistent and aspirational approach to extended writing across KS3-5. Every lesson, pupils are expected to respond independently for at least 20 minutes at KS3, 30 minutes at KS4 and 40 minutes at KS5. Independent work is reviewed during the lesson using active observation, live-marking and show-call strategies where work is viewed, celebrated and improved. 

Within lessons, formative assessment methods include mini-whiteboards and turn and talk activities. These strategies allow teachers to gather live feedback around progress and make any adaptations to the lesson as it progresses.  

Between lessons, formative assessment methods take the form of regular React tasks where teachers will re-teach an observed misconception and give pupils targeted tasks which allow them to close the learning gap before moving on. 

Pupils complete summative mid-year and end-of-year assessments. During these assessment points, pupils can draw on their experience of the spiral curriculum to recall and communicate key literary and contextual knowledge as well as exercise their developing writing skills.