English

Studying English at Teesdale School provides our students with a rich and varied range of experiences. From engaging with ideas from a wide variety of texts to opportunities for self-expression and creativity in both spoken and written contexts, studying English at Teesdale nurtures self-expression and reflective thought.

Students value the opportunity to engage thoughtfully and responsively with both modern and older texts and learn a great deal about the context surrounding their areas of study as well as learning about literary techniques and effects.

They learn to express themselves fluently and skilfully and this equips them with the confidence to present their views and showcase their skills in a range of situations both in school and in society as a whole.

At Teesdale students enjoy their English lessons, have confidence in their teachers, feel that lessons are fun and most importantly of all feel that they learn a lot.

As an English department we all find working with our students extremely rewarding and enjoyable and it is clear from our students’ comments below that they enjoy their lessons too!

I enjoy English because we study a broad range of material and I always learn something new every lesson. I have particularly enjoyed reading a wide range of texts this year.

Rachel Atkinson, Year 9

What's been happening in English recently?

The school's popular and active Poetry Club, run by Mr Provis and Mrs Flint, hosted the heats of this year’s national Poetry by Heart competition. Anne Fine, former Children's Laureate and author of many successful books, including: 'The Demon Headmaster', chaired the judging panel.

Students from our school have been very successful in this competition in the past two years. The achievements of Caitlin Carr, who is now reading English at Cambridge University, and Ella Blackburn, currently in Year 13, who both made it to the national finals, provided inspiration and encouragement to this year's competitors.

I like English because I love writing and stories in general. It is about creativity and being able to explore and it is amazing to be able to do this in a lesson.

Francesca Connelly, Year 10

Year 7
Learning outcomes	Reading: Shows a detailed understanding of differences between texts and ideas within texts, and can compare detailed ideas and perspectives Selects a range of quotations from a range of texts Shows detailed analysis of language and structural features Uses a sustained use of subject terminology Analyses effects of a range of writer’s choices and can evaluate details within the text Writing: Communication is convincing Tone, style and register consistently match purpose, form and audience Extensive vocabulary with evidence of conscious crafting of linguistic devices Structured and developed writing with a range of engaging complex ideas Consistently coherent use of paragraphs with integrated discourse markers Varied and effective structural features
Topics taught	Descriptive writing Gothic Fiction (a variety of extracts) Non-fiction writing (writing with a viewpoint) Non-fiction reading ( a range of topical extracts) Modern Novel – King of Shadows by Susan Cooper (with extracts from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream) Poems with a common theme of childhood.
Year 8
Learning outcomes	Reading: Shows a detailed understanding of differences between texts and ideas within texts, and can compare detailed ideas and perspectives Selects a range of quotations from a range of texts Shows detailed analysis of language and structural features Uses a sustained use of subject terminology Analyses effects of a range of writer’s choices and can evaluate details within the text Writing: Communication is convincing Tone, style and register consistently match purpose, form and audience Extensive vocabulary with evidence of conscious crafting of linguistic devices Structured and developed writing with a range of engaging complex ideas Consistently coherent use of paragraphs with integrated discourse markers Varied and effective structural features
Topics taught	Descriptive writing Non-fiction travel texts (including extracts from Bill Bryson and Shackleton) Modern novel: The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman (also includes reading skills and non-fiction writing) Narrative writing. Shakespeare - Macbeth Poems with a common theme of war.
Year 9
Learning outcomes	Reading: Shows a perceptive understanding of differences between texts and ideas within texts, and can compare ideas and perspectives in a perceptive way Selects a judicious range of quotations from a range of texts Shows perceptive analysis of language and structural features Uses a range of subject terminology accurately sustained throughout Analyses effects of a range of writer’s choices and can critically evaluate the text in a perceptive, sustained way Writing: Communication is convincing throughout Tone style and register assuredly matched to purpose, form and audience Extensive vocabulary with sustained crafting of linguistic devices Highly structured and developed writing, incorporating some complex ideas Fluently linked paragraphs Varied use of structural features
Topics taught	AQA GCSE English Language 8700 and AQA GCSE English Literature 8702 course begins Paper 1 language reading and writing (extracts) Paper 2 reading and writing (extracts) 19th Century Novel - A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet Six poems from the AQA anthology (power and conflict)
Year 10
Learning outcomes	Reading: Shows a perceptive understanding of differences between texts and ideas within texts, and can compare ideas and perspectives in a perceptive way Selects a judicious range of quotations from a range of texts Shows perceptive analysis of language and structural features Uses a range of subject terminology accurately sustained throughout Analyses effects of a range of writer’s choices and can critically evaluate the text in a perceptive, sustained way Writing: Communication is convincing throughout Tone style and register assuredly matched to purpose, form and audience Extensive vocabulary with sustained crafting of linguistic devices Highly structured and developed writing, incorporating some complex ideas Fluently linked paragraphs Varied use of structural features
Topics taught	AQA GCSE English Language 8700 and AQA GCSE English Literature 8702 course continues Paper 1 Language Section B skills revisited Paper 1 Language Section A skills revisited Paper 2 Language Section B skills revisited Paper 2 Language Section A skills revisited Poetry – remaining 9 poems taught
Year 11
Learning outcomes	Reading: Shows a perceptive and convincing understanding of differences between texts and ideas within texts, and can compare ideas and perspectives in a perceptive way Selects a judicious range of quotations from a range of texts, making links to each successfully Shows perceptive and convincing analysis of language and structural features and explores with confidence Uses a range of subject terminology appropriately and convincingly Analyses effectively the effects of a range of writer’s choices and can critically evaluate the text in a perceptive, sustained and convincing way Writing: Communication is convincing and compelling throughout Tone style and register assuredly matched to purpose, form and audience; manipulative, subtle and increasingly abstract, used with confidence Extensive and ambitious vocabulary with sustained crafting of linguistic devices, used with flair Highly structured and developed writing, incorporating a range of integrated and complex ideas used with confidence Fluently linked paragraphs with seamlessly integrated discourse markers Varied and inventive use of structural features
Topics taught	AQA GCSE English Language 8700 and AQA GCSE English Literature 8702 continues Romeo and Juliet Paper 2 language section B revisited Revision of all sections for exams