english department overview
» Our Approach to Learning
» Department Structure
» Curriculum
Our Approach to Learning
The Aylesbury Vale Academy English department offers students a thorough grounding in all aspects of language and literature and prepares them for GCSE examinations in Year 11.
Department Structure
Head of English and seven dedicated class teachers, including the Vice Principal and the Head of Faraday College.
Curriculum
The English department at Aylesbury Vale Academy occupies a suite of specialist rooms, with the new addition of an English ICT suite. Each room has a digital projector to enhance the learning experiences of the students that we teach.
Lower school classes, working at Key Stage 3, are taught in streamed groups in all years, with the exception of Year 7. We follow fixed schemes of work designed to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum and foster an enjoyment and appreciation of English language and literature. Students are taught to think critically and creatively when reading and exploring a variety of texts, including prose, poetry and non-fiction. They also learn how to express themselves both orally and in writing in a number of different contexts. Working closely with the school library, the department also encourages students’ personal reading for pleasure, which is considered to be of benefit to their performance in class and in exams. Every student is expected to have their own independent reading material for the five minutes silent ‘reading for pleasure’ session at the beginning of each English lesson.
Levelled/graded assessments take place every half-term and allow staff to monitor and track students’ progress in English throughout the year and across the Key Stage. These regular assessments also provide an ideal opportunity for students to reflect on their own progress and learning experience.
In Years 10 and 11, Key Stage 4, all students study for the GCSE qualification in English Language offered by OCR. Over the two years, students are required to complete four controlled assessments before their examinations, including: responses to Shakespeare, pre-1914 prose, media texts and an original writing task. They are also assessed on their Speaking and Listening ability, where the presentations and discussions involved provide a great opportunity to independently explore new roles and ideas. The drama-based role-play assessment also promotes empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feeling of others. For the exams, students are encouraged to be open to the perspectives, values and traditions of others through the study of poems from different cultures and also to reach reasoned decisions during the analysis of various media texts.
Those students who are also entered for the English Literature GCSE, study further poetry, drama and prose, covering the period from Shakespeare to the present day, and complete further controlled assessments. There is also the opportunity to study contemporary written and spoken language.
In addition to this, the English department is excited to offer AQA AS/A Level English Language and Literature as part of the Academy’s Post-16 provision. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to continue their study of English and take their understanding to an even higher level.
Throughout all Key Stages, the study of texts will be supported by theatre visits, films, and drama activities. Students are also expected to develop their natural curiosity and initiative through the conduction of independent inquiry and research to support their learning.
