English at Paulet
What do students learn in English in Key Stage 3?
At Paulet, we know that words are power. In our dynamic Key Stage 3 curriculum, we endeavour to equip our students with the confidence to read, write and speak fluently. Exposing our students to a range of fiction and non-fiction texts, we aim to provide our students with a window on the world. With us, they’ll meet fascinating characters, debate interesting topics and discover a love of words.
How do students learn in KS3 English?
In English, students join their teachers on a journey of discovery. We learn through classroom discussions and debates – listening and learning from each other’s experiences is very important in English.  There’s always plenty talk before writing and, in our lessons, English teachers love to model answers using the visualiser. Collaborative learning makes learning interesting and means that the whole class is on the journey together. We provide regular whole class feedback and students always know what they need to de developing to improve. In the English department, you’ll always find the learning buzz!
What topics are covered and when in each year group? What is the sequence of teaching?
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Year 7
Journeys and     Discoveries |
     Year 8
Voices and        Identity |
    Year 9
Society and     Responsibility (to change 2024-2025) |
|
| Autumn | The study of a range of Greek myths and creative writing | The study of Chaucer and Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado’ and rhetoric | The study of William Golding’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and creative writing |
| Spring | The study of Shakespeare’s villains and performing poetry | The study of a range of Victorian writers and narrative writing | The study of JB Priestley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’ and creative writing |
| Summer | The study of Zana Fraillon’s ‘The Bone Sparrow’ and non-fiction writing | The study of Jason Reynolds’ ‘The Long Way Down’ and non-fiction writing | The study of Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and non-fiction writing |
How are students assessed in KS3 English?
In English, the assessment process is diagnostic and provides teachers with valuable information about students’ learning gaps, which then feed into subsequent lessons. As we move through the term, students will have learning checkpoints which help teachers gauge students’ strengths and weaknesses – so that by the time they read an end of term assessment, they are confident and can succeed.
Home Learning
Students in KS3 are all encouraged to read every night – we know this makes such a difference to wellbeing and achievement. We set Year 7 and Year 8 students home learning on the Bedrock Vocabulary platform each week. They should be achieving 20 points each week which mean they are boosting their vocabulary by 3-4 words weekly . In Year 9 we are trialling the use of Sparx Reader which provides an online library for each student, including the latest releases. We expect students to achieve 30 points weekly and to be able to discuss their reading in class and with their peers.
Extra-curricular opportunities
We have a book club which meets regularly in our library and who plan events like World Book Day. Our debate club is also open to KS3 students and meets to practise debating various contraversial topics. In addition to this, we plan trips to the theatre and cinema to help bring our curriculum to life.
Cultural capital
No writer writes in a vacuum! When you pick up a book, or when you read an article, you bring to it your own experiences. The more limited these experiences, the more limited your understanding of the text. In the English department, we will aim to connect your world with the worlds of others! We will take you to remote islands, to California, to Mount Olympus, to Rome, to Dracula’s castle. We will see revolutions unfold, individuals fight against oppression, couples fall in love, class barriers being broken down. All this – in your English classroom!
CareersÂ
Without English, there are no careers! So, whether you would like to be a doctor, a plumber, a lawyer, a mechanic – you’ll need to be able to communicate. Succeeding in English will open the door to any career – but more importantly, it will help you to discover who you are and how you fit in with the world.