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Y8 English


Head of Department
Mr M Stubbert
 

Organisation of the subject:

Students have 4 x 50 minute lessons each week. Each year group has two ‘top sets’ (7-9 targets); the remaining mixed ability classes comprise students targeting grades 1-6.

Key Concepts (The big ideas underpinning the subject)

  • For a range of texts and text types:
  • Communicating effectively
  • Spelling, punctuating and using grammar with increasing accuracy
  • Extracting and interpreting information
  • Exploring how writers use and manipulate language, form and structure
  • Exploring texts in context
  • Exploring links between texts
  • Supporting responses with textual references

What will your child be learning? 

  • Fiction and Non fiction: reading and writing skills
  • Poetry: reading and writing
  • Shakespeare: understanding and analysis
  • Genre conventions
  • Speaking and Listening skills
  • Literacy skills

Key ‘Learning Capacities’ in this subject 

  • Reading for a variety of purposes
  • Reflecting on, amending and interrogating texts, including a student’s own work
  • Sharing, developing, supporting and challenging ideas
  • Engaging with authorial intent, allowing for multiple interpretations of texts, concepts and ideas
  • Writing for a variety of purposes and audiences

How will your child be learning? 

  • A variety of reading techniques and skills
  • Drafting, crafting and editing
  • Paired, group and class discussion

How will learning be assessed? 

  • Marking and tracking of class and homework
  • Formal termly assessments track and monitor progress against the students’ targets
  • Regular, targeted questioning and verbal feedback
  • Self and peer reflection

What can you do to support your child? 

  • Encourage regular reading of a range of texts: fiction and poetry; biographies and autobiographies; magazines and good quality, national newspapers
  • Listen to your child read aloud
  • Encourage him/her to revisit and revise subject terminology
  • Consider purchasing revision/study guides as appropriate

Equipment needed for this subject 

  • Pens, pencils and a ruler; colours. A pocket dictionary would be useful too

Extra-Curricular/Enrichment Opportunities 

  • Newspaper Club
  • Reading Buddies
  • Creative Writing club
  • Writing competitions
  • Reading Aloud
  • War of the Words