English

Curriculum Intent

At Beacon Academy, we are resolved that through the English curriculum, every student has the opportunity to become a voracious, inquisitive reader, a confident, eloquent writer, and a self-assured articulate speaker. Our aim is to empower students to acquire the cultural capital and the skills needed for critical thinking – in other words, ‘the essential knowledge that pupils need to be educated citizens’ (DfE 2014 p6). In this way, students will develop a sense that they truly belong – not only within Beacon Academy, but to the wider community of scholars and creators, and to society as a whole. They will learn that the right to be seen and heard, and the respect they should afford others to accomplish that, is at the core of our values and our teaching.

To this end, we in the English Department are relentless in our determination to surround our students with a knowledge-rich curriculum that involves high quality literary texts, as they journey from the start of Key Stage 3 to end of Key Stage 5. Our teachers are determined advocates for the central position of literature at the heart of a life well lived, and we ensure that this powerful view of the world is understood and embraced by our students as they journey amongst the branching paths of our global literary heritage.

Over Key Stage 3, our years of study are organised into thematic collections so that our students can glimpse the interconnectedness of literature, and feel themselves part of a vast community of writers and readers. Year 7 is dedicated to the idea of ‘Belonging’. The theme in Year 8, ‘Hear My Voice’, builds upon the confidence engendered in Year 7, with a focus on self-expression and communication. Year 9 brings this together and consolidates the learning that has taken place over Key Stage 3, as they embark on a literary journey considering ‘Self in Society’. There are opportunities in each year for a formal spoken presentation, where students work to embed the skills they have seen over the year into a speech or debate of their own.

Key Stage 4 is an opportunity for teachers to guide students through centuries of literature, and encourage them to envision themselves as heirs of our great literary heritage. Year 10 commences with the study of Shakespeare’s Macbeth from the early 17th century, through the 19th century with Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, leading to the 20th century where we enjoy J.B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls. This empowers our students to understand the development of literature over time and take the pulse of contemporary points of view from each era. Dispersed among the study of these texts are fifteen poems ranging from 1794 to modern day, with a focus on power and conflict in a variety of guises.

Key Stage 5 builds on the English skills and knowledge acquired over the previous five years, to culminate in scholarship of some of the most seminal works in the canon of literature; the era of their experience expands from 14th century Chaucer poetry through to celebrated prize-winning novels from the 21st century. Students develop their literature journey as they begin to engage with not just the text itself, but with the views of eminent literary critics through the ages. They look with increasing depth at authorial intent and how it relates to the social, political, historical and philosophical context of the time. Engaging in lively class debates, developing sophistication in academic expression and perception, and original thought in analysis, ensures that our Key Stage 5 literature scholars are prepared for university, or whatever path they choose as they move on from their time at Beacon Academy.

We have high expectations for our students to read ambitiously and independently beyond the offer of the classroom and we provide an ambitious programme of reading or pleasure and study to encourage our students to further explore the areas of interest we discuss in class. We reinforce learning through practical experiences such as author visits and theatre experiences. For all our teachers, a passion for literature and communication is something that extends far beyond the door of the classroom – we believe this should be true for all our students too.

All Beacon students strive to make their MARK by being motivated, ambitious, resilient, and knowledgeable.