Why learn English?

English is one of the most important subjects you will study in your time at Ashton CSC and will equip you for a successful future, no matter which career path you choose. English will:

  • Ensure you are successfully able to read a variety of texts for meaning and for pleasure.
  • Enable you to access a range of challenging reading material inside and outside of the workplace.
  • Equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to ensure you are confident and articulate communicators, both in the written and spoken word.
  • Allow you to understand how to use tone, volume, intonation and language, and adapt these for different purposes.
  • Provide you with the opportunities to be creative thinkers who can form justified opinions of texts and the world around you.
  • Nurture a love of literature that builds an understanding of the human condition.
  • Build on your understanding of stories through time and our rich and diverse language.
  • Develop your appreciation of tolerance, understanding and respect for yourself and others.

English Curriculum Overview

Please click the year group and half-term to view additional information.

Half Term 1
Knowledge
How do writers capture characters with words?
Smith – Leon Garfield 
Skills / application of knowledge
   Character archetypes 
   Narrative features 
   Characters in narrative
   Character development over time
   Charles Dickens’ motives to write 
   Victorian life; rich vs. poor; and crime and punishment 
   Descriptive features in relation to character 
   Drafting and editing 
   Revise KS2 SPG 
   Locate and retrieve evidence 
   Developing a narrative extract (character description)
Develop knowledge of spelling rules
Links to prior learning
   Characters and narratives as constructs 
   Victorian life 
   Other works of Dickens/ Dickens’ writing style
   KS2 SPG
Assessment
   Baseline assessment 
   Context quiz – Victorian society and Dickens
   Multiple choice quiz of descriptive devices in action and creation of own simile and metaphor
   Narrative writing with character description
Half Term 2
Knowledge
Can a text take you on an adventure?
Seminal Literature extracts and poetry, plus non-fiction texts 
Skills / application of knowledge
   First person perspective in fiction and transactional writing and being able to understand opinion
   Retrieve and interpret evidence 
   Identify and apply some persuasive features 
   Understand the difference between fiction and nonfiction writing and the conventions. 
   Summarise nonfiction texts 
   Identifying and retrieving key information from source material
   A celebration, immersion and appreciation of other cultures – their histories, customs and people
   Developing an understanding and appreciation of global heritage and history
   Inferring ideas and concepts from poetry. 
Links to prior learning
   Persuasive writing
   KS2 poetry 
   Victorian era -poetry 
   Dickens – travel writing
Assessment
   Summarise the main points of a text 
   Persuasive features match up
   Produce a piece of transactional writing
Half Term 3
Knowledge
How has society changed over time? 
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – William Shakespeare 
Skills / application of knowledge
   Shakespeare's theatre and the theatrical practices of Shakespeare’s London
   The Elizabethan era
   Features of a Shakespearean play with a focus on blank verse and prose
   Sonnet 130 
   Poetic devices with a focus on the sonnet form
   How writers, in particular Shakespeare, create humour 
   How context affects humour 
   Greek mythology and the construct of myths   
   Myth writing
   Chaucer and Middle English – where do our words come from? 
Links to prior learning
   Shakespeare's theatre 
   Poetry 
   Drafting and editing 
   London through time
Assessment
   Myth Writing
   EOY Exam
   Spoken Language 

Half Term 1
Knowledge
How does a writer create tension and suspense?
The Woman in Black – Susan Hill
Skills / application of knowledge
   Poets’ uses of language and structure 
   Features of the Gothic genre
   Features of a Gothic setting
   Creating a Gothic setting using structural features
   Edwardian era and attitudes to children born out of wedlock 
   Treatment of women in Edwardian England 
   Tension and how this can be created through sentence structures and punctuation as well as description
   Understanding foreshadowing and its effect
   Understanding pathetic fallacy 
   Pastiche of Victorian Gothic and Dickens
   The use of a rational protagonist and first-person narrative to develop empathy  
Links to prior learning
   The Edwardian era 
   1st person narrative 
   Dickens’ style 
Assessment
   To identify gothic features in a text – annotation exercise
   Evaluation-style question 
   To create a gothic opening with a focus on omission and foreshadowing
Half Term 2
Knowledge
Are we heading towards a Dystopian future?
Animal Farm – George Orwell 
Skills / application of knowledge
   Features of a dystopian society 
   Conventions of dystopian fiction
   Effects of writers’ techniques
   How writers use structure for effect
   How writers create character, atmosphere, setting
   How writers present attitude/ viewpoint through use of language
   Thinking creatively 
   To develop and refine your own opinion
   The Russian revolution and Animal Farm as an allegorical novella 
   Power and corruption 
   Satire and rhetoric 
   Freedom and rights (civil rights and liberties) 
   Understanding democracy and our society today 
   Synthesis
   Literary context and canon
Allegorical meaning
Links to prior learning
   Creating setting 
   Character constructs
   Understand texts and their contexts 
   Understanding of genre 
Assessment
   Reading response to Animal Farm 
   Identify true or false statements
   Persuasive speech (spoken)
Half Term 3
Knowledge
How do stereotypes damage society? 
Boys Don’t Cry – Malorie Blackman 
Skills / application of knowledge
   Toxic masculinity and damaging stereotypes
   Developing empathy for characters
   Identity – nonfiction link with language focus
   Dual narrative structure 
   Liberality 
   Sub-plot 
   Family 
   Societal expectations in modern Britain 
   Damaging prejudices
   Developing a dual narrative 
   How Blackman creates empathy for characters 
   Modern day gender roles   
   Hate crime 
How writers capture relationships 
Links to prior learning
   The role of genders
   Identity 
   Social expectations 
   Narrative writing, empathy, characters 
Assessment
   EOY Exam

Half Term 1
Knowledge
Can you ever be too ambitious?
Macbeth – William Shakespeare 
Skills / application of knowledge
   Jacobean England
   Women’s rights throughout history
   Witches and superstition: how did this impact Jacobean England?
   The significance of the context of a text in relation to the impact of the text on the audience.
   How is a theme presented throughout a play?
   How does Shakespeare create character constructs? 
   Demonstrate an understanding of the main ideas, events and themes in Macbeth and the importance of the text’s structure
   Recognise the moral decline of Macbeth’s character.
   Understand the significance of regicide to a Jacobean audience
   Analyse the importance of the witches throughout the play
   Be familiar with the structure of a tragedy play.
   Understand the persuasive and manipulative nature of Lady Macbeth
   Explore how Lady Macbeth does not adhere to stereotypical gender roles of the time.
   Understand how power can lead to corruption
Explore Macbeth’s guilt in a spoken language presentation
Links to prior learning
   The role of women in society/gender roles 
   Toxic masculinity 
   Shakespeare’s theatre
Power, corruption, and ambition 
Assessment
   Context recall task
   SQI (summary of differences) between non-fiction witches satellite texts. Comparison. 
   Character evaluation
   Spoken language 
Half Term 2
Knowledge
How far does your social situation define your future?
Blood Brothers – Willy Russell 
Skills / application of knowledge
   Stage direction and structure and how it impacts meaning
   Understand and appreciate social setting and how it impacts young people
   Empathy and sympathy for characters and their situations
   How Russell uses stereotypes to portray the themes of social class and inequality  
   Exploring the impact of 1970s/80s England on the play
   Analysis of Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons 
   Comparison of Mickey and Eddie’s childhoods/education 
   Features of persuasive writing and letter writing. 
   Exploring the play’s themes 
   Crafting a literary analysis
   Descriptive writing based on the experience of a factory worker
   Comparing the differences between Mickey and Edward’s lives through evaluative literature responses   
   Russell’s purpose as a writer and his social message
Links to prior learning
   Social inequality
   Structure of a play and importance of stage direction
Persuasive writing
Assessment
   Context quiz
   Theme exploration task
   Persuasive letter
Half Term 3
Knowledge
Can a text ever really capture someone’s feelings or experiences?
Heroes – Robert Cormier
Skills / application of knowledge
   The importance of empathy when looking at alternative perspectives 
   To form a sophisticated and informed opinion  
   To understand how character contrasts and character development can shape perception  
   How contextual understanding can shape meaning (World Wars, PTSD, identity etc) 
   How poets use form and structure to craft meaning 
   Comparing poetry with a focus on language, structure and context 
   Key poetic terminology and vocabulary  
   Exploring a poet’s intentions behind the crafting of their poetic voice - to form an opinion  
   Exploring varying forms and how meaning can be created through genre/form
   Comparing texts with a focus on language, structure and context 
   Summarising texts 
   Exploring sentence structures and how these can be manipulated for effect 
   To explore and use more sophisticated punctuation such as hyphens and semi-colons 
   Exploring how sophisticated structural devices help to shape and define character or voice 
   To explore perspectives towards war  
   To understand the importance of editing and redrafting creative writing 
Links to prior learning
   Structure in narrative writing
   Identity and how writers create this in a character
Ambition and power
Assessment
   Structure question 
   EOY Exam 

Summer
Knowledge
What makes us who we are?
Texts Studied
A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens
 
 
Poetry from the Power and Conflict Anthology:
 
The Emigree – Carol Rumens
 
Kamikaze – Beatrice Garland
 
Checkin’ Out Me History – John Agard
 
London – William Blake
 
 
Unseen Poetry:
 
Still I Rise – Maya Angelou
Vocabulary Focus
Contextual Vocabulary: Victorian, Industrial Revolution, Poor Law, Malthusianism, secular, supernatural, redemption, transformation, morality, social class, identity, culture, heritage, oppression
 
 
Textual Vocabulary: empathy, introspection, alienation, resilience, conformity, rebellion, tradition, displacement, belonging, prejudice, marginalisation, perspective
 
 
Literary Terminology: narrative voice, symbolism, imagery, metaphor, simile, personification, tone, structure, juxtaposition, contrast, allusion, repetition, cyclical structure, extract-to-whole
Skills and Application of Knowledge
Analysing character, theme, and structure in A Christmas Carol
Understanding Victorian society, including the Poor Law, Industrial Revolution, and Malthusian theory.
Tracking Scrooge’s transformation; analysing Fred, Fezziwig, and the Cratchits as foils and symbols.
Using theme trackers to explore redemption, identity, time, morality, and social responsibility.
Exploring identity, culture, and power in poetry
Comparing perspectives across texts
Developing narrative writing techniques (character, setting, structure, language)
Preparing and delivering a spoken language presentation
Practising Paper 1 Section B and Paper 2 comparison questions
Applying contextual knowledge to deepen analysis
Links to prior Learning
Builds on character and theme analysis from Romeo and Juliet and An Inspector Calls
Reinforces poetry comparison skills from earlier anthology work
Revisits Victorian context and social commentary
Connects to prior narrative writing and spoken language practice
Assessments
EoY Exam
 
 
Autumn
Knowledge
Conflict
Texts Studied
Romeo and Juliet – William Shakespeare
 
Language Papers: 
 
The Tiredness of Rosabel – Katherine Mansfield
The Mill – H.E. Bates
 
Poetry from the Power and Conflict Anthology:
- Storm on the Island – Seamus Heaney
- My Last Duchess – Robert Browning
 
 
Unseen poetry:
- Dulce et Decorum Est – Wilfred Owen
- Who’s for the Game? – Jessie Pope
Vocabulary Focus
Contextual Vocabulary: patriarchal, subservient, autocratic, nobility, hierarchy
Textual Vocabulary: vengeance, impetuous, misogyny, confidante, maternal, paternal, unconventional, cynical, idealistic, commodity, antagonist, generational
Literary Terminology: blank verse, free verse, iambic pentameter, monologue, soliloquy, oxymoron, literary foil, sonnet, religious imagery, semantic fields, rhyme scheme, structural catalyst, symbolism, light/dark imagery, celestial imagery
Skills and Application of Knowledge
Studying the role of conflict in Romeo and Juliet
In-depth analysis of Shakespeare’s language, structure, and dramatic techniques in Romeo and Juliet
Exploration of key themes: honour, family, love, fate, and societal expectations
Comparative analysis of poetry, focusing on language, form, and structure
Development of exam skills for English Language Paper 1 (Questions 1–4)
Analytical writing and evaluation of unseen poetry
Explore key characters from Romeo and Juliet and their roles within the play
Links to prior Learning
Builds on prior study of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Macbeth
Reinforces understanding of Elizabethan society and dramatic conventions
Connects to themes of conflict explored in Heroes (Year 9)
Continues development of poetry analysis from the Power and Conflict Anthology
Assessment
Language Paper 1 – Reading Section
Romeo and Juliet - Conflict
 
 
Spring
Knowledge
Power
Texts Studied
An Inspector Calls – J.B. Priestley
 
 
Poetry from the Power and Conflict Anthology:
 
Extract from The Prelude – William Wordsworth
 
Ozymandias – Percy Bysshe Shelley
 
 
Language Paper 2 Non-Fiction Extracts – including articles on voting age, social issues and the role of women
Vocabulary Focus
Contextual Vocabulary: hierarchical, ideology, white collar, stasis, vulnerability, enfranchisement, capitalism, socialism, social mobility, Edwardian, post-war, generational divide, social hierarchy
 
 
Textual Vocabulary: exploitation, dominant, ingrained, archetype, outlier, responsibility, morality, social climbing, manipulation, marginalisation, empathy, introspection
 
 
Literary Terminology: allegory, foreshadowing, dramatic irony, stage direction, monologue, symbolism, tone, perspective, structure, juxtaposition, narrative voice
Skills and Application of Knowledge
Understanding and applying contextual knowledge (Edwardian society, post-WWII Britain, capitalism vs. socialism)
Analysing characterisation, stagecraft, and dramatic devices in An Inspector Calls
Exploring themes of power, responsibility, gender, and generational conflict
Comparing poetic techniques and themes in Ozymandias and The Prelude
Developing transactional writing skills (e.g., writing articles and letters)
Practising Language Paper skills: summary, synthesis, analysis, and evaluation
Links to prior Learning
Builds on prior study of Romeo and Juliet and themes of gender and power
Reinforces understanding of poetic form and structure from the Power and Conflict anthology
Connects to previous work on social justice and historical context in literature
Assessments
Language Paper 2, Question 5. Article writing in response to a statement.
Power and Conflict poetry comparison
Autumn A
Knowledge
Are the values of honour, virtue and morality something to be admired?
Texts Studied
Romeo and Juliet
An Inspector Calls
A Christmas Carol
 
 
Unseen Poetry: 
 
Sonnet 43 
 
Valentine
 
 
Language Paper 1 and 2 extracts
Vocabulary Focus
Contextual Vocabulary: honour, virtue, morality, chivalry, sin
 
 
Textual Vocabulary: hamartia, integrity, esteem, values
 
 
Literary Terminology: sonnet, iambic pentameter, soliloquy
Skills and Application of Knowledge
Thematic revision of Romeo and Juliet and An Inspector Calls through honour, virtue, and morality
Analysis of Shakespearean sonnets and unseen poetry
Extract-to-whole responses for A Christmas Carol
Language Paper 1 and 2 preparation (Q1–Q4)
Narrative writing development and adaptation
Exploring character arcs (e.g. Romeo, Sheila, Scrooge)
Understanding and applying context in literature responses
Links to prior Learning
Builds on Year 10 study of character and theme in Romeo and Juliet and A Christmas Carol
Reinforces poetry comparison skills from Power and Conflict anthology
Connects to prior narrative writing and spoken language practice
Assessments
Language Paper 1 (reading section)
Unseen Poetry comparison
Narrative Writing
 
 
Autumn B
Knowledge
Power of nature and man
Texts Studied
An Inspector Calls
A Christmas Carol
 
Romeo and Juliet
 
 
Poetry from the Power and Conflict Anthology:
  Storm on the Island – Seamus Heaney
  Exposure – Wilfred Owen
 
 
 
Unseen Poetry: 
 
The Wind – James Reeves
  The Fog – F.R. McCreary
  December – Carol Ann Duffy
  Snow – Louis MacNeice
  Blackberry Picking – Seamus Heaney
 
 
Language Paper 1 and 2 extracts
Vocabulary Focus
Contextual Vocabulary: power, nature, conflict, isolation, endurance, resilience, elemental, seasonal, transience
 
Textual Vocabulary: bleak, hostile, vulnerable, exposure, turbulence, decay, renewal, metaphorical, literal
 
Literary Terminology: enjambment, caesura, volta, semantic field, personification, simile, metaphor, imagery, tone, structure, juxtaposition
Skills and Application of Knowledge
Comparative analysis of poems exploring nature and conflict
Development of analytical writing using comparative structures
Practice of unseen poetry analysis and evaluation
Exploration of poetic techniques and their effects
Generation Gap in An Inspector Calls
Identity and symbolism in A Christmas Carol
A focus on Romeo, and his harmatia, in Romeo and Juliet
Links to prior Learning
Builds on poetry comparison skills from Year 10
Reinforces understanding of poetic form and structure
Connects to themes of conflict and power explored in previous texts
Assessments
Language Paper 1 (reading section)
Poetry comparison: Storm on the Island and Exposure
 
 
Spring
Knowledge
Appearance vs Reality
Texts Studied
All GCSE Literature and Language texts revised in preparation for exams:
Romeo and Juliet
An Inspector Calls
A Christmas Carol
Power and Conflict Poetry Anthology
Unseen poetry
Language Paper 1 and 2 extracts
Vocabulary Focus
Contextual Vocabulary: power, authority, critique, identity, displacement, gender roles, societal expectations
 
Textual Vocabulary: appearance, reality, facade, guilt, redemption, responsibility, transformation, oppression
 
Literary Terminology: juxtaposition, evaluative verbs, comparative connectives
Skills and Application of Knowledge
Full Paper 1 and Paper 2 practice (timed and scaffolded)
Thematic revision: power, identity, critique of society, war, loss, grief, responsibility
Comparative poetry responses (e.g., Ozymandias vs My Last Duchess, London vs Checking Out Me History)
Unseen poetry analysis and comparison
Literature essay planning and peer/self-assessment
Targeted revision based on mock feedback
Final exam preparation and consolidation
Links to prior Learning
Consolidation of entire English curriculum
Assessments
Mock Exams