Curriculum

English

In the English Department, we pride ourselves on our broad and varied curriculum.

This has been carefully designed in order to develop and deepen our pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding of English. We are committed to promoting our pupils’ progress in speaking and listening, reading and writing in engaging and varied ways. Functional skills are embedded into our schemes of work throughout Key Stages 3 and 4. Functional skills help young people take a more active and responsible role in education, in their communities and in the workplace, to be more alert and responsive to changes in technology, to communicate effectively and to be literate in the broadest sense.

Our English lessons recognise that English is vital for communicating with others in school and in the wider world, whilst also being fundamental to learning in all curriculum subjects. In studying English at Haughton Academy, pupils will develop the skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing that they will need to participate in society and employment. Pupils will learn to express themselves creatively and imaginatively and to communicate with others confidently and effectively.

Enriching the learning experience for pupils is important to us, and we have a variety of ways which enable us to do this, including:

interactive whiteboards in every classroom;
access to various ICT facilities, including laptops and specialist software;
a variety of enrichment activities, including theatre trips and visiting speakers.

Our detailed and personalised planning always includes emphasis on independent learning. Pupils’ creativity is encouraged by providing opportunities to experiment, build on ideas or follow their own interests. Creativity in English extends beyond narrative and poetry to other forms and uses of language. We feel this is essential in allowing pupils to progress to higher levels of understanding and in becoming independent learners.

Through English, pupils will learn about the great traditions of Literature and about how modern writers see the world today. Through the study of Language and Literature, pupils will read texts from a variety of cultures and traditions. They will also gain an appreciation of the heritage that contributes to the richness of spoken and written language.

What next?

Jill Geraghty (English Subject Leader)

jgeraghty@educationvillage.org.uk