English

Exploring Language and Literature

At KEVIGS, our English department is made up of subject specialists—and not-so-secret bookworms! With a wealth of teaching experience, we are passionate about both language and literature. All planning, teaching, and assessment is collaborative, ensuring a complementary and engaging learning experience for every student.

Skills

The skills in English can be broken down into reading, writing, and speaking and listening. Studying English builds proficiency in communicating, creating, interacting, persuading, analysing, arguing, explaining, advising, describing, entertaining and empathising.

In an increasingly inarticulate and AI-dominated world, thinking for yourself, knowing and justifying your thoughts, guarding against bias, commanding a healthy vocabulary and writing clearly, coherently, effortlessly and independently will be prized. 

Curriculum

We support every learner to read for meaning, to understand and comprehend what they have read, and to comment convincingly, having accessed a diverse and inclusive range of texts. Learners will practise their writing kills, developing accuracy and fluency across a range of forms and styles. Underpinning all of this will be the formation of assured and witty orators, where learners will, in a variety of scenarios, both formal and informal, express their thoughts and opinions out loud. 

Key Stage 3

At KS3, we use a thematic approach, exploring core ideas such as heroes and villains, war and peace. This enables students to confidently discuss and write about the concepts they have explored, making connections and contextualising their learning.

Key Stage 4

At GCSE, students study AQA English Language and AQA English Literature.

• English Language: Focus on textual analysis, summary, and comparative evaluation, alongside writing skills including narrative, exposition, and rhetorical pieces.

• English Literature: Students study a range of carefully selected texts spanning the past four hundred years, exploring context, themes, and authorial craft.

Enrichment

Beyond the classroom we offer regular trips to the theatre, the Slam Jam poetry competition, and a popular student-run magazine, The Chattler, to name but three examples of the array of opportunities available.