ENGLISH
The vision of the English department at Thurstable is that every student will leave with a love of reading, and a mastery of the skills that underpin our knowledge and understanding of the English language.
Our students will cultivate knowledge of literature throughout history, the shifts in movements and genres, and how literature is vital in not only holding up a mirror to society, but also in challenging our preconceived notions and ideas.
Here in the English department, we are committed to providing students with access to the best that has been thought and written and that reflects the wonderfully diverse society in which we live; ensuring that our students leave with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the world around them.
We believe that reading and writing skills are key to success, no matter your chosen future pathway, and as such we have ensured that these skills are built into every aspect of our curriculum, from Y7 right up until Y13.
Department Staff
Miss S Halifax – Senior Leader English
Mr A White - English Teacher
Miss K Bolton - English Teacher
Ms C Cansdale – KS3 Coordinator of English
Miss H Harris – English and Media teacher – Whole School Reading Lead
Miss V Osborne – English Teacher and SEND
Mr M Brayley – p/t English Teacher
Miss V Mant – p/t English Teacher
Mrs D Morgan – English Department LSA and Cover Supervisor
GCSE
AQA English Language
Paper 1 – Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing
Paper 2 – Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives
Speaking and Listening Assessment
AQA English Literature
Paper 1
Shakespeare and the C19th Novel Macbeth by William Shakespeare
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Paper 2
Modern Texts and Poetry
An Inspector Calls by J B Priestley
Power and Conflict Poetry Anthology
Unseen Poetry
A-Level
From September 2021
OCR English Literature
Paper 1
Drama and pre-1900 Poetry
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen
Poetry of Christina Rossetti
Paper 2
Comparative and Contextual Study
1984 by George Orwell
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
All exams are closed book.
NEA
Rapture by Carol Ann Duffy (1000 words)
Comparison of A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams and Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates (2000 words)
A-Level
Legacy Specification
AQA English Language and Literature
Paper 1
Remembered Places, Imagined Worlds and Poetic Voices
Anthology: Paris
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Meantime by Carol Ann Duffy
Paper 2
Writing About Society and Dramatic Encounters
The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
All exams are open book.
NEA
Making Connections (3000 words)
Comparison of 1984 by George Orwell with students’ chosen English Language text.
Enrichment
From September 2021
Debate club
Lit club
Film studies (tbc)
Trips to The Globe
Theatre trips
Author visits
Guest speakers
Subject specialist lectures
Links
AQA | GCSE | English Language | Specification at a glance
AQA | GCSE | English Literature | Specification at a glance
AQA | English | AS and A-level | English Language and Literature
AS and A Level - English Literature - H072, H472 (from 2015) - OCR
BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, The Great Gatsby
BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, Macbeth
BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, Frankenstein
BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, Judith beheading Holofernes
BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, Henrik Ibsen
BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, Hamlet
BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, Emily Dickinson
BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, Jane Eyre
BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, Christina Rossetti
You're Dead To Me - King James VI of Scotland - BBC Sounds
You're Dead To Me - The Victorian Christmas (Radio Edit) - BBC Sounds
You're Dead To Me - The Witch Craze (Radio Edit) - BBC Sounds
You're Dead To Me - Vampires in Gothic Literature - BBC Sounds
You're Dead To Me - Mary Shelley - BBC Sounds
You're Dead To Me - Lord Byron - BBC Sounds
You're Dead To Me - LGBTQ History - BBC Sounds
Sentimental Garbage on Apple Podcasts
The History of Literature on Apple Podcasts