https://www.abbeycollege.cambs.sch.uk/index.php/2015-06-01-09-58-16/communication-blog/171-weekly-newsletter#sigProIdc8e567790a
Key Stage 3 aims to capture students’ passion for English and reading, whilst developing their skills for their GCSE.
Throughout the two years students will study a wide range of texts, both fiction and non-fiction, to develop their ability to read and interpret information, but to also feedback into their own creative writing.
Across the two-year curriculum, students read and analyse a variety of 19th Century and modern extracts and whole texts including: The Red Room; The Monkey's Paw; Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde; Shakespeare’s Villains; Night; Boy, Everywhere; Lord of the Flies; Romeo and Juliet and speeches that have changed the world. Students are given the opportunity to analyse other the work of other writers and develop their own writing style via various lessons on imaginative and transactional writing. During their KS3 learning, students will study both English Literature and Language skills and topics.
Students study the Edexcel exam board for both KS4 and KS5. In Year 9, English lessons cover both Language and Literature skills. It acts as a bridging year between KS3 and the full requirements of GCSE. Students will therefore study elements of the GCSE but at a differentiated level and with alternative topics, including Dystopian Fiction, 'Of Mice and Men', 'Othello', Tragedies and Disasters (Non-Fiction) and a collection of poetry.
Across both Year 10 and 11, students study the full range of both GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature requirements. In Year 10, this includes study of 19th century fiction analysis and imaginative writing, either 'A Christmas Carol' or 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde', a collection of conflict and unseen poetry, followed by the play 'An Inspector Calls'.
In Year 11, students finalise their 'An Inspector Calls' learning before studying non-fiction and transactional writing, followed by 'Macbeth'.
Over the course of Year 10 and Year 11, students will sit a full mock of each exam paper: GCSE English Literature Paper 2 and GCSE English Language Paper 1 in Year 10, followed by GCSE English Language Paper 2 and GCSE English Literature Paper 1 in Year 11.
In year 12, students study two novels ranging from Frankenstein and The Handmaid's Tale, to Beloved and The Picture of Dorian Gray. Students also analyse a collection of poetry from the Poems of the Decade anthology; study then moves onto drama and the reading and analysis of A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. The curriculum focuses on developing independent learning skills, analysis of dramatic techniques, analysis of poetic techniques and forms, as well as comparing.
Year 13 sees students begin their study of Christina Rossetti poetry and Shakespeare's Othello. These are the final 'taught' elements. Concurrently, students independently work on their non examination unit - coursework. Students are tasked with picking two texts to compare on a theme of their choice. The first draft of this is due before the Christmas holidays and then students submit their final piece by the Easter holidays.
