English

The English Faculty at Ridgeway Academy deliver an engaging, varied and challenging curriculum that is designed to inspire, build on students’ cultural capital and support them to reach their full potential. We aim to foster a love of reading and literature and provide opportunities for students to develop skills in media and film throughout their time at Ridgeway Academy.

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The curriculum is designed to broaden and enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of the world through the study of a wide range of literature, including texts in a range of forms, and from a range of genres, authors and eras. We also aim to ensure that, through the study of language and literature, students leave Ridgeway with the confidence to develop and share informed opinions through writing, reading and speaking.

Our curriculum allows students to build on their previous year’s learning and ensures that all students are challenged and motivated. Our curriculum study at Key Stage Three and Four offers opportunities for students to experience other GCSE and A Level qualification offered at Ridgeway including GCSE media studies, A Level English Literature and A Level Film Studies.

Welcome to the English Department – Subject Leader: Mrs T Yelland

Key Stage 3

The Key Stage 3 curriculum allows for students to develop a love of learning, reading and exploring texts whilst developing confidence in the skills necessary for successful study at GCSE and beyond. Students complete a variety of reading, writing and speaking and listening tasks.

In Year 7, students develop and enhance skills learned at Key Stage 2 through the study of:

Myths and legends.
Short stories with a twist
The Giver by Lois Lowry
An introduction to Shakespeare’s World
The Tempest by William Shakespeare.

In Year 8, students will build on their previous knowledge through the study of:

In Year 9, students continue to study a wide range of texts with some focus on the skills required at GCSE. Units of study include:

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Multimedia unit The Power of Voice
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Poetry study: Words that burn

Towards the end of Year 9 students are introduced to GCSE curriculum texts. Students study their first text, An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley. Students are taught through a wide range of learning activities, ensuring they are accessible and stimulating.

Year 7 English RA Curriculum Map 2022-23

Year 8 English RA Curriculum Map 2022-23

Year 9 English RA Curriculum Map 2022-23

Key Stage 4

At Key Stage 4 students follow the AQA specification for English Language and English Literature. This is introduced in the latter part of Year 9 but taught throughout Year 10 and 11. All students have the opportunity to study both English Literature and English Language at GCSE.

Students will study a number of set texts at GCSE including:

An Inspector Calls by J B Priestley
Shakespeare’s Macbeth
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
An anthology of 15 poems linked by the central theme of Power and Conflict

Students will also have the opportunity to present on a topic of their choice and are awarded an endorsement for Spoken Language as part of the English Language GCSE qualification.

Year 10 English RA Curriculum Map 2022-23

Year 11 English RA Curriculum Map 2022-23

Key Stage 5

Key Stage 5 students are able to access both English Literature and Film Studies at Ridgeway Academy and both subjects have a long history of success. Our English Literature results have been the best results across the Welwyn-Hatfield Post-16 Consortium, and we have had many alumni go on to be highly successful in pathways stemming from both subjects. Our Key Stage 5 curriculum offers opportunity for academic stretch and challenge, independent research and an engaging selection of texts in both subjects.

In English Literature students study the following elements:

Drama: Tragedy – Hamlet, Shakespeare and The Duchess of Malfi, Webster.
Prose: Science & Society – Frankenstein, Shelley and The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood.
Poetry – The Wife of Bath: Prologue and Tale, Chaucer and Poems of the Decade, an anthology of modern poems.

Students also complete NEA, which is an independent study of two texts and a written essay of around 3,000 words.

Through studying Film Studies at A Level, students have the opportunity to explore a diverse range of films and their genres in significant detail. Students prepare for two examined papers:

Paper 1: Varieties of Film and Film Making. Students develop their knowledge through the study of six feature length films from the following genres: Hollywood: Casablanca (1942) and Bladerunner (1982). America: No Country for Old Men (2007) and Winter’s Bone (2010). British: Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Sightseers (2012).

Paper 2: Global Film Making Perspectives. Students develop their knowledge through the study of five feature length films: Global Film: Pans Labyrinth (2006) and City of God (2002). Documentary Film: Amy (2015). Silent Cinema: a range of silent films by Buster Keaton. Experimental Film: Pulp Fiction (1994).

Students also complete an NEA worth 30% of their overall qualification which comprises of the production and evaluative analysis of either a short film (45 minutes long) or a screen play for a short film (16-1800 words), plus a digitally photographed storyboard of a key section from the screen play.

Key Stage 5 – Year 12 – English RA Curriculum Map 2022-23

Key Stage 5 – Year 13 – English RA Curriculum Map 2022-23

Key Stage 5 – Year 13 – Film RA Curriculum Map 2022-23

Ridgeway Readers

At Ridgeway we recognise the importance of reading and vocabulary acquisition as essential in enhancing students’ understanding of the curriculum in all subjects. We also hope to broaden students’ reading horizons by exposing them to a wide range of engaging and interesting texts.

It is an expectation that students have their reading book with them at all times as we often encourage reading during form time and within library lessons. Students in Year 7 and Year 8 have a bi-weekly library lesson where they are encouraged to read a variety of texts available within our well-resourced library.

In addition, all students in Key Stage 3 complete reading tests termly. This information is shared with parents on your child’s report. Reading achievements are celebrated throughout the year and recognised across the school.

How Can I Support My Child In English At Ridgeway?

You can help your child by encouraging them to read at home for 20 minutes per day. You may wish to schedule a time and check your child is completing this.
Discuss with your child what they have read and share with your child what you are reading or have read each week.
Check that your child is managing to finish their reading book and has changed it every 2-3 weeks. Students have an hour in the library every two weeks and should be reading at home too, so this should be achievable.
Students will be set home based learning on Google Classroom and through the Educake website. Parents and carers should monitor this and talk with their child about the homework set, as well as checking that it is being completed to a suitable standard.
English Literature and English Language study is based on the understanding of ideas, themes and emotions that are visible in the world around us – to succeed students need to form opinions and understand how to navigate the world they are living in. You can help your child develop these skills by discussing topics in the news with your child and helping them to shape their opinions verbally.

How Will My Child Be Supported In English At Ridgeway?

We have a variety of support opportunities which include TA support in class, close monitoring of reading ages through the use of Accelerated Reader and a collaborative approach to working with the SEND department to ensure appropriate interventions are in place.

Staff are committed to offering regular feedback and next steps, to ensure pupils make progress in their studies, and encourage reflective practice by setting regular REACT tasks for students to improve their work.