Aims of the English Department
We aim to improve the levels of attainment and progress in all aspects of English for students with a wide range of ability and with diverse special educational needs through:
- Providing an exciting and relevant curriculum that motivates students and relates to the National Curriculum
- Ensuring high quality teaching
- Integrating specialist expertise within the overall departmental approach through an integrated approach to Communication and Interaction
- Providing specific interventions for groups of students with particular needs
- Setting progress targets at the individual and collective level
- Involving students as owners of their own learning to the maximum extent possible
- Ensuring that schemes of work are developed that support progression in learning
- Developing further approaches to communication skills across the curriculum
- Providing different pathways for students so that they can achieve the qualifications that will assist them when they leave school: these include entry level and level 1/2 qualifications as well as GCSEs in English Language and Literature
- We have a strong focus on improving writing skills, not just in English, but across the curriculum, as we firmly believe that this is a vital life skill for our students
- We encourage the development of reading skills and reading comprehension and have a home-school reading programme that encourages parental involvement in this area
Regular review involving staff and pupils.
Reading Videos
How to be a good reader:
Video for parents about reading and reading aloud: http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/home/reading-site/expert-help/ruth-miskins-video-page?region=uk#
Tips for hearing your child read: http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Parents/ten-tips-on-hearing-your-child-read
Learning letters and words: http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Parents/learning-letters-and-words-through-play
The National Literacy Trust parent page: http://www.wordsforlife.org.uk/7-11
A parent resource webpage – sign up needed. Some resources are free, there is a cost for full access: http://www.edplace.com/english?_$ja=kw:English+for+parents|cgn:Parents|cgid:6026228521|tsid:48392|cn:_G_English_General|cid:70729561|lid:54008348401|mt:Broad|nw:search|crid:30578887201|dvc:c|adp:2t2&gclid=CIz4w-uIrrwCFYYBwwodTXkAkw
A literacy page for parents. Sign up is free as are many resources. There is a cost of £9.99 for access to all worksheets: http://www.parentsintouch.co.uk/Literacy-worksheets
Other websites that are useful:
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/kids-games
Curriculum Overviews for English are below. Each year group has their own. Please note that these overviews are subject to change depending on the teacher and class. If you’d like more information about what you’re child is studying in English currently, please contact the office in the first instance.
Y11 overview Y10 overview Y9 overview Y8 overview Y7 overview 6th form
Summer Writing Challenge 2017
http://stonydean.bucks.sch.uk/summer-writing-challenge-2017/
