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
