English

The limits of my language means the limits of my world. 

Ludwig Wittgenstein

Welcome to English! Here you will meet a vast range of exciting and varied texts which we delve into in class. You will have the opportunity to discuss interesting topics, to write challenging essays and to create your own characters and stories. You will also be able to take part in competitions and go on exciting theatre and poetry trips. At ABS we offer a rich and diverse curriculum to inspire you to find your own voice amongst powerful voices from literature. We will support you in achieving a high standard of literacy and engender a deep appreciation of reading both for pleasure and as part of cultural exploration and inclusion. The study of English Literature and Language at Acland Burghley aims to help you shape your identity as an individual and as contributors to society.

Head of Faculty and KS3 Lead

Hana Ahmed  | aahmed@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk 

Subject Leads

KS5: Lewis Goodacre  |  lgoodacre@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk

KS4: Tara Vakil | tvakil@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk 

Teachers

Jonathan Holt |  jholt@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk 

Asma Khan | akhan@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk

Rosie Kosky rkoskyhensman@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk

Anna Rimington | arimington@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk

Sarah Lester  slester@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk 

Anja Donn | adonn@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk

Ross Hunter rhunter@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk  

Francesca Brown | fbrown@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk 

Daisy Whitchurch | dwhitchurch@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk 

Jo Mullan | jmullen@aclandbughley.camden.sch.uk 

Oscar Reed | oreed@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk 

Abi Forrest aforrest@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk 

Curriculum

Curriculum Intent and Maps

Show list Show Grid

Medium Term Plans 

KS3

The KS3 English curriculum develops our students as critical and creative readers, writers, speakers and listeners. We provide students with a diverse range of interesting and challenging texts across time and place, introducing them to powerful literary voices and allowing them to shape their own voice in response. Throughout KS3, we teach students that English is a question not an answer. They learn to be inquisitive about the texts they encounter, collaborative in their exploration of them and imaginative in their response to them. If you have any queries about the curriculum, please contact me at aahmed@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk 

  • Develops pupils’ skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening
  • Develops proficiency of spelling, grammar and punctuation
  • Develops a habit of reading widely and independently
  • Develops pupils as individuals and contributors to society

Y7       

Autumn term: In the Sea There Are Crocodiles; Frankenstein

Spring term: Poetry Finding A Voice; The Immersive Read (Oh My Gods/Holes)       

Summer term: The Art of Persuasion; Greek Myths

Y8       

Autumn term: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time; The Tempest

Spring term: Place and Culture in Poetry; The Woman in Black

Summer term: Writing About Change; Dystopian Fiction

Y9       

Autumn term: Of Mice And Men/Things Fall Apart; Hamlet

Spring term: Global Perspectives on Conflict; An Inspector Calls

Summer term: Iridescent Adolescent; GCSE Modern Text 

Skills developed at KS3

  • Develops students’ ability to read increasingly ambitious texts with greater fluency and comprehension, including novels, short stories, plays and poems.
  • Develops  students’ ability to read critically, and identify and comment on a writer’s choices.
  • Develops students’ ability to write imaginatively and effectively in a range of forms for different purposes and audiences.
  • Develop students’ ability to express their ideas in speech and listen to others.
  • Develops students’ technical accuracy in spelling, grammar and punctuation.
  • Develops students’ understanding of British and global literature across time.

Suggested reading

Extra-curricular activities and club

  • Creative Writing Club  every Wednesday 3.30-4.15pm in the Library/Y1C during Autumn and Spring terms

  • Young Reporters Club every Wednesday 1.30-2pm in Y2C during Autumn and Spring terms

Past Present Future Creative Writing Anthology 2023

KS4

The demands of the new English Curriculum at KS4 mean that students will be prepared throughout the course by completing extended timed writing with a high level of accuracy. The cultural experience of students and their relationship with reading is integral in creating successful outcomes so all our schemes of learning are enriched with independent learning opportunities.

If you have any queries please contact me at tvakil@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk

  • Skills developed at GCSE:
  • Wide and varied reading of whole texts for pleasure and knowledge
  • Refines drafting skills and develops resilience in writing at length for a variety of purposes and audiences
  • Practise of formal and academic writing as well as writing imaginatively
  • Conscious control and aware of how writers craft meaning through language

Y10     

Autumn term: Romeo and Juliet; Modern Text      

Spring term: Power Poetry; Language Paper 2

Summer term: Conflict Poetry; Modern Text

Y11     

Autumn term: 19th Century Novel; Romeo and Juliet, Language Paper 1

Spring term: Unseen Poetry; Modern Text; English Language Paper 2

Summer term: Revise all

Suggested reading

Scroll down for our recommended reads and revision resources!
19th Century novels; modern 20th century short fiction short stories; The Day and non-fiction news articles, modern drama, modern American literature, Shakespeare, contemporary war poetry collections, poetry from the Enlightenment and Romantic eras, reading for pleasure.

GCSE Subject Specification 

Please click through to the links to view more information on the AQA website.

English Language - AQA Exam Board

https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/english/specifications/AQA-8700-SP-2015.PDF 

English Literature - AQA Exam Board

https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/english/specifications/AQA-8702-SP-2015.PDF

English Entry Level Step up - AQA Exam Board

https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/english/specifications/AQA-5970-SP-2015.PDF




  

Things to see and do

The Globe Theatre, The National Theatre, Southbank Centre poetry collection and events, History Walks in London Charles Dickens Museum, Sherlock Holmes Museum, British Library exhibitions, The Foundling Museum

Extra-curricular activities and clubs

We run English intervention classes for KS4 and regular opportunities for trip events. Look out for Poetry LIVE! and theatre excursions as well as visiting authors and practitioners. 

Reading lists

Y11 Revision materials

GCSE English Language Timing of questions

English Language paper 1

 English Language paper 2

English Literature paper 1

A Christmas Carol

Frankenstein

Jane Eyre

Jekyll and Hyde

Romeo and Juliet

Great Expectations

English Literature paper 2

Animal Farm

 Conflict Poetry

Unseen Poetry

A Taste of Honey

KS5

Welcome to English A level at ABS!

We offer English Literature and English Literature & Language

  • In English Literature, you will have the opportunity to study canonical texts such as Shakespeare’s brilliant ‘Hamlet’ and Chaucer’s hilarious ‘The Canterbury Tales’. You will look at a wide breadth of American Literature, including classics like ‘The Great Gastby’ and ‘The Grapes of Wrath’. The OCR course allows students to study a range of texts over the two-year course, including poetry post 2000.
  • English Literature and Language allows students to explore the more technical side of English. This is an exciting course from AQA, where you will explore a range of literary and non-literary texts, including ‘The Great Gatsby’ and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and well as analysing non-fiction texts all relating to Paris.

As part of the wider LaSWAP consortium, Acland Burghley offers the following A level courses. Please click through to the links to view more information on the LaSWAP website.