English and Languages

The English department have been busy developing new schemes of work for the revised GCSE specifications this year. Students will now undertake 5 Controlled Assessments which take the place of the old coursework system.

The new specification will see students taught some new and innovative texts alongside classic novels from our literary heritage. Texts include John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” and “Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha” by Roddy Doyle. Students will be studying spoken language for the first time next ins September 2010 and will look at the way language and the way we speak changes for purpose and audience. As poetry will play a big part in the new format for GCSE; Mrs Jacqueline Jones is currently preparing resources for the teaching of Siegfried Sassoon`s poem “Dulce Et Decorum Est” The powerful poem written in the First World War will be linked to Shakespeare`s Macbeth. Students will look at the themes of Brutality and Conflict in the two pieces of literature.

DULCE ET DECORUM EST1
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares2 we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest3 began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots4
Of tired, outstripped5 Five-Nines6 that dropped behind.
Gas!7 Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets8 just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime9 . . .
Dim, through the misty panes10 and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering,11 choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud12
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest13
To children ardent14 for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori.15
8 October 1917 – March, 1918

Mrs Owen has enjoyed taking students on a variety of theatre trips including The Tempest directed by Sam Mendes at The Old Vic in London. The Department strives to offer students the highest quality theatrical experiences of the plays they are studying. An E3 group aimed at allowing students access to a variety of literature has helped to allow students to take part in the numerous trips to London to see plays.

Lisa Morgan the school librarian continues to play an important role in supporting the English department. She and Mrs Owen have this term set up a Year 12 and 13 fiction reading section aimed not just at students taking AS and A level Literature but all students in the 6th form to broaden their literary horizons!

Miss Jenna Smith, the Learning Coach for English has had a great impact in supporting and extending learning opportunities for students in year 10 and 11 and now in year 12 and 13. Students have the opportunity to take part in one to one and small group sessions with Miss Smith after school and at lunchtimes every day. Miss Smith helps students work on coursework and runs sessions on set texts and essay titles for post 16 students.

Mrs Rebecca Leyshon has been developing the Communication Levels 1 -3 qualifications to students across the college. Students have had the opportunity to discuss Welsh issues and cultural topics in a series of visits and lesson that will lead to the accreditation of a Communication Key skill award. Students develop their ability to share information and communicate it effectively.

Student Work
For Key Stage 3 English work click here
For past papers click here
For GCSE click here
For Year 11 Work click here
For Year 12 LT1 work click here
For Year 12 LT1 Completed Toolkit click here
ForYear 12 Poem work click here
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