Aye but a man's reach should exceed his grasp or what's a heaven for?
Robert Browning 1812 – 1889
We firmly believe that the English Department should be at the hub of any good school and its influence should spread throughout the school and have an effect upon the general atmosphere. Energy and enthusiasm are vital in order to make this Department exciting, dynamic and inspirational for all the pupils.
We, as a Department, do our best to:
Classes are of mixed ability in Years 3 and 4. They are then streamed or set in Years 5 – 8.
From the Pre-Prep to Year 8 English is taught with reference to the National Curriculum for English, within the framework of the Literacy Strategy and the National Framework. We tend, however, to teach far beyond these restrictions in order to foster a lasting enjoyment and appreciation of all forms of Language and Literature. In addition, we have to be flexible enough to accommodate the requirements of the Common Entrance Syllabus, Common Academic Scholarship and the individual requirements of the Senior Schools to which our children are applying.
The teaching of English has to be lively and challenging. Discussion and the formation of individual opinions play a major role in all our lessons. Oral work teaches empathy, instils team spirit, encourages confidence and articulation through media such as drama, pair-work, hot-seating and debates. This, in turn, generates wonderfully imaginative and creative writing.
We are a very busy Department and engage in many activities: Public Speaking competitions at local and national levels; the annual School Production; talks and workshops by visiting authors; theatre visits. The library is, of course, the focal point for personal study and is constantly in use. Moreover, our pupils, who help run the Library, ensure that we are always swift to stock the latest and most stimulating Fiction and Non-Fiction titles.