English Curriculum

Principles and Purpose of our English Curriculum

The study of English has a pre-eminent place in education and society. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially, and spiritually. The study of English is key to our personal growth and, through the development of effective written and spoken communication, it is the foundation for all our learning. At TRS, we ensure students leave with a wide range of powerful knowledge that allows them to not only become literate citizens, but citizens who can communicate their thoughts and ideas with the world. At TRS, we ensure our students fully understand the context of texts taught across our curriculum. Our intention is to ensure that students understand the interconnectedness of themes, ideas, and principals in all our texts so they can make meaningful connections between pieces of literature from key stage three all the way up to key stage five. By reading a wide range of texts, we hope that children develop a love and appreciation for literature which will stay with them throughout their adult lives and that they are able to draw on key ideas and principles studied in all texts to make meaning of the world around them. By embedding a love and thirst for knowledge, we hope that this will allow students to perform well in terminal exams and pursue their ambitions at the next stage in their education.

To enable students to develop a love and appreciation for literature, we deliver a broad and balanced knowledge and skills curriculum looking at Shakespeare, poetry, novels, and non-fiction throughout all key stages. We teach an appreciation for the contribution that writers have made to popular culture in Britain and across the world. We want our children to understand how great writers have shaped thinking and captured the feeling and ideas of varying periods in time and make these connections with other subjects within their curriculum. Our children should leave TRS will an understanding of how important books and reading are.

The following principles have informed the planning of our English curriculum:

• Entitlement: Our English curriculum covers the National Curriculum. We have added to the content covered by the National Curriculum, but we have not removed any content specified in the National Curriculum.       
• Coherence: We sequence our units to introduce knowledge and new ideas in a way that begins with the simplest and builds to the more complex, including a range of vertical concepts developed over time in a variety of contexts.
• Mastery: Reviewing prior knowledge is threaded throughout all the units we teach, with concepts, themes and skills revisited, built upon, and developed in new contexts. Our aim is to show students the interconnectivity of all the texts they study.
• Adaptability: Whilst all students study the same ambitious curriculum in English, lessons are adapted to ensure learning is maximised for all students in that class. For example, the extent to which tasks are scaffolded or re teaching an aspect of knowledge that students have not fully mastered, identified through formative feedback.
• Representation: A diverse range of writers, poets and playwrights are used in resources throughout the curriculum so that students from all backgrounds recognise the relevance of Literature.  
• Education with character: The English curriculum explores several ethical, culturally significant, or sensitive topics which students will want to explore in ways that go beyond the curriculum. We encourage teachers open debate and dialogue with students to develop their ability to interrogate and analyse key ideas and themes.

For more information regarding the curriculum content, ‘what we teach, why it is taught and when’ please view our curriculum maps below.

To access additional learning resources to support students learning in English please refer to Knowledge Organiser (KS3), The Regis SP (KS4) and our primary learning platforms Bedrock, Oak Academy and Seneca.