Threshold Concepts in English:

  1. Understanding the relationship between grammar and meaning.
  2. Understanding the effect of context, both on writers and readers.
  3. Understanding the need to use supporting evidence for ideas.
  4. An awareness of the ways in which language can impact readers.
  5. Understand how different ways of structuring text can produce different effects.
  6. Understanding that language techniques can be analysed to reveal a variety of meanings.
  7. Understand how to argue a viewpoint in an essay and spoken form.

At The Wren School, we believe that students deserve a broad and ambitious English curriculum, rich in skills and knowledge, which ignites a love for curiosity and prepares them well for the diversity of the world around them. Our English curriculum will give students the opportunity to:

  • enjoy a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts which help them to connect with the world around them, exploring broad themes of diversity and equality;
  • engage with complex passages confidently and methodically, in order to breakdown nuances in language and structure to establish and analyse meaning;
  • demonstrate mastery of reading through discussion and writing of the big ideas presented in texts by writers;
  • develop cultural capital that will help remove barriers to achievement in school, future learning and the world of work;
  • write clearly, fluently and accurately in plain English, showing flair and creativity where appropriate;
  • develop detailed and creative ideas in writing, adapting language to audience and purpose;
  • use a wide range of appropriate and ambitious tier 2 vocabulary with precision;
  • develop skills and knowledge from KS2 learning, particularly to consolidate understanding of grammatical structures;
  • develop reading skills to improve reading stamina through high-quality library provision, group reading and one-to-one support to boost reading ages;
  • in talk, articulate and express their ideas, views and opinions about a wide range of topics clearly, confidently and respectfully;
  • develop their character, including resilience, confidence and independence, so that they contribute positively to the life of the school, their local community and the wider environment.

The necessity for a broad, balanced yet challenging English KS3 Curriculum is fundamental to successful student outcomes and at The Wren, our curriculum drives this relentlessly. With its foundations firmly planted in our knowledge of the KS2 curriculum and the high expectations of our primary colleagues, the KS3 curriculum builds on the prior learning of our students so that there are ‘no wasted years’. The KS3 English curriculum covers a breadth of diverse texts and themes, from a range of cultures, to promote critical thinking, develop empathy and emotional literacy; it gives students the writing and comprehension skills in order to prepare all students for further study at KS4, KS5 and beyond; it equips all students with the functional skills and cultural capital necessary to support them in life.

Some of our units of work stretch across the entire term to enable teachers to explore some avenues in greater detail if students demonstrate an interest in a particular area. The length of our units also benefits students to have the time, space and ability to consider interpretation and expression and to develop skills to ensure that all can communicate with clarity and coherence, both in their writing and orally, using language appropriate for purpose and audience and use individual expression when thinking, reading and writing.

The department is well staffed by a dedicated team of English Professionals who, as a result of their mastery within English Literature and language, collaborate to plan inclusive units of work and resources to all students to promote independent learning both within the classroom and externally and empowers them to take control of their learning experience. This is well supported by a dedicated team of English professionals, who as a result of their mastery in the subject collaborate to plan inclusive lessons, with skills modelled, scaffolded and practised with increasing independence. The success of the department is supported by the fact that English Literature continued to be a selected subject at A Level, bucking current trends across the country.