English
Meet our English team
Reading Lead & English Lead (Primary)
English Lead (Secondary)
Mrs Eccles: English Lead (Primary), Miss Spence: English Lead (Secondary)
English Teachers: Mrs Smyth, Mr Nicholson, Ms Allum, Mr Flanagan, Miss Fitzgerald and Mr Gill
Reading/Learning Support team: Mrs Russell, Mrs Salisbury
Overview
Our English curriculum aims to develop pupils’ spoken language, reading, writing and vocabulary as integral aspects of the teaching of every subject. It is widely recognised that: ‘Fluency in the English language is an essential foundation for success in all subjects’. Consequently, our curriculum aims to 'inspire and engage our pupils.'
The intent of the English curriculum at West Kirby School is the content we want our pupils to learn and the sequence in which they will encounter it. We continually develop the curriculum to ensure it is coherent and progressive, engaging and relevant.
The implementation of the English curriculum is essentially how the curriculum intent is taught to children. At West Kirby School and College, governors/senior leadership team question and discuss the development of the English Curriculum with English leaders, to ensure that pupils are taught through an accurate, effective and consistent approach. English leaders ensure that all teaching staff have the necessary training, resources and time to provide the planned curriculum. Additionally, teachers accurately demonstrate how to utilise the knowledge and skills taught in English through other areas of the curriculum.
National requirements are mapped out by our English leaders and assessment leaders. Individual teachers follow either the Primary or Secondary units of work for their pupils accordingly. School staff ensure that the full content of the English curriculum is accessible for all learners including those with disabilities or special educational needs.
The English curriculum is planned thoroughly, starting with the children's current knowledge and skills, so that real progress can be made and measured. Throughout the year numerous visits, visitors and experiences planned to enrich learning.
We firmly believe that the impact of learning occurs when knowledge can be retrieved from the long term memory and skills have been mastered. The impact of our English curriculum can be clearly seen by looking at pupils’ English books, displays, talking to our students and parents, viewing our results of statutory assessments and intervention progress.
Key Stage 1 and 2
In Primary, English is delivered through various programmes:
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Read, Write, Inc. - Read, Write Inc Phonics, Read, Write, Inc. Fresh Start, Read, Write Inc Spelling
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Read to Write 'Literacy Counts'
For more information visit our Primary English page
We also ensure English is consistently delivered across the their Learning Means The World curriculum and standards are maintained in their work.
Key Stage 3
The intent in Key stage 3 is for students to study a wide range of texts including prose, drama and poetry. Students will also study a wider range of non-fiction texts to ensure that they have a secure understanding of how reading and writing has developed over time.
Students may be asked to write an analytical paragraph, complete comprehension exercises, produce some creative writing or give a verbal presentation. Students are expected to reflect upon their own work on a regular basis so that they have a secure understanding of their own abilities and needs.
Key Stage 4
In Key stage 4 pupils follow the AQA GCSE English Langauage syllabus, AQA 'Step Up To English' Silver or Gold.
Teachers will deploy a variety of teaching styles and methods to meet the needs of the students in their own classes.
For English Language, students need to be confident readers of literature and non-fiction texts and be able to access literary heritage texts. They need to be able to write accurately for a variety of purposes. For English Literature, students need to be able to analyse a range of texts.
Libraries and Reading areas
We are very proud of our school libraries which are carefully and comprehensively resourced and designed to create a welcoming, calm atmosphere to promote a love of reading.
Our main school library has a wide range of fiction and non-fiction and is mainly for our pupils in Years 7-Post 16. We welcome our younger visitors too and this provided an aspirational environment for them.
Our library is organised on the Accelerated Reader programme. All pupils have a reading level coloured band and are free to choose books at their level. For more information on how pupils are tested for reading and comprehension and our Accelerated Reader programme visit our Reading page.
Our Primary pupils access our main Accelerated Reader library, Reading Cafe and dedicated calm Reading areas in their own departments within Pathfinders, Adventurers & Navigators.
