Upper Shirley High School

 

In Key Stage three we reinforce and extend the skills in English, which were developed in the primary phase. Key areas of work are ensuring competence in speaking, reading, and writing. Creativity is fostered with regard to critical responses and developing ideas for original writing. Students are taught the skills required for writing in different styles for different purposes. Spelling, technical accuracy and neat presentation is covered in each lesson. They learn to read for meaning and to respond to texts both verbally and in writing. In addition, the units of work covered in years 7-9, ensure all students gain a sense of the diverse English cultural heritage.  Student progress is assessed regularly and the assessment process is shared with students.

 

Transition unit

Black History

Novel study

Poetry study

Shakespeare and/or International writing Project

Quest story

Media unit

Play scripts

 

Persuasive writing

Language skills

Black History

Villains in text and film

Novel study

Narrative poetry

Travel unit

History of Language and talk

 

Short stories

Language skills

Poetry and performance

Black History

Language of Spin

Shakespeare study

Novel study

Dragon’s Den

 

We encourage independent study through the P2i (passport to independence). This involves a series of short homework projects, which are set and assessed each half term. Students are also assessed for reading and or writing at the end of each half term, so their progress may be closely tracked and measured. At the end of each school year KS3 students write lower school exams. In the case of year 9, these provide information for allocating the sets for GCSE studies.

 

 

Keep a reading journal for three weeks.

Research on Shakespeare and then fill a shoe box with items that you might expect to find in his room.

Make a board game to go with your quest story.

 

Plan a theme park. Draw and label a plan. Write a letter to the council requesting permission. Design on A3 a homepage for the website of the theme park.

A place I would like to visit. This can be presented as a piece of writing or as a speech. Both need to be detailed and developed.

Take a current issue that interests you and write a report covering different points of view.

 

Produce a leaflet aimed at teenagers and showing them how to live a healthy lifestyle.

Design a magazine advert for a product of your choice. Annotate your advertisement, explaining your strategy.

Storyboard a scene from “Romeo and Juliet”.