Ratcliffe-College-Key-Stage-3-Handbook-2016-2017

English
What you will study:
Throughout Key Stage Three, you will explore a range of writing styles and
genres through the study of novels, plays, poetry and media and non-fiction
texts. You will then be required to complete a variety of writing tasks. These
will take the form of creative writing, analytical essays, poetry and transactional
writing. The ability to use Standard English in a variety of contexts is a crucial
objective and is essential to your progress in this key stage. Grammar and
spelling are, of course, important and you will build upon these skills each year.
By the end of Key Stage Three you will have gained confidence in your writing
and be able to write for a wide range of purposes and audiences.
Reading a wide variety of literature is a fundamental and enjoyable requirement
at Key StageThree. You will be expected to keep an accurate reading record
which will be regularly checked by your classroom teacher. You will also be
encouraged to develop the breadth of your own personal reading using the school
library as well as books from home and local libraries. Personal reading is
essential to the development of your spoken and written English and will
significantly contribute to your ability to write in a variety of different styles.
Furthermore, you will study a wide range of texts in class and complete a
number of tasks based on your understanding of various themes, characters,
setting and language features.
Finally, spoken language tasks are important to help you develop confidence in
your presentation and oratory skills. Public speaking competitions, group
debating, discussions and presentations will feature in every year, and you will be
formally assessed on these skills by your teacher. Various dramatic techniques
will be used to develop your understanding throughout the year, especially during
the study of Shakespeare texts.
In Year 7, your study of English will be separated into three different areas. At
the beginning of the autumn term, you will study a range of autobiographical
texts as well as nineteenth-century fiction. Creative writing is also a feature of
this term. Your lessons will regularly include tasks on spelling and grammar. The
spring term will be dedicated to the study of poetry and finally the summer
term will be focused around preparation for the end of year examination and
persuasive writing.
You will start the autumn term of Year 8 by exploring non-fiction texts and
transactional writing. The spring term will be dedicated to the study of
Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, where you will be expected to use practical
drama techniques to explore the text. The summer term will involve preparation
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