S1 and S2
In English, pupils develop skills in reading, writing, talking & listening, continuing from primary school. These skills are also reinforced, used and assessed all over the school.
Curriculum: classwork is based round class texts, exploring themes and issues explored within novels, stories, plays, poetry, film etc. Pupils respond to these through writing, reading, listening and talking activities.
Each class also visits the library once a week & pupils are expected to read at home for an hour per week in a bid to achieve their Bronze Reading Award. Grammar, spelling, knowledge about language activities and close reading are another important aspect of our S1 curriculum.
Assessment: pupils are formatively assessed in all skills during the course of lessons. Written and talk outcomes are assessed with cover sheets and pupils are expected to reflect on their progress, complete improvements and set targets.
Homework: S1 & 2 learning at home activities are posted on Satchel 1. The key learning at home activity is reading: all pupils have a reading log that should be signed at home each week. Pupils may also be asked to finish longer pieces of written work, read chapters of class texts, complete skills or grammar activities, do short research tasks, listen or watch short texts, redraft writing, prepare or rehearse solo talks etc.
In S1 and S2, pupils will learn about:
- Formal letters
- Autobiographies and personal writing
- Listening skills
- Talking skills: solo talks and group discussions
- Critical essays (prose / drama)
- Imaginative writing
- Discursive writing
- Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation
- Spelling, homophones, punctuation & vocabulary
- …
S3
S3 English develops the skills practised in primary & S1-2, whilst also preparing pupils for the increased challenges of Senior Phase courses in S4.
In S3, pupils will continue to learn about the skills above, as well as working more independently and beginning to work more under exam conditions.
In most cases, learners will complete National 3 or 4 tasks to bridge the BGE and Senior Phase curriculum.
