Department Staff List

Mrs Stevenson – Faculty Head of Languages and Literacy
Mr Brewster
Mrs Delussey
Mr Renshaw
Mrs Corr (PTG)
Miss C. McKinney (DHT)

The English Department also work closely with Support for Learning, Guidance and The Hub to provide the most appropriate level of support and challenge for all of our pupils.

What is English?

In Broad General Education (S1 – S3)

Like language skills in many ways…. With a few added extras!

From the beginning of S1, we strive to build on and develop the key Literacy skills that pupils have been working on throughout primary school.

These Literacy skills are crucial to the pupils not only in English, but across the entire high school curriculum and even later in life in the worlds of further education and employment.

• Reading
• Writing
• Talking
• Listening

To enable us to do this, we focus not only on these skills in isolation, but give pupils the opportunity to develop, apply and share across a number of contexts.  This also help them to build assessment capability and resilience when it comes to dealing with literary analysis and appreciation in preparation for their Senior Phase experience.  (Course Planners)

Pupil progress is tracked and closely monitored throughout their BGE years to ensure that the achieve as much and as well as they can and also that we give them as much support as they need, when they need it.

Pupil progress, effort and attainment in S1-S3 will determine their Senior Phase Progression Pathway.  (Curricular Pathways)

Home and Family Learning

The benefits of homework are well documented, and we always strive to give pupils tasks to focus on which are relevant and challenging.   Our Home and Family Learning Programme is currently being redeveloped, but please see our Homework Information for Parents to see the current arrangements.

In the Senior Phase (S4- S6)

There are a number of options for pathways for our students to follow in their Senior Phase experience.  We work very hard in conjunction with parents and pupils to ensure that they are guided into the most appropriate one.

National 4

A unit based, internally assessed course which continues to develop the four key literacy skills of Writing, Reading, Talking and Listening.  Pupils also work to achieve a National 4 Literacy award when following this particular pathway.

Course Progression – CLD/National 5 Literacy  OR National 5 English

National 5

An externally assessed course focusing on the development of skills in Creation and Production (assessed through Writing and Talking skills) and Analysis and Appreciation of Literature (assessed through Close Reading and Literary Study skills).  In order to be successful at National 5, pupils should be studying at home for around 2 ½  hours per week in addition to the work they complete in class.

A folio of writing (worth 30% of the final mark) is submitted to SQA in March.

Course progression – Higher Communication and Literature OR Higher English

Higher Communication and Literature

This course is a very recent, and incredibly successful, addition to the English Department curriculum pathways options.

Offering an alternative way of achieving an SCQF level 6 qualification, this a unit based, internally assessed course covering the four key elements of Literacy.  The focus of this course is weighted more towards communication skills crucial for our learners who will be moving on to college courses and employment after school.

This course has been externally verified by SQA, in conjunction with the English Subject Implementation Manager, and was judged to be of an excellent standard, with many areas of good practice highlighted.

Course progression – Higher English

Higher English

An externally assessed course building directly on the skills developed at National 5, the Higher English course is almost identical in structure.  The level of depth and complexity of the texts studied and the expected level of pupil response is really where the difference is felt. In order to be successful at Higher level, pupils should be studying at home for around 4 hours per week in addition to the work they complete in class.

A folio of writing (worth 30% of the final mark) is submitted to SQA in March.

See Senior Assessment Calendar for more detailed breakdowns of the Senior Phase courses.

And we also do…

There are also opportunities for pupils to become involved in Extra Curricular Activities and clubs in the English Department in the following areas (this is not an exhaustive list, and is always changing!):

• Public Speaking
• Creative Writing
• Games Club
• Book Group

Parent Homework Leaflet
Curricular Pathways
Course Planner 2019-20
Assessment Calendar 2019 – 2020