Teacher: Miss Marina Holzheimer
English Curriculum outline 2025-26
All pupils are taught English; in S1-3 they will follow a broad curriculum that will help them prepare for National Qualifications in S4.
All pupils will be given opportunities to improve their written and spoken communication, as well as develop skills in reading and interpreting a wide variety of texts.
Literacy
Literacy skills are an integral part of English teaching. Closely interwoven into each scheme for learning are opportunities for pupils to improve their and develop their literacy, not only for the purposes of assessment in English, but as a vital life skill.
Home Learning
All pupils are expected to read for at least 10 minutes every day. All pupils in S1-S3 take part in a reading challenge. They can earn a merit for every book that they finish.
What will I learn and why? Literacy and English offers a set of skills which allows us to engage fully in learning using different forms of language and a range of texts which society values and finds useful.
How will I learn? We will be developing the key skills of Reading, Writing and Listening and Talking as they relate to Curriculum for Excellence levels in Literacy and English.
In Reading, texts studied will be novels, short stories, poetry, plays and film. We will ask you to complete spoken and written responses to these texts.
In Writing, we will offer you the chance to work on a variety of types – functional, personal/ creative and persuasive. We will also support your research and presentation of Writing through ICT.
In Listening and Talking, we will work individually and in groups giving solo talks, power point presentations, triangular debates, dramatic performances as well as discussions involving peers and self assessment.
Assessment in S1
In S1, students are assessed using the CfE outcomes and experiences as a basis for assessment. Pupils are given opportunities to develop their skills of self-assessment, as well as assess each other’s work.
Largely, assessment is an ongoing, daily process and pupils are rewarded for their progress through general book marking and verbal feedback in discussions.
At the close of each unit, pupils are given formal, written feedback. Some units have a controlled assessment at the end, whereby skills are assessed formally.
Personal Reading
All pupils are encouraged to engage in personal reading each week. There is a library period once a week where pupils have the opportunity to browse for books and choose something enjoyable to read.
Assessment in S2
In S2, students are assessed using the CfE outcomes and experiences as a basis for assessment. As S2 builds on S1, pupils will be given opportunities to self-assess their progress and reflect on how they are developing in English. They will also be given opportunities to assess the work of others as well.
Largely, assessment is an ongoing, daily process and pupils are rewarded for their progress through general book marking and verbal feedback in discussions.
At the close of each unit, pupils are given formal, written feedback. Some units have a controlled assessment at the end, whereby skills are assessed formally.
Personal Reading
All pupils are encouraged to engage in personal reading each week. There is a library period once a week where pupils have the opportunity to browse for books and choose something enjoyable to read.
Assessment in S3
In S3, students are assessed using the CfE outcomes and experiences as a basis for assessment. Largely, assessment is an ongoing, daily process and pupils are rewarded for their progress through general book marking and verbal feedback in discussions. They will also be given the opportunity t assess others as well.
At the close of each unit, pupils are given formal, written feedback. Some units have a controlled assessment at the end, whereby skills are assessed formally.
Personal Reading
All pupils are encouraged to engage in personal reading each week. There is a library period once a week where pupils have the opportunity to browse for books and choose something enjoyable to read.
S4
In S4, pupils follow a programme of study that allows them to complete assessments that are set by SQA and enable them to gain a National Qualification.
For pupils who do not undertake the National 5 exam qualification, alternative arrangements are put in place including:
An Added Value Unit
This unit enables them to gain a qualification at N4. It is an opportunity to study and research a number of texts, write a response to doing so and take part in a question and answer session.
Analysis and Evaluation Assessments
These units help them to develop their skills in reading, exploring, analysing and evaluation a broad range of texts. At the end of study, pupils take part in a controlled assessment that allows them to analyse a written and spoken text and provide written and spoken responses.
Creation and Production Assessments
These units enable students to create written and spoken responses to a variety of texts.
All pupils will work to develop the following skills:
Portfolio of Writing
Pupils (advancing to N5) will complete two pieces of writing for their portfolios; one will be broadly creative and one will be broadly discursive.
Critical Essay
Pupils in S4 will study Stranger Things. N5 pupils will be assessed in a final exam on their understanding of the text by having 45 minutes to write a response.
Scottish Texts
Pupils advancing to N5 will study 6 poems by Jackie Kay, their understanding of which will also be assessed via final exam, again having 45 to write a response.
Close Reading
Pupils will be given opportunities to develop their skills in close reading as, again where pupils advance to N5 these skills will be assessed via final exam.
Literacy
At N4 and N5, Literacy skills are assessed alongside other units of work.
