English

‘If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others; read a lot and write a lot.’

Stephen King (writer)

Our underlying aim is to foster a love of literature and to develop confident writers and speakers. We encourage all our pupils to engage with all aspects of English from classic literature to modern media.

We believe it is of paramount importance that all our students are exposed to the highest quality of challenging texts whilst they are studying at Bredon Hill Academy. We firmly believe that each student needs to “read as a writer and write as a reader”.

We focus upon how each writer develops their unique voice and how this voice then echoes down the centuries, inspiring others. Grammar, spelling and punctuation are taught within each text and learning groups carefully explore each writer’s choice.

Through our curriculum, pupils:

study a wide range of texts, including Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales and The Tempest;
adopt a thematic approach to their studies (Year 6 Journeys, Year 7 Heroes and Villains, Year 8 Conflict);
are encouraged and inspired to be proficient writers across a range of text types.

We teach and assess our curriculum through our curriculum related expectations:

RO - Reading Objective
WO - Writing Objective
SO - Speaking and Listening Objective

Year 6

Year 7

Year 8

RO1: Reading for understanding – selecting and interpreting information, ideas and perspectives.

I can begin to identify and retrieve key details from a text.

I can show a literal understanding of a text.

I can begin to make inferences.

I can begin to identify a writer’s intention and viewpoint.

I can begin to support my ideas using relevant textual reference.

I can identify and retrieve key details from a text.

I can begin to make inferences and deductions.

I can identify a writer’s intention and viewpoint.

I can support my ideas using relevant textual reference.

I can confidently infer meaning from a text.

I can explain a writer’s intention and viewpoint.

I can draw upon well-chosen references to the text to support my ideas and explain these.

RO2: Understanding how writers use language and structure to achieve their particular effects.

I can begin to identify language and structure features and discuss their impact with confidence.

I can comment on how language and structure features have been used to create an effect.

I can identify language and structure features and demonstrate an understanding of how they have been used to create an effect to show a broad understanding.

I can clearly explain how language and structure features are used to achieve effects, including the use of vocabulary, sentence structures and other language features.

RO3: Comparing across and between texts.

I can begin to make simple comparisons between two texts – plot, characters and themes.

I can begin to make simple comments on how a text might have been influenced by another text.

I can make developed comparisons between two texts.

I can make developing comments on how a text might have been influenced by another text.

I can make analytical comparisons between two texts using supporting evidence from the texts.

I can explain in extended detail how a text may be influenced by another text.

RO4: The influence of different contexts.

I can begin to show an awareness of the relevant context.

I can begin to make simple comments on the relationship between text and context.

I can show an awareness of the relevant context with developed comments on the relationship between text and context using evidence.

I can show an understanding of the context with analytical comments on the relationship between text and context using well-selected evidence.

WO1: Sense of audience and purpose – adapt form, tone and register for specific purposes and audiences.

I can write in an appropriate way showing some understanding of the intended purpose and audience of my writing.

I can to write with an appropriate tone for a wider range of text types.

I can begin to use stylistic devices to suit the purpose of my writing.

I can write in an appropriate way showing some understanding of the intended purpose and audience of my writing.

I can write with an appropriate tone.

I can use a number of stylistic devices to suit the purpose of my writing.

I can adapt the form, tone and register of my writing according to the intended purpose and audience.

I can use a range of stylistic devices appropriate to the purpose, audience and form of my writing.

WO2: Organisation, planning, sentence structures, appropriate paragraphing.

I can organise my writing showing some awareness of structural and grammatical features.

I can use simple, compound and complex sentence structures.

I can organise my writing using structural and grammatical features.

I can develop my use of a variety of sentence structures in my writing.

I can use paragraphs accurately.

I can organise my writing with appropriate structural and grammatical features.

I can construct a variety of sentence structures, often for effect.

I can use a range of paragraph lengths correctly.

WO3: Clarity – write clearly using a range of vocabulary and accurate spelling (WO4 Year 6), punctuation and grammar.

I experiment with my choice of words that are appropriate to the task.

I can use the basic range of punctuation to demarcate my sentences accurately.

I experiment with tenses, voice and the whole range of punctuation with developing accuracy.

I can use vocabulary that is appropriate and I am developing my range and precision.

I can spell common words with accuracy.

I can use a range of punctuation to demarcate my sentences accurately.

I can use an ambitious vocabulary.

I can spell most words correctly.

I can begin to use a wider variety of punctuation within my writing accurately.

WO4: Academic writing using evidence.

Not applicable

WO4 – Spelling

I can use my knowledge of vowel clusters to help my spelling.

I can use mighty morpheme to help me build family trees of words.

I know the homophones and can apply my knowledge when I am writing.

I can spell the tricky words from the Year 5 & 6 list.

I am beginning to write academically when analysing other texts.

I can use formal vocabulary.

I can use evidence from other sources.

I am beginning to use signposts in my writing appropriate for a formal audience.

I can write academically when analysing texts.

I can use formal and technical vocabulary with confidence.

I can select the most relevant evidence from sources to support my point.

I can use a range of signposts in my writing.

SO1: Audience and purpose – register, tone, use of language: meets needs of audience

SO1: Listens and responds appropriately

I can show that I am clear what the purpose of my talk is and who my talk is aimed at.

I can listen to and summarise the main ideas from instructions and other general forms of interaction, for example, talks and discussions.

I can maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic

and initiating and responding to comments.

I can show that I am clear what the purpose of my talk is and who my talk is aimed at.

I can use devices to impact the PAF during my talk.

I can listen to and summarise the main and supporting ideas from instructions and other general forms of interaction, for example, talks and discussions.

I can express straightforward ideas and emotions that are clearly linked to the purpose of my talk and the audience.

I can listen to questions and contribute responses with relevant, coherent and varied details.

SO2: Organisation and cohesion

SO2: Clarity – vocabulary, grammar and fluency

I can show an awareness of the relevant context.

I can make simple comments on the relationship between text and context.

I can choose words that are appropriate to the purpose of my talk and articulate these accurately.

I can recognise and start to use non-verbal skills in my speech.

I can show an understanding of the relevant context.

I can make increasingly complex comments on the relationship between text and context.

I can choose words that are appropriate to the purpose of my talk and articulate these accurately with precision and nuance.

I can recognise and start to use paralinguistic skills in my speech.

I can show an awareness of the relevant context with a simple comment on the relationship between text and context.

I can select and utilise suitable vocabulary to create an appropriate and increasingly subtle tone.

I can recognise and use more complex paralinguistic skills in my speech.

Curriculum Overview

Year 6

Topic	Skills
Benchmarking period – GLs, FFT WPM, phonics and dyslexia screening. Theme for the year: Journeys Race to the Frozen North	RO 1,2 & 3 WO 1, 2 & 4 S&L1
Eye of the Wolf	RO1, 2 & 3 WO 1,2 & 4 S&L 1
The Art of Writing: Ghost Stories	RO 1,2 & 4 WO 1, 2, 3 & 4 S&L1
The Garden of the Absurd	RO 1, 2 & 3 S&L1 WO1, 2, 3 & 4
The Land of Neverbelieve Travel Writing	RO1,2 & 4 S&L1 WO 1, 2, 3 & 4
Modern Journeys (Novels)	RO 1,2 & 3 WO 1, 2 & 4 S&L1

Year 7

Topic	Skills
Theme for the year: Heroes and Villains Modern Heroes and Villains (modern Novels)	RO 1,2,3 & 4 WO 1,2,3 & 4
The Struggle is Real Poetry Anthology	RO 1, 2 & 3 S&L2 WO1
A Midsummer Night’s Dream	RO1,2 & 4 S&L2 WO 1, 2 & 3
The Knight’s Tale	RO 1,2 & 4 WO 1, 2, 3 & 4 S&L1
Lonely Planet – Athens to London	RO 1,2 & 4 WO 1, 2, 3 & 4 S&L1
Beowulf	RO1 & 2 WO 1, 2 & 4