In English at Thomas Mills our aim is to enable our students to develop a deep understanding of and passion for both English Language and Literature. Throughout their English journey at Thomas Mills all students receive the opportunity to explore their creativity, critical skills and intellectual curiosity. English provides constant opportunities for exploration, analysis and deconstruction of texts. We encourage a growth mindset in our students through our ambitious questions, detailed feedback and selection of engaging texts. This enables students to develop their skills and opportunity for academic success.
Our curriculum at KS3 is creative, diverse and fresh. Students experience both the literary canon and contemporary literature, in all its forms. Students will learn to understand the shaping of literature over time and to explore the influence this can have on their own reading and writing. At KS3, we focus on embedding key skills such as evaluation and writing forms. Students draw comparisons, consider the relationships between texts and cultural links, build their vocabulary and write for a variety of purposes.
In KS4 we build on these ideas in order to prepare students for their GCSE examinations. Students explore texts from the 19th Century to the modern day, including a range of poetry and drama. They are also encouraged to develop lines of argument in their response to reading, writing and spoken work, while developing their narrative style.
In KS5 Literature students study a broad and challenging array of literature, becoming increasingly independent learners and thinkers as they explore different texts and writers.
In KS5 Language, students are asked to challenge their preconceptions and prejudices about how language is used. They explore language data from the real world to analyse how it is tailored to fit the context and what theorists suggest. Creative and rhetorical skills are practised to produce a variety of texts for a real world audience and situation.
The Key Stage 3 English curriculum at Thomas Mills High School is designed to foster a love of reading, writing, and spoken language while building the foundational knowledge and skills students need for success in Key Stage 3 and beyond. The curriculum is structured around three key areas:
Substantive knowledge: Students develop knowledge of literary genres, authorial techniques, and key themes across a range of texts, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama. They explore how writers craft meaning and how texts reflect and shape the world around us.
Ways of knowing: Students learn how to analyse texts critically, identify literary devices, and construct well-supported interpretations. They are taught how to plan, draft, and edit their writing for a range of purposes and audiences, and how to speak and listen effectively in discussion and performance.
Personal knowledge: Students are encouraged to reflect on their own responses to texts and to consider how their experiences and perspectives influence their interpretations. They explore moral, social, and cultural issues through literature and are supported in developing their own voice as writers and speakers.
Knowledge:
Students will build knowledge about a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts through independent reading.
They will encounter different genres, authors, and writing styles, which helps them develop a broad understanding of how stories and texts work.
They will learn about narrative elements like plot, character development, and theme, and see how these vary between books. They will also begin to recognise features of non-fiction such as headings, subheadings, and argument structure.
Through regular reading and quizzes, students will develop awareness of how different authors engage readers and start to reflect on their own reading preferences and habits.
Skills:
Useful Links
Accelerated Reader | Renaissance Learning
Explanation video for parents:
Accelerated Reader
Suggestions of what to read next:
Books & Quizzes Archives | Renaissance Learning
Knowledge:
Students will develop knowledge about how stories are structured and what makes them effective. They will learn about key elements such as plot, characters, setting, and theme, and begin to understand how they work together to create meaning.
Students will explore how authors use language, structure, and literary techniques like dialogue, description, and symbolism to shape a reader’s experience.
They will also begin to consider the context in which a novel was written, including any historical, cultural, or social background that helps deepen understanding.
Skills:
Useful Links
The Bone Sparrow
Book Review | The Bone Sparrow | by Zana Fraillon
Zana Fraillon on The Bone Sparrow in 2020
A Long Walk to Water
Book Review A Long Walk to Water
Linda Sue Park interviews Salva Dut
Knowledge:
Students will build knowledge about the features and purpose of myths and legends. Myths are traditional stories that often involve gods, magical creatures, and explanations for natural events, while legends are based on historical figures whose stories have been exaggerated over time. These tales usually include brave heroes, dangerous quests, and lessons about values such as courage, loyalty, or justice. Students will also learn how these stories reflect the beliefs, traditions, and cultures of the people who first told them and how they still influence stories today.
Skills:
Useful Links
Quizizz – Myths Worksheets for Year 7
Offers interactive quizzes and printable worksheets covering:
• Greek, Roman, and Norse myths
• Global legends
Comprehension and vocabulary tasks
Quizizz Myths Worksheets
Greek mythology videos
Greek Mythology for Kids | What is mythology? Learn all about Greek mythology
The myth of Pegasus and the chimera – Iseult Gillespie
Norse mythology
The myth of Thor’s journey to the land of giants – Scott A. Mellor
The Creation of the Universe – Norse Mythology
Legend of King Arthur
Is there any truth to the King Arthur legends? – Alan Lupack
Knowledge:
Students are introduced to extracts from a wide range of texts and ideas designed to spark curiosity and develop foundational knowledge in English. They explore themes such as identity, change, and communication through a mixture of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
Students begin to understand key literary concepts including character, setting, and theme, while also learning how writers use language and structure for effect. This unit also introduces important contexts, encouraging students to consider how culture, history, and society shape the way texts are written and interpreted.
Skills:
Useful Links
George the Poet – The Natural World (poem)
3 Examples of Haiku Poems About Nature (short poetry) | poems about nature and life
Daffodils – William Wordsworth (An Inspirational Poem)
Great Minds: Mary Anning, “The Greatest Fossilist in the World”
Assessments:
Regular STAR reader tests as part of Accelerated Reader programme to assess baseline and reading progress.
Spelling test baseline assessment
Baseline writing assessment – letter
End of novel topic assessment
Knowledge:
Students will build knowledge of different types of poems and the ways poets use language to express ideas, emotions, and experiences. They will learn about poetic forms, such as sonnets, ballads, and free verse, and begin to understand features like rhyme, rhythm, stanza structure, and line breaks.
Students will also explore how poetry reflects themes such as nature, identity, conflict, and relationships, and how historical or cultural context can shape a poem’s meaning.
Skills:
Useful Links
Oak National Academy – KS3 Poetry Unit
• A structured series of free video lessons, worksheets, and quizzes covering:
• Figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification)
• Imagery, rhyme, rhythm, and metre
• Poetic structure and conventions
Oak National Academy Poetry Unit
Key Stage Learning – Year 7 Creative Poetry
A fun and accessible guide to writing different types of poems:
• Acrostic, Haiku, Cinquain, Free Verse, and Rhyming Couplets
Includes examples and writing prompts
KSL Creative Poetry Guide
Knowledge:
Students explore the powerful and thought-provoking theme of child labour. Through a range of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and historical sources, they build knowledge about the experiences of children in different times and places, including the Industrial Revolution and modern-day contexts.
Students examine how writers and speakers raise awareness of injustice and use storytelling, facts, and emotional language to influence and inform their audience.
They also develop an understanding of the historical and social issues behind child labour, helping them connect literature and real-world events.
Skills:
Useful Links
Child Labour | International Labour Organization
Website with statistics on current global situation with child labour
Victorian child labour: all work and no play
short video
The Fight Against Child Labour
short video
Knowledge:
Students are introduced to a dramatic retelling of Mary Shelley’s famous novel. Through this adaptation, they build knowledge of key themes such as ambition, responsibility, creation, and the nature of humanity.
Students explore how Pullman reshapes the original story for the stage, using dialogue, staging, and characterisation to bring complex ideas to life in a format designed for performance.
They also gain insight into the Gothic genre and consider the historical and scientific context of the original novel, including 19th-century views on science, morality, and the limits of human knowledge.
Skills:
Useful Links
Frankenstein Full Plot Summary – Schooling Online
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley in 2 Minutes: Books Explained
Frankenstein: Plot, Character & Themes | BBC Teach
Free Frankenstein Teaching Resources From The NT
Assessments:
Regular STAR reader tests as part of Accelerated Reader programme to assess reading progress.
Poetry Terminology and poetic devices test
End of poetry topic test – How does Auden present grief at the loss of a loved one in “Funeral Blues”?
Creative writing task – end of Frankenstein topic – writing using Gothic conventions
Knowledge:
Students will gain knowledge of Shakespeare’s language, characters, and the world of Elizabethan theatre. They will learn about the play’s key themes—such as love, magic, identity, and transformation—and how these are explored through the plot and characters.
Students will also be introduced to the structure of a Shakespearean comedy, including mistaken identity, conflict and resolution, and multiple storylines that interweave.
They will begin to understand the historical and cultural context in which the play was written, including beliefs about magic, class, and gender roles in Elizabethan England.
Skills:
Useful Links
BBC Bitesize – KS3 English: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Offers summaries, character guides, themes, and quizzes in a student-friendly format.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – KS3 English – BBC Bitesize
Oak National Academy – Year 7 English Lessons
A full sequence of lessons covering the play, including video explanations and comprehension tasks.
Oak National Academy [1]
SparkNotes – A Midsummer Night’s Dream Study Guide
While more advanced, it’s useful for summaries and understanding key scenes.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Study Guide | SparkNotes
Knowledge:
Students explore the theme of Journeys and Explorations, both physical and emotional. Through a wide selection of texts—including extracts from novels, poetry, travel writing, and personal accounts—they build knowledge about how different kinds of journeys shape people and their understanding of the world. Students encounter stories of discovery, adventure, migration, and self-reflection, and consider how writers portray different landscapes, cultures, and challenges.
Skills:
Useful Links
Interesting website:
A World Ocean Map shows what our ‘Blue Planet’ really looks like
Short videos:
Top 10 Most Famous Explorers in History | Discovering the World’s Greatest Adventurers
The Incredible History of Famous Explorers and Adventurers
Polar Explorer: Jade Hameister | Best Job Ever | Nat Geo Kids
Assessments:
Regular STAR reader tests as part of Accelerated Reader programme to assess reading progress.
The context of A Midsummer Night’s Dream – quiz
The context of A Midsummer Night’s Dream – poster (creative task)
End of Topic Test – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Spelling Test repeated from Term 1 to review progress
Knowledge:
Students will continue to build knowledge about a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts through independent reading. They will encounter different genres, authors, and writing styles, which helps them develop a broad understanding of how stories and texts work.
They will learn about narrative elements like plot, character development, and theme, and see how these vary between books. They will also begin to recognise features of non-fiction such as headings, subheadings, and argument structure.
Through regular reading and quizzes, students will develop awareness of how different authors engage readers and start to reflect on their own reading preferences and habits.
Skills:
Useful Links
Accelerated Reader | Renaissance Learning
Explanation video for parents:
Suggestions of what to read next:
Books & Quizzes Archives | Renaissance Learning
Knowledge:
Students explore imaginative and speculative texts that take them beyond the boundaries of everyday life. This unit introduces a range of science fiction, fantasy, and dystopian extracts that challenge students to think about big ideas such as technology, the future, other worlds, and what it means to be human.
Students build knowledge of genre conventions—like world-building, futuristic settings, and moral dilemmas—and consider how writers use these elements to explore real-world concerns through fictional lenses.
The unit also encourages creative thinking and introduces key themes such as identity, freedom, control, and discovery.
Skills:
Useful Links
Curated lists of age-appropriate sci-fi and fantasy books:
Children’s & Teenage Sci-Fi Books
Creating settings and descriptive writing:
Fiction writing – KS3 English – BBC Bitesize
Useful videos:
Introduction
Science Fiction for Kids | What is Science Fiction? | Science Fiction Day | Twinkl USA
Fiction Book Genres – What Is Science Fiction
Journey into Space with Nat Geo Kids
Knowledge:
Students engage with powerful short stories that explore themes of inequality, resistance, and social transformation. The collection presents a variety of voices and experiences from across different cultures and communities, helping students build knowledge of how literature can reflect and respond to injustice. Through these thought-provoking narratives, students examine how characters experience and challenge oppression, and how authors use fiction to explore the dynamics of power, identity, and activism.
The unit also provides historical and cultural context, encouraging students to see the connections between literature and real-world struggles for justice and equality.
Skills:
Useful Links
🤎 Read-Along with the Author | JUSTICE RISING | Brightly Storytime
Introduces readers to themes of justice and change
Questions to promote deep thinking about the texts:
ds_critlitcards.pdf
Knowledge:
Students take ownership of their reading by selecting a book of their choice—fiction or non-fiction, from any genre or author—and engaging deeply with it. This independent reading experience allows students to develop a personal connection with literature and to explore themes, styles, and topics that interest them. The emphasis is on developing reading for pleasure, broadening literary horizons, and building confidence in responding to texts independently.
Skills:
Useful Links
Websites to help with reading choices:
LoveReading4Kids – www.lovereading4kids.co.uk
Books for Topics – www.booksfortopics.com
Common Sense Media – www.commonsensemedia.org
Websites to help with preparing a presentation:
Giving a presentation – English – Learning with BBC Bitesize
Assessments:
Regular STAR reader tests as part of Accelerated Reader programme to assess reading progress.
Comprehension task – pre 1900 extract
Diverse Shorts assessment – reading task
End of topic test – comprehension and creative writing extract – science fiction genre
Knowledge:
Students deepen their understanding of poetry by exploring a range of poems linked by common themes, such as nature, identity, conflict, or relationships. This unit focuses on developing knowledge of how poets from different time periods and backgrounds use form, language, and structure to express ideas.
Students learn to identify key poetic devices—such as metaphor, simile, personification, enjambment, and sound patterns—and begin to understand how these techniques work together to create mood, tone, and meaning. They also build awareness of poetic form, including sonnets, free verse, and narrative poetry, and consider how historical and cultural context shapes the poems’ messages.
Skills:
Knowledge:
Students explore the power of language to persuade, influence, and inspire. They build knowledge of classical rhetorical techniques, including ethos (credibility), pathos (emotional appeal), and logos (logical argument), as well as devices such as repetition, rhetorical questions, parallel structure, and emotive language. By studying a range of speeches, letters, and persuasive texts—from historical figures to modern voices—students begin to understand how rhetoric has been used to shape opinions, challenge injustice, and bring about change. They also consider the context in which these texts were created and how purpose and audience affect the writer’s choices.
Skills:
Knowledge:
Students explore how English has evolved over time, with a particular focus on spoken language and how it reflects identity, culture, and change. Students build knowledge of key historical stages—such as Old English, Middle English, Early Modern English, and contemporary English—and examine how invasions, trade, technology, and globalisation have shaped vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar.
They explore the variety and richness of spoken English today, including regional dialects, sociolects, and world English, and consider how language continues to change in response to social, cultural, and technological influences.
Skills:
Useful Links
BBC Bitesize – English Language (KS3 & GCSE)
Accent and dialect
Accent and dialect guide for KS3 English students – BBC Bitesize
Slang
Slang guide for KS3 English students – BBC Bitesize
Why does language change over time?
Why does language change over time? – BBC Bitesize
The Open University – The History of English in Ten Minutes
A humorous and informative animated video series summarising the development of English.
The History of English in Ten Minutes | OpenLearn – Open University
Oxford English Dictionary (OED) – Word Origins and Language Stories
Good website for deepening understanding of etymology and how language evolves.
Word stories
4. A tour of the UK and Ireland in accents – video
A tour of The UK and Ireland in accents.
Assessments:
Ongoing regular STAR reader tests as part of Accelerated Reader programme to assess reading progress.
Book Talk presentation to class
Language features and poetic devices test
Poetry comparison task
Rhetoric test – analysis and rhetorical writing test
Knowledge:
Students are introduced to one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies. They build knowledge of the play’s key themes, such as love, fate, conflict, family, and loyalty, and explore how these ideas are presented through the plot, characters, and dramatic structure. Students learn about the conventions of tragedy and the features of Shakespearean drama, including the use of prologues, soliloquies, and dramatic irony. They also consider the historical and social context of Elizabethan England—particularly attitudes toward family honour, gender roles, and marriage—and how these shape the characters’ choices and the events of the play.
Skills:
Useful Links
BBC Bitesize – KS3 English: Romeo and Juliet
Offers scene summaries, character breakdowns, themes, and quizzes in a student-friendly format.
Romeo and Juliet – KS3 English – BBC Bitesize
Quizlet – Romeo and Juliet Flashcards
Great for memorising key quotes, characters, and plot points.
Quizlet Flashcards [3]
3-Minute Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet | Animated Shakespeare Summaries
Assessments:
Ongoing regular STAR reader tests as part of Accelerated Reader programme to assess reading progress.
Shakespeare terminology test
Media texts – choice of creative tasks
Shakespeare vocabulary and spelling test
Drama conventions terminology test
Romeo and Juliet extract comprehension task
The Year 9 English curriculum at Thomas Mills High School prepares pupils for the demands of the AQA English Language and Literature GCSEs, while fostering a love of reading, writing and discussion. It is designed to give pupils a strong foundation in both the study of texts and the use of language, and to help them develop as thoughtful, independent communicators. The curriculum follows three key strands:
First, ‘Substantive’ Knowledge
Substantive knowledge in English focuses on pupils’ understanding of texts, genres, and the conventions of language. Across the year, pupils study:
AQA English Language Preparation (Ongoing):
Second, ‘Ways of Knowing’
This strand focuses on how pupils learn to interpret and use English:
Third, ‘Personal Knowledge’
English also encourages pupils to reflect on their own values, experiences, and identities in response to what they read and write:
Knowledge:
During this term pupils will be developing their experience, confidence and skills in English Language paper 1.
They will work as a class exploring the reading section of the paper, ensuring pupils understand how to answer each question.
There will be opportunities to complete answers in timed conditions and to build exam technique.
Pupils will also work on the writing section, exploring what makes writing interesting and engaging and developing their own creative writing.
Skills:
Useful Links
What you NEED for AQA Language Paper 1 Ft. @FirstRateTutors – YouTube
Revise Paper 1 AQA Language Mr Salles – YouTube
How to write descriptively – Nalo Hopkinson – YouTube
How to Show, Not Tell: The Complete Writing Guide – YouTube
GCSE English Language – AQA – BBC Bitesize
Assessments:
Response to questions 2 and 3 from a Language Paper 1. The skills for these will be taught and embedded in class. Pupils will explore model answers and teacher/examiner feedback to prepare
Creative writing. Pupils will look at examples of successful writing and revisit the language features that make writing engaging. They will revisit and develop elements of structure and language to produce a response to section B of Language paper 1.
Knowledge:
During this term pupils will be developing their experience, confidence and skills in English Language Paper 2.
They will work as a class exploring the reading section of the paper, ensuring pupils understand how to answer each question.
There will be opportunities to complete answers in timed conditions and to build exam technique.
Pupils will also work on the writing section of the paper, learning about the different forms of transactional writing (speeches, letter, article) and developing their own responses.
Skills:
Useful Links
How to Answer AQA’s English Language Paper 2, Question 1 – YouTube
Transactional Writing: Newspapers – YouTube
Transactional Writing: Formal Report Writing – YouTube
English Language GCSE: Letter Writing Examples – YouTube
Assessments:
A written response to questions 1,2 and 3 of Language Paper 2. The skills for these will be taught and embedded in class. Pupils will explore model answers and teacher/examiner feedback to prepare
Transactional writing. Pupils will look at examples of successful writing and revisit the language features that characterise good transactional writing. They will revisit and develop elements of structure and language to produce a response to section B of Language Paper 2.
Knowledge:
During this term pupils will be exploring a variety of rhetorical devices and studying what makes a successful speech. They will watch and analyse a selection of speeches across a range of topics and intention. They will plan and write their own speech which they will then present to the class. This is to prepare for the GCSE Spoken Language assessment the following year.
Skills:
Useful Links
English Language GCSE: Speech Writing Examples – YouTube
How to write a perfect speech | BBC Ideas
How to Start a Speech: The Best (and Worst) Speech Openers – YouTube
Assessments:
Pupils will complete an analysis of a speech, exploring the art of rhetoric
Pupils will prepare a speech on a topic of their choosing, using the skills and techniques they have learnt
Pupils will present their speech to the class
The English Language curriculum at Thomas Mills High School is designed to equip pupils with a strong foundation in the skills and knowledge required for the AQA GCSE English Language course.
The course aims to build pupils’ understanding and mastery across three key areas of learning:
Substantive knowledge: knowledge of texts, language features, and writing conventions
Pupils study a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, gaining knowledge of how writers craft language and structure for effect. They are taught the conventions of different genres and forms and develop an understanding of how language reflects context, audience and purpose. Pupils also build explicit knowledge of grammar, punctuation and vocabulary to strengthen their writing. For Paper 2, they explore how writers convey opinions, build arguments and engage readers through the study of a wide range of non-fiction texts from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, including autobiographies, letters, newspaper articles, speeches and travel writing. Pupils also develop a toolkit of rhetorical and linguistic techniques for their own writing.
Ways of knowing: pupils learn ‘how to know’ about language
Through close reading, annotation, modelling and guided analysis, pupils learn how to interpret, evaluate and compare texts. They develop strategies for approaching unseen extracts, asking critical questions about the writer’s methods and intentions. They also engage with the processes of planning, drafting, editing and refining their writing for a range of purposes and audiences. For Paper 2, pupils are taught how to approach unseen texts methodically skimming for gist, scanning for detail, and analysing how language and structure are used to present viewpoints. They learn how to compare writer’ perspectives and methods across time periods, and to plan and structure their own persuasive or discursive writing.
Personal knowledge: pupils reflect on their use of language and communication
Pupils explore how their experiences, identity and perspectives influence the way they read and write. They are encouraged to express their ideas clearly and creatively, and to reflect on how language can be used to shape meaning and influence others. Through discussion, debate, and peer feedback, they learn to appreciate multiple viewpoints and the power of effective communication. Pupils explore how their own beliefs, experiences and values shape their reading and writing. Through writing to express a viewpoint, they are encouraged to consider tone, audience and rhetorical effect. They reflect on how language can influence, inspire or persuade—and the ethical responsibilities of writers and speakers.
Discussion, exploration and active engagement are at the heart of the Year 10 English Language curriculum. Pupils are supported to build confidence and independence as writers and readers. They are encouraged to develop their voice, to think critically, and to communicate ideas with clarity, empathy and purpose.
Knowledge:
Pupils will explore a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts while developing analytical, creative and technical writing skills. The curriculum is structured to promote high standards of literacy, encourage confident communication, and foster a love of language.
Skills:
Useful Links
https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/df1578de-6327-45fa-9420-1619f20f680e
https://studywise.co.uk/gcse-revision/english-language/
Assessments:
Pupils will do two assessments:
Knowledge:
as Term 1
Skills:
as Term 1
Assessments:
Pupils will sit an English Language Paper 1 Section A and Section B
Knowledge:
Year 10 focuses on developing pupils’ understanding of non-fiction texts across time, refining their ability to read critically, compare viewpoints, and write effectively for audience and purpose.
Skills:
Useful Links
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/examspecs/zcbchv4
Assessments:
Delivering a speech on a topic of their choice to an audience and responding to questions.
The English Language curriculum at Thomas Mills High School is designed to equip pupils with a strong foundation in the skills and knowledge required for the AQA GCSE English Language course.
The course aims to build pupils’ understanding and mastery across three key areas of learning:
Substantive knowledge: knowledge of texts, language features, and writing conventions
Pupils study a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, gaining knowledge of how writers craft language and structure for effect. They are taught the conventions of different genres and forms and develop an understanding of how language reflects context, audience and purpose. Pupils also build explicit knowledge of grammar, punctuation and vocabulary to strengthen their writing. For Paper 2, they explore how writers convey opinions, build arguments and engage readers through the study of a wide range of non-fiction texts from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, including autobiographies, letters, newspaper articles, speeches and travel writing. Pupils also develop a toolkit of rhetorical and linguistic techniques for their own writing.
Ways of knowing: pupils learn ‘how to know’ about language
Through close reading, annotation, modelling and guided analysis, pupils learn how to interpret, evaluate and compare texts. They develop strategies for approaching unseen extracts, asking critical questions about the writer’s methods and intentions. They also engage with the processes of planning, drafting, editing and refining their writing for a range of purposes and audiences. For Paper 2, pupils are taught how to approach unseen texts methodically skimming for gist, scanning for detail, and analysing how language and structure are used to present viewpoints. They learn how to compare writer’ perspectives and methods across time periods, and to plan and structure their own persuasive or discursive writing.
Personal knowledge: pupils reflect on their use of language and communication
Pupils explore how their experiences, identity and perspectives influence the way they read and write. They are encouraged to express their ideas clearly and creatively, and to reflect on how language can be used to shape meaning and influence others. Through discussion, debate, and peer feedback, they learn to appreciate multiple viewpoints and the power of effective communication. Pupils explore how their own beliefs, experiences and values shape their reading and writing. Through writing to express a viewpoint, they are encouraged to consider tone.
Knowledge:
Revising and developing pupils’ language skills for Paper 2, question 5 (transactional writing)
Skills:
Knowledge:
Revision of understanding of non-fiction texts across time, refining pupils’ ability to read critically, compare viewpoints, and write effectively for audience and purpose.
Skills:
Useful Links
AQA English Language Paper 2: EVERYTHING You Need To Pass Q1- Q5 Of The 2025 GCSE Exams – YouTube
How To Answer ANY GCSE Language Paper 2, Question 5 Exam (2025 GCSE Exams) – YouTube
INCREDIBLE Method for Q 5 Magazine Article – YouTube
Nail Question 5! Persuasive Writing Techniques You Must Know – YouTube
Assessments:
Written response in exam conditions to Paper 2 Question 5 – Transactional Writing
Knowledge:
After the exams pupils will revisit and check knowledge. There will be opportunities to consolidate knowledge, address any gaps and improve skills
Skills:
Useful Links
GCSE English Language – AQA – BBC Bitesize
Assessments:
Ongoing practice assessments and essays ahead of examinations
Knowledge:
Pupils will revisit all texts from across the course. They will embed knowledge, skills and hone examination technique
Skills:
Useful Links
GCSE AQA English Language Revision – Revisely
https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/df1578de-6327-45fa-9420-1619f20f680e
https://studywise.co.uk/gcse-revision/english-language/
https://studywise.co.uk/gcse-revision/english-language/
AQA GCSE English Language Past Papers – Revision World
Assessments:
Ongoing practice assessments and essays ahead of examinations
The Year 9 English curriculum at Thomas Mills High School prepares pupils for the demands of the AQA English Language and Literature GCSEs, while fostering a love of reading, writing and discussion. It is designed to give pupils a strong foundation in both the study of texts and the use of language, and to help them develop as thoughtful, independent communicators. The curriculum follows three key strands:
‘Substantive’ Knowledge
Substantive knowledge in English focuses on pupils’ understanding of texts, genres, and the conventions of language. Across the year, pupils study:
‘Ways of Knowing’
This strand focuses on how pupils learn to interpret and use English:
‘Personal Knowledge’
English also encourages pupils to reflect on their own values, experiences, and identities in response to what they read and write:
Knowledge:
During this unit pupils will study a complete drama text. They will read and perform sections, both as a class, in groups, pairs and individually. They will explore how dramatists convey meaning, study drama language, context and detailed passage analysis linking to the whole text
Skills:
Useful Links
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk
https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
Assessments:
Written piece – understanding drama in context. Pupils will write an analytical essay exploring the influences and impact of context on literature
Character analysis -spoken task. Pupils will prepare a spoken task exploring a character in their drama text. This could be through and interview, hot seating, reporting etc
Knowledge:
During this term pupils will be developing their experience, confidence and skills in poetry analysis. They will explore they ways poets use language to convey meaning and compare poems with common themes and ideas. They will develop their critical and build an informed, personal response
Skills:
Useful Links
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zx7cwmn
Poetry Foundation
https://www.poetryfoundation.org
YouTube – Stacey Reay Channel
https://www.youtube.com/c/StaceyReay
Assessments:
A poetry terminology test. Pupils will revisit and revise the language and techniques used in the study of poetry
Written response – poetry comparison. Pupils will write an examination style essay comparing the effects of war in two of the poems studied
Knowledge:
During this term pupils will study a range of texts from a variety of cultures. They will develop their knowledge and appreciation of cultural identity
Skills:
Useful Links
Facing History UK
https://www.facinghistory.org/uk
The Day – News for Schools (subscription-based but some free access)
https://theday.co.uk
Assessments:
Pupils will complete a spoken task exploring cultural difference
Pupils will complete a written response to one or more of the texts they have studies in the ‘Cultural Conflict’ unit
The English Literature curriculum at Thomas Mills High School aims to foster a lifelong appreciation of literature through the study of diverse texts from different time periods. Pupils are supported to become critical, thoughtful and articulate readers and writers, with a strong foundation in textual analysis and interpretation.
The curriculum is structured around three key areas of development:
Substantive knowledge: knowledge of literary texts, forms, contexts and conventions
Pupils study key set texts from the AQA English Literature specification: a modern drama or prose text (An Inspector Calls or Animal Farm), a Shakespearean tragedy (Macbeth), and a selection of poems from the Power and Conflict anthology. They learn about plot, character, theme, structure, and how texts reflect social, historical and political contexts.
Ways of knowing: pupils learn ‘how to know’ about literature
Pupils are taught how to respond analytically to literary texts, using evidence to support interpretations and exploring the writer’s craft. They learn how to annotate, structure essays, and plan comparative responses. Emphasis is placed on exploring language and structure, evaluating interpretations and developing independent insights.
Personal knowledge: pupils reflect on their own responses to texts
Pupils are encouraged to form and express personal interpretations of texts, considering how their views are shaped by their own values and experiences. They explore the emotional, philosophical and ethical dimensions of literature, and are supported to discuss and debate different viewpoints with empathy and confidence.
Exploration, debate and critical engagement underpin the English Literature curriculum. Pupils are challenged to think deeply about human experience, society and the power of language, while gaining the academic skills they need for GCSE success and beyond.
Knowledge:
Understanding character, theme and context. Pupils will learn the conventions of drama and how meaning is created through stage directions. They will learn how context influences interpretation and how writer’s methods shape meaning. Pupils will learn to draw inferences and interpret critically.
Skills:
Useful Links
https://www.yorknotes.com/gcse/english-literature/type/guides
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zqxc7hv
https://www.thenational.academy/teachers/programmes/english-secondary-ks4-aqa/units
Assessments:
Understanding context of modern text.
Timed essay on Modern Text on a theme or character.
Knowledge:
Exploring Shakespearean tragedy and structure. Pupils will learn about the context of Shakespearean times and the period in which the play is set and how both contexts influence their understanding of the text. They will explore the genre of tragedy and complex characters. They will practise extract and whole-text analysis.
Skills:
Useful Links
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/articles/zvksjhv
https://www.rsc.org.uk/shakespeare-learning-zone/macbeth
Assessments:
Context test – Shakespeare’s World
Comparison Grid of Two Poems
Paper 1 Literature
Knowledge:
Exploring Shakespearean tragedy and structure
Skills:
Useful Links
https://www.rsc.org.uk/shakespeares-plays/tragedies-comedies-histories
https://massolit.io/courses/shakespeare-macbeth-john-mcrae
Knowledge:
Comparing Texts and Thematic Revision. Pupils will learn to identify poetic devices and how they create meaning. They will analyse figurative language and structural choices and use comparative techniques to analyse the power and conflict poems.
Skills:
Useful Links
https://massolit.io/courses/power-and-conflict-aqa-poetry-anthology
Assessments:
Macbeth quotation analysis test
Macbeth Theme revision grid
Power & Conflict test essay
Knowledge:
Pupils will read the text and understand the way Dickens uses language to convey meaning. They will explore context, language and its effects. They will practise both extract and whole text analysis
Skills:
Useful Links
https://www.bl.uk/works/a-christmas-carol
https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk (search A Christmas Carol)
https://www.youtube.com/user/mrbruff
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/christmascarol/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zcs8qty
Assessments:
Understanding context in 19th text. Pupils will research and write a piece about the context of ‘A Christmas Carol’.
Practice examination questions. Pupils will build on examination skills and techniques with multiple timed essays in exam conditions
Ongoing examination revision/practice
Knowledge:
After the exams pupils will revisit and check knowledge. There will be opportunities to consolidate knowledge, address any gaps and improve skills
Skills:
Useful Links
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/examspecs/zxqncwx
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english-literature-8702
https://www.youtube.com/user/mrbruff
https://www.senecalearning.com
https://revisionworld.com/gcse-revision/english/english-literature-gcse
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk
Assessments:
Ongoing practice assessments and essays ahead of examinations
Knowledge:
Pupils will revisit all texts from across the course. They will embed knowledge, skills and hone examination technique
Skills:
Useful Links
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/examspecs/zxqncwx
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english-literature-8702
https://www.youtube.com/user/mrbruff
https://www.senecalearning.com
https://revisionworld.com/gcse-revision/english/english-literature-gcse
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk
Assessments:
Ongoing practice assessments and essays ahead of examinations
The way language is used to influence how we think, how language changes over time or how we learnt to speak?
Journalism and the media, teaching, publishing, advertising, the legal profession
Mrs S Peers/Ms C Cornell
Mrs S Peers
