The English Department wants to promote a curiosity about learning and an active interest in language and literature, demonstrating to students how to develop their writing, reading and speaking and listening skills.  Our belief is that all students can enjoy reading, and we aim to encourage this through introducing them to a wide range of texts, both in class and independently at home after our fortnightly guided library lessons. It is fundamental that students continue to develop their vocabulary and comprehension so they can achieve their potential and although this is supported across all subjects, it is at the core of everything we do.

Students are taught in mixed-ability groups from years 7 to 11 and study a range of challenging texts from different time periods and cultures throughout. We intersperse each scheme of learning with specific literacy skills that complement the unit being taught and ensure we are continuing to build confidence and embed the core disciplinary skills and knowledge they will need to be successful at GCSE and beyond.

YEAR 7

In Year 7 students’ study:

• Extracts: Myths and Legends
• Poetry: Poetry Through the Ages
• Modern Novel: A Bone Sparrow
• Non-fiction: You are a Champion
• Shakespeare play: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

YEAR 8

In Year 8 students’ study:

• Extracts: Dystopian Fiction
• Poetry: Passport to Poetry
• Shakespeare: Extracts from Much Ado about Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night and Hamlet
• Modern Play: Blood Brothers
• Victorian Visionaries: Oliver by Charles Dickens

YEAR 9

In Year 9 students’ study:

• Extracts: Gothic Fiction
• Poetry: Unseen Poetry
• Novel/Extracts: Diverse Texts
• Shakespeare play: Macbeth
• Speaking and Listening and Non-fiction: Inspiring Voices

In the year prior to GCSE study, we focus on developing the maturity and accuracy of students’ reading, writing, and speaking and listening skills. This culminates in the completion of their Speaking and Listening award at the end of year 9 which is an additional certificate that is awarded alongside their English GCSE at either Pass, Merit or Distinction level.

YEAR 10 & 11

Years 10 & 11 students are entered for both AQA GCSE English Language and English Literature.  During this time, students develop the necessary skills to enable them to be successful in the world of work.  They refine their reading, writing and speaking and listening skills.  In addition to this, students also develop and refine their appreciation of a wide range of literary texts including: Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’, the AQA Power and Conflict Poetry Anthology and Priestley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’.

A flier for an external English Literature Revision course can be found here.

YEAR 12 & 13

In Years 12 and 13, students study AQA A Level A – Option B English Literature. During this time, students read a wealth of English Literature including works by Shakespeare, F Scott Fitzgerald, Margaret Atwood and many more.  They also develop their appreciation of literary techniques and the ability to write critical analysis of unseen texts.  An important part of the course involves the non-exam assessment (NEA) where students have the freedom to choose the books they study and the themes they would like to explore in more depth and detail.

ASSESSMENT

KS3

Students get feedback on their progress every half term through an in class marked piece and they are tested on their key vocabulary and the disciplinary knowledge they have picked up in each unit. Twice a year this is a full assessment which is fed back to parents. Over the course of each year they develop their skills of creative, transactional and analytical writing, reading, comprehension, inference and deduction, as well as developing their metacognition, exploratory and presentational speaking and listening.

KS4

Year 10: Students get feedback on their progress every half term through an in class marked piece based on the content they have covered. Twice a year this is a full assessment which is fed back to parents. The latter being a full mock of one language and one literature paper at the end of Year 10.

Year 11: Students get feedback on their progress every half term through an in class marked piece based on the content they have covered. They also have two mock periods across the year. They revise and sit one full language and one full literature paper for each.

KS5

Year 12: Students get regular feedback on homework and essays completed. There are also two formal assessment periods the latter being when they are assessed on one full paper at the end of the year. They also start working on their NEA in the Summer term of Year 12.

Year 13: Students get regular feedback on homework and essays completed. There are also two mock periods where they are assessed on both full papers that make up their A Level. They also complete their NEA in the Autumn Term of Year 13.

EXAM BOARD LINKS

• http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english-language-8700 
• http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english-literature-8702
• https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/as-and-a-level/english-literature-a-7711-7712

CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES

The English Department organises a variety of extra-curricular and enrichment activities including: Books and Biscuits Reading Club, Creative Writing Club and participation in debating competitions. There is also ‘Fearnzine’ a magazine written by the students for the students, which is live on the website here. We also try to organise regular author visits and theatre trips to inspire and develop students’ understanding and enjoyment of English.

At Fearnhill Year 10 Opinion Articles you will find a collection of opinion articles produced by our Year 10 students on a wide range of topics – from religion to music; from social media to snowflakes; from feminism to narcissism.  Some of these are controversial; some are designed to get you thinking; some are intended to make you laugh.  Whatever your reaction, we hope you enjoy!

“Drama is life with the dull bits cut out.” – Alfred Hitchcock

Drama at Fearnhill School builds successful relationships, raises confidence levels and improves skills needed in all subject areas. Pupils are encouraged to co-operate, communicate and contribute to group and class situations, put ideas and theories into practice through thoughtful presentation of their practical work and observe, analyse and discuss their achievements.

YEAR 7

Topics include: Myth and Legends, Mime, Magic and WW1.

YEAR 8

Topics include: Silent Movies, Runaways, Documentary Theatre and Murder Mystery.

YEAR 9

Topics include: Verbatim Theatre, Civil Rights, Performing Script and Shakespeare.

YEAR 10 & 11

We follow Eduqas GCSE Drama. This course gives students the opportunity to explore plays, theatre styles, themes and issues in a highly creative and practical way. Emphasis is placed on team work and learning through experience. Students are assessed in practical activities and they also complete written course work. There are two performance exams and one written exam during Year 11.

YEAR 12 & 13

BTEC Performing Arts Level 3 option combines music and drama.  Students here explore what it means to be a performer, investigate a practitioner, create a group performance to a stimulus and deliver workshops and learn new performance skills.

ASSESSMENT

More details can be found below.

• Drama descriptor.

EXAM BOARD LINKS

• • http://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/drama-and-theatre/gcse/
  • https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/btec-nationals/performing-arts-2016.html

 

CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES

There are extra-curricular opportunities each year for students throughout the school to become involved in. There is an annual whole school production and a weekly drama club.

USEFUL WEBSITES

• BBC Bitesize

“Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.” Flora Lewis (American journalist)

The Modern Foreign Languages department is dedicated to offering our students Spanish and French at all key stages of the curriculum and the opportunity to extend their proficiency in the chosen language to the highest possible level. We value the importance of learning a foreign language in our school curriculum as it helps to shape personal qualities and abilities in all our students, such as determination, self-confidence, focus, problem-solving skills and open-mindedness. It also has a positive influence on your understanding of your mother tongue.

YEAR 7

All students in Year 7 will be allocated either Spanish or French, consolidating and extending any prior knowledge from KS2. This will include topics such as my family and friends, my town, my free time activities, my studies and customs and festivals.

YEAR 8

All students continue their study of their allocated language, engaging with new topics, consolidating previous learning and communicating in different tenses. This will include topics such as my life at school, food and travel and tourism.

YEAR 9

All students continue their study of their allocated language, extending topic areas and communicating in a range of tenses. This will study topics such as healthy living, career choices and future ambitions, visits to French/Spanish cities and role models.

YEAR 10 & 11

It is highly recommended that all students continue with their allocated language at GCSE level. The KS4 courses build upon the knowledge and skills acquired at KS3 and students have the opportunity to sit the final GCSE examination at either Foundation or Higher tier.

We follow the AQA specification. Students will learn to communicate effectively through listening, speaking, reading and writing, and through understanding how each language is constructed. Students will make use of different media in the target language.

YEAR 12 & 13

We offer the opportunity to study French & Spanish at AS/A2 level as part of the Letchworth Sixth Form Consortium. Students build on the skills and knowledge from GCSE allowing students to discuss and debate contemporary social issues at an advanced level in the target language.

The A2 curriculum has a broad content covering current affairs and includes cultural topics through the study of a book and a film. Students work closely with teachers to improve their speaking and listening skills.

EXAM BOARD LINKS

• http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/spanish-8698 
• http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/french-8658
• http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/as-and-a-level/spanish-7692

CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES

Lunch time revision sessions are available and there is a Languages After School Club. Past trips include: Christmas Market to Lille, cultural trips to Barcelona and Madrid, Spain.

USEFUL WEBSITES

• https://www.memrise.com/
• https://www.duolingo.com/
• https://quizlet.com

BASIC COURSE DETAILS

The study of English Literature is a rich and rewarding experience. It encourages you to look beyond the written word and delve deeper into the minds and motives of a vast array of people, from many time periods and parts of the world. You will be exposed to critical viewpoints you may never have considered, and you will actively debate writers’ motivations. Most excitingly, you will encounter some of the greatest works of literature from the past millennium, and perhaps discover a new literary passion, historical interest, or way of thinking.

A level English Literature is a two-year course which prepares students for the Pearson Edexcel specification and examinations.

You must have a GCSE grade of 5 or higher in English Literature to study this course.

IS IT FOR ME?

Do you enjoy reading? If the answer to that question is ‘no’ or ‘not really’, then this course is not for you. English Literature A Level is for those with a curious mind, a real interest in reading, and a willingness to be challenged. You should also enjoy discussing a variety of topics, including dinner party taboos such as sex, politics, and religion!

WHAT WILL I STUDY?

Open book examinations – You will get clean copies of the prescribed texts provided for the examination. Copies of the Critical Anthologies (used for Shakespeare) must not be taken into the examination.

Component 1 DRAMA - Written examination consisting of two sections.

• Section A: Shakespeare One essay question from a choice of two on Othello, incorporating ideas from wider critical reading (AO1, AO2, AO3, AO5 assessed).
• Section B: One essay question from a choice of two on A Streetcar Named Desire (AO1, AO2, AO3 assessed).
• The assessment length is 2 hours and 15 minutes.
• 30% of the total qualification

Component 2 PROSE - Written examination consisting of one section.

• Students answer one comparative essay question from a choice of two on their studied theme.
• Science and Society: Frankenstein, Mary Shelley and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (AO1, AO2, AO3, AO4 assessed).
• The assessment length is 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• 20% of the total qualification

Component 3 POETRY - Written examination consisting of two sections.

• Section A: Post-2000 Poetry One comparative essay question from a choice of two on an unseen modern poem written post-2000 and one named poem from the studied contemporary text (AO1, AO2, AO4 assessed).
• Section B: Specified Poetry Pre- or Post-1900 One essay question from a choice of two on Christina Rossetti (AO1, AO2, AO3 assessed).
• The assessment length is 2 hours and 15 minutes
• 30% of the total qualification

The Non-Exam Assessment

• This is where you can explore your own choices and preferences, follow themes and ideas that interest you and choose your own book to write an extended essay.  You will be guided and supported along the way, but you will be able to decide on your theme and write your own question.
• 20% of the total qualification

WHAT DOES STUDYING ENGLISH LITERATURE LEAD ON TO?

An A Level in English Literature is extremely versatile and desirable. Students who wish to apply for any university course will be looked at favourably if they have English Literature, due to the transferable skills in analysis and understanding and appreciation of social contexts.

Studying English develops your ability to use words to your advantage and to think and respond analytically. It is therefore particularly suited to students who wish to go onto further study at degree level, especially students who aspire for careers in education, law, media, forensic science, psychology, or business. If you are not sure what career you would like to follow yet, it offers a vast array of options.

HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?

The course is externally assessed by 3 written examinations at the end of Year 13 as explained above. There is also a non-exam component, which is a 2500–3000-word comparative essay between two texts. You get to choose your comparison text and come up with your own question. One text must be written before the year 1900.

‘The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.’

Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath

COURSE DETAILS

The French A-level course helps students to both strengthen their knowledge of the French language and broaden their understanding of the cultures and traditions of the French-speaking world.

At Fearnhill, we study the AQA A-level French course. Students will study more complex aspects of the French language in the context of the culture and history of French-speaking countries, as well as studying French literary texts and films. The focus is on how French-speaking society has changed and continues to change, so the course covers aspects of current and historical social issues, the cultures of the francophone world and their political landscape. We aim to encourage students, our future generation, to engage with the issues of the world around them and to reflect on how life has changed and keeps changing.

The main aspects of the A-level curriculum are:

• Aspects of French-speaking society – current trends and issues
• Artistic Culture in the French-speaking world
• Aspects of Political life in the French-speaking world
• Grammar study
• Literature and Film study (at Fearnhill we study ‘No et moi’ by Delphine de Vigan and ‘La Haine’ by Mathieu Kassovitz)

There are three exams at A Level:

• Paper 1: Listening, Reading and Writing
• Paper 2: Writing
• Paper 3: Speaking

Although the course does focus on the French language, the aspects of culture, society and artistic works will shape students’ cultural understanding and prepare them for the world of work after studies, whether that be in a French-speaking country or another. Students will end the course with a well-rounded understanding and appreciation of the world around them, which is a skill highly sought by employers.

Students will need to have previously studied French at GCSE or have an equivalent qualification. We require a minimum grade of 6 at GCSE to ensure students have the skills and understanding required to transition to the A Level context. However, we can consider individual circumstances, so if you have any concerns with this, please contact Mrs Cross.

OVERVIEW

The media play a central role in contemporary culture, society and politics. They shape our perceptions of the world through the representations, ideas and points of view they offer. The media have real relevance and importance in our lives today, providing us with ways to communicate, with forms of cultural expression, and the ability to participate in key aspects of society.

The media industries employ large numbers of people worldwide and generate significant global profit. The globalised nature of the contemporary media, ongoing technological developments and more opportunities to interact with the media, suggest their centrality in contemporary life can only increase.  A Level Media Studies is a two-year course.

IS IT FOR ME?

You will be given the opportunity to develop a thorough and in depth understanding of key issues, using theoretical approaches to support critical exploration and reflection, analysis and debate. The study of a wide range of rich and stimulating media products is central to the specification, offering you opportunities for detailed analysis of how the media communicate meanings in a variety of forms.  You will debate key critical questions related to the social, cultural, political and economic role of the media.

WHAT WILL I STUDY?

We will study a range of media forms:

• Advertising & marketing
• Film
• Magazines
• Music video
• Newspapers
• Online media
• Radio
• Television
• Video games

We will study set products in all these different forms.  The exam board has chosen the set products carefully to ensure they:

• have social, cultural and historical significance
• cover a range of genres/styles, forms and audiences
• represent different historical periods and global settings
• are from different industry contexts, including those outside the mainstream
• include products aimed at or produced by minority groups
• reflect current and emerging developments in the media

WHAT DOES STUDYING MEDIA LEAD ON TO?

A Level Media Studies students can go on to study the subject at degree level at university.

The skills gained will help you to succeed in the competitive creative industries in careers such as:  media planning; multimedia specialist; programme researcher; TV/film/video production; social media manager; web content manager; advertising/marketing executive; editorial roles; journalism; film/TV director; UX designer; public relations; event management; writer; cinematographer; computer games tester; proofreader; TV presenter.

HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?

Aspects of this framework are studied in the following way across the three components:

• Exam – Media Products, Industries and Audiences (2 hours 15 minutes, 35%)
• Exam – Media Forms and Products in Depth (2 hours 30 minutes, 35%)
• Coursework – Cross-Media Production (30%)

For the coursework, you will have the opportunity to select forms allowing you to pursue your own media interests and develop your practical skills in this component.  

Example coursework brief:  A cross-media production for a new artist or band in a genre (or sub-genre/hybrid) of your choice:

• Audio Visual – Original music video. 3 minutes to 3 minutes 30 seconds.  To include three or more filming locations; wide range of camera shots and movement to interpret/amplify the music and lyrics; shots of the band or artist to establish a clear identity; performance footage; representations of at least one social group; clear structure and an element of narrative conflict and equilibrium; editing of footage; graphics/titles to include title of programme, etc.

AND either A or B:

• (A) Online – a new, functioning website to include a working homepage and one linked page to promote your new TV programme to its target audience 
• (B) Print – a front cover and double page spread feature article for a new independent music magazine to promote your artist or band to its target audience.

All assessment components are completed in Year 13.

The BTEC Level 3 Performing Arts – Extended Certificate course is designed to be a highly specialist, work-related qualification that gives students the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to prepare for employment. 

The Extended Certificate is for learners who are interested in learning about the performing arts sector alongside other fields of study, with a view to progressing to a wide range of higher education courses, not necessarily in performing arts. It is designed to be taken as part of a programme of study that includes other appropriate BTEC Nationals or A Levels.

The course consists of three mandatory units and one optional unit. Units have students investigating practitioners' work, developing skills for live performance, and working in groups to create and workshop performances.

Mandatory Units

Unit 1: Investigating Practitioner’s Work

Unit 2: Developing Skills and Techniques for Live Performance

Unit 3: Group Performance Workshop 

Optional Units are in Dance, Drama or Musical Theatre, depending on your specialism. 

The course is challenging, adventurous and explores many different dramatic conventions, styles, theatre practitioners and live professional productions. It is a practical and engaging course and one that will require lots of energy and commitment from you. It will change the way you look at yourself and the world around you.

The Spanish A Level course helps students to both strengthen their knowledge of the Spanish language as well as broaden their understanding of the cultures and traditions of the Spanish speaking world.

At Fearnhill, we study the AQA A Level Spanish course. Students will study more complex aspects of the Spanish language in the context of the culture and history of Spanish speaking countries, as well as studying Spanish literary texts and films. The focus is on how Spanish-speaking society has changed and continues to change, so the course covers aspects of current and historic social issues, the cultures of the hispanic world and their political landscape. We aim to encourage students, as the young people of today, to engage in the issues of the world around them and reflect on how life has changed within this.

The main aspects of the curriculum are:

1. Social Issues and Change
2. Political and Artistic Culture
3. Grammar

4. Works (at Fearnhill this is La Casa de Bernada Alba by Federico Garcia Lorca and El Laberinto del Fauno by Guillermo del Toro)

There are three exams at A Level:

• Paper 1: Listening, Reading and Writing
• Paper 2: Writing
• Paper 3: Speaking

Although the course does focus on the Spanish language, the aspects of culture, society and artistic works will shape students’ cultural understanding and prepare them for the world of work after studies, whether that be in a Spanish speaking country or another. Students will end the course with a well rounded understanding and appreciation of the world around them, which is a skill highly sought by employers.

Students will need to have previously studied Spanish at GCSE or have an equivalent qualification. We require a minimum grade of 6 at GCSE to ensure students have the skills and understanding required to transition to the A Level context. However, we can consider individual circumstances so if you have any concerns with this please contact Miss Mills.

Specification link: https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/spanish/specifications/AQA-7692-SP-2016.PDF