The Yare Education Trust
THORPE ST ANDREW SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM
THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
We are a friendly and enthusiastic Department and our greatest strength is working as a team, sharing ideas and resources within a supportive environment.
The Department believes in an imaginative and creative approach to teaching. Over the past few years we have had a wide range of activities to encourage learning beyond the classroom. This has included writer visits, theatre visits, cinema workshops, film making,student presentations at national conferences, cross phase workshops led by students and writing competitions. In public speaking and mock trials our students have achieved considerable success both regionally and nationally.
At Key Stage 3, students follow a diverse curriculum in line with the National Curriculum and QCA assessment foci. The Schemes of Work for all units have been produced in-house and use a range of resources from text-books, powerpoint presentations, smartboard activities and other presentational devices.
We emphasise the teaching of basic skills and the Department fully supports the school’s aim of “Success for All”. We extend the skills of able students and work closely with the Special Educational Needs Department. In Year 7, groups are set by ability to allow intense literacy work with weaker students. In other Year groups there are four higher and eight main tier groups. Key Stage 4 students enter GCSE English and English Literature. Students with learning difficulties are integrated into mainstream classrooms, helped byLearningSupport Assistants and via various intervention classes to help boost attainment.
The school aims to promote reading. Students have a regular reading period in form time and English lessons usually begin with a short period of reading. At Key Stage 3, students have a regular lesson in the school’s Learning Resource Centre, which is open to the students all day. The Department has invested in book boxes to encourage reading throughout the age and ability range. In addition, regular reading groups meet weekly.
The English Department occupies one wing of the North Site of the school. This includes office areas and is close to the Learning Resource Centre and computer rooms. We are well stocked with books and audio visual equipment, including video editing, DVD and cameras. Internet access, projectors and interactive whiteboards are available in all English classrooms.
Drama is integrated through English in Key Stage3 and is a separate subject in Years 7 and 8. At Key Stage 4 we have a strong take-up for the Edexcel GCSE Drama option. Extra-curricular Drama is very popular and we produce at least two productions each year.
Alongside English, students have the opportunity to study Media Studies at GCSE as an option subject. This has proved popular and students have achieved strong grades, allowing students a chance to develop practical skills using a wide range of computer-based video and photo-editing software.
The Department also runs thriving ALevel classes in English Literature, English Language, Film and Theatre Studies and Media Studies. We have a very good record of academic success with many students continuing their studies at University.