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English

Dr J S Gill - HOD

Mr M A Stanley (Deputy Head of Department)

Mrs K E Plummer

Mrs M Casaus

Mrs K Siddle (Head of Learning Support; Part time English teacher)

Ms J Finnegan (Drama) On Maternity Leave)

L Rostron (Maternity Cover)

Mr R Simpson (Deputy Head Academic)

 

The English Department Ethos

The English Department is situated at the heart of the school in a suite of five teaching rooms along the main corridor. The English Office ( nicknamed "The Submarine" because of its shape) houses four staff: Dr. John Gill (Head of Department), Mrs. Liz Plummer, Mrs. Maggie Casaus and Ms. Jennifer Finnegan who is a full-time teacher of Drama. Mr. Mark Stanley (Deputy Head of Department) resides in Room E5, Mr. Bob Simpson, Deputy Headmaster has his own office in Milton House and Mrs. Karen Siddle (Head of Learning Support) also has her own office. Mrs. Liz Rea , the School Librarian, works closely with the English Department. Our combined teaching experience adds up to well over one hundred years (a fact not meant to arouse pity) and between us, we have more than ten university degrees in English. However, I firmly believe that it is our rapport with the pupils as much as our qualifications and experience which has produced success. We are a very successful Department (detailed definition of our sustained success at both GCSE and A level over the years is available on this website). When asked recently what was the secret of our success, I answered : " The friendly rapport we have with our students, excellent teaching , the full use we make of our own experience as Examiners for various Exam Boards, and our policy of inviting Senior Examiners into school to provide insight for the boys into how to answer exam questions". Academic success is measurable in terms of grades, points and league tables but we also believe that what we teach in Literature, Language and Drama contributes to the development of a rounded, thoughtful and "educated" person.

The English Clinic

The English Clinic runs each Monday lunchtime in Room E2, from 1.20 to 1.50 pm. Any pupil in the school can attend without an appointment to discuss any aspect of their work in English and receive help and advice from Mr. Stanley. The Clinic also doubles as the English Work Session: colleagues may place a pupil in the session to complete or repeat a piece of work.

English Teaching in the Lower School

English teaching in the Lower School is aimed at introducing pupils to the delights of English Language and Literature, but is also geared to preparing students for GCSE and A Level and even university. In a sense, the whole seven years of English at MTS should be seen as one long course, broken into three main stages which are interdependent, one leading onto the next. However, there is greater freedom in the Lower School for staff to select texts and tasks, free from the constraints of SATS , GCSE and A Level prescriptions.

In Years 7, 8 and 9, pupils work in four main areas of English:

1. Literature (Prose, Poetry and Drama)
2. Media, Non-Fiction and Associated Writing Skills
3. Language and Grammar
4. Speaking and Listening

One feature of our policy is the Reading Scheme: one period a week devoted to silent, individual reading of a text chosen by the teacher. Pupils are given one half term to complete the book and one piece of written work is set at the end of each half term. By the end of each academic year in the Lower School, pupils will have read six books through this method alone. The books selected are chosen from our book stock and are appropriate to the year group. We believe that reading is essential for the pupils' development both personally and academically, and we encourage pupils to read their own books at home as much as possible.

We identify the most academically able in each form, and stretch them by providing more demanding exercises; this may be through extra reading and research or presenting their work to the whole class.

 


English Teaching in the Middle School

New GCSE Specification in Year 10 from September 2010

The new AQA specification A is "unitized", that is, built from six basic units of work, three in Literature and three in Language.

Autumn 1: Lit Unit 1A, Modern Prose or Drama. We study texts such as "An Inspector Calls" or "Lord of the Flies".

Lang. Unit 1, Reading and Writing and Lang Unit 2 A, Presenting

Autumn 2: continuation of above.

Spring 1: Lit Unit 1B, Exploring Cultures. We study texts such as Of Mice and Men or To Kill a Mockingbird.

Lang Unit 2 B, Discuss/Listen

Spring 2: continuation of the above.

Summer 1: Exam in Lit Units A and B and Lang Unit 1.

Summer 2: Lang Unit 3A, Controlled Assessment begins.

"Old/Legacy" Specification : GCSE in Year 11

The old syllabus is in its last year. Year 11 will be spent on preparing for the exams in Language and Literature, in particular by working on the prescribed poetry. The Mock exams in January of Year 11 are marked to GCSE criteria and a feed-back given to pupils and parents at Parents' Evening. A Senior Examiner in GCSE English visits the school in the summer term just before the exams in Year 11 to help pupils to prepare for their exams.

In the Middle School, class sizes are smaller than in the Lower School, allowing for more personal interaction with pupils and closer discussion. As in the Lower School, the most academically able are identified and given exercises to stretch their abilities. This could be through extra reading of more challenging texts than those set by the exam board, or by researching a topic which is then presented to the whole class. Theatre Club also provides pupils with opportunities to see plays not on the syllabus at different theatres in the North West; there is a Theatre Club "outing" once each term. For example, we visited the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester to see a performance of Shakespeare's "King Henry V".

English Teaching in the Senior School

The new A level courses began two years ago in both English Language and English Literature, and we follow the AQA Specification B in both cases.

AS English Literature

Unit 1: Aspects of Narrative, written paper, Open book exam, 2 hours; we study The Great Gatsby, "The Ancient Mariner", Birdsong and Auden's poetry.

Unit 2: Dramatic Genre- Tragedy, coursework; we study "Hamlet" and "Death of a Salesman" and produce two pieces of written work.

A2 English Literature

Unit 3: Texts and Genres, written exam, 2 hours, closed book. We study Pastoral or Gothic genres. Texts include "She Stoops to Conquer", "Blue Remembered Hills" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Unit 4: Further and Independent Reading , coursework. Two pieces of work are produced based on the students' individual choices of text.

The Chief Examiner of the whole course, Mr. Adrian Beard visits MTS each year at Easter and runs a revision session for the students. Mr Pete Burton, Senior Examiner for Units 2 and 3 visits MTBS each year to run a revision session with students. Also, revision sessions are organized by MTS staff before each set of exams.

English Language

AS English Language

Unit 1: Categorizing Texts:2 hour written paper testing the introductory aspects of the course, using a variety of texts for the basis of study.

Unit 2: Creating Texts: two pieces of writing differentiated in terms of primary purpose, audience and genre. Students choose two of four purposes: to Entertain, Instruct, Persuade or Inform.

A2 English Language

Unit 3: Developing Texts: written paper, 2 hours and 30 minutes, based on a study of Language acquisition and Language change.

Unit 4: Investigating Language: coursework exploring and analyzing language data, plus production of a Media text.

Revision sessions are organised by MTS staff before each set of exams.

To sum up, here is our Mission Statement

  1. We are determined to continue the high level of academic success achieved by the English Department over the years.
  2. To achieve this success, all members of the English Department have experience as examiners for various exam boards, thus bringing insight of the exam system and marking standards to benefit our students.
  3. Through our Department Scheme of Work, Departmental meetings and daily informal discussions, we are continually striving to make our students successful.
  4. However, we in the English Department do not believe that exam success, though highly desirable, is the be-all and end -all. We do not see the Department or the school as an "Exam Factory" competing with other departments and schools for the coveted "Best Exam factory" accolade. That is not to say that we lack a competitive gene...
  5. We feel that there are crucial aspects of our work which cannot be measured by results or league tables. Education cannot be reduced to such utilitarian criteria.
  6. We believe in playing our part in developing our students into thoughtful, conscientious and "rounded" people.
  7. We believe that English Literature and English Language are intrinsically valuable and worth studying.
  8. We aim to prepare students for university by our disciplined, scholarly approach, and to prepare them for the "university of life".
  9. We aim to cultivate in our students a love of Literature, Language and Drama as a foundation for life and as a life-long source of genuine enrichment, not just as another exam to pass.


Dr. J.S.Gill, Head of English

 

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