English is one of the core subjects in the National Curriculum. There are, therefore, basic skills which need to be mastered in these important foundation years, but we also hope that students will learn to enjoy reading and writing for their own sake, so that the vast resources of the English language and literature will enrich the rest of their lives.

Students will tackle a variety of assignments, building confidence and skill by working towards assessment in three main areas of "English":
                                 Speaking and Listening; Reading; Writing.

Reading takes many forms, as we study non-fiction texts, but we also read some novels and plays together, including a Shakespeare play each year, while students are encouraged to choose books from the fiction library, for use in our "private reading" lessons. Many lessons will involve more than one of the assessment areas, as enjoying reading a good book is often a starting point for developing other skills. Speaking and listening skills, for example, develop in discussion or role-play, and both imaginative and factual writing will follow naturally from the study of literature. Those who enjoy writing stories or poetry are encouraged to enter competitions or to see themselves in print, and we hope that everyone will take a pride in seeing all kinds of written work displayed, much of it word-processed and colourful. Each year, we hold a Public Speaking Competition in school, so those whose strength is in their oral work are encouraged to go forward to the final.