English Faculty Handbook
This handbook is intended as a first point of inquiry for
departmental staff, senior leaders and governors. It is
my hope that it will provide them with an overview of
the departments policies and practices.
Contents:
• The Faculty
• English at Boldon – Faculty Teaching and
Learning statement
• Grouping and Setting policy
• Overview of KS3
• Overview of KS4
• Cambridge IGCSE Syllabus Overview
• Cambridge IGCSE Coursework
• AQA Literature/Controlled assessments
• Assessment and Recording Policy
• Monitoring Policy
• Homework Policy
• Rewards, sanctions and behaviour
• Intervention Policy
Department Teaching and Learning statement
English plays a pivotal role across the school curriculum and the
world at large. Over the two key stages, every Boldon student will
receive a rich and varied diet of English Language and Literature
delivered in a challenging and engaging manner. It is our aim within
the department to consistently:
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Consider every student’s individual learning needs and
accommodate accordingly to allow every student to make
expected progress.
To challenge and engage all students in lessons ensuring
sufficient breadth and depth of content to stretch the most able
as well as allow all pupils to make good progress
Assess students’ progress regularly, (in line with department
policy) and to monitor progress using relevant data to inform
planning and set personal learning targets
To monitor and track every students’ progress regularly and put
in meaningful intervention strategies if necessary to ensure good
progress for all
Encourage students to develop a life-long love and enthusiasm
for language and literature in all forms
Enable students to become both critical and creative thinkers,
readers and writers through the development of the skills and
resources they will need to succeed in an increasingly literate
and multimodal world
Encourage a knowledge, understanding, appreciation and
tolerance of the multicultural and multi-ethnic society and world
in which we live
Overview of KS3
Our programme of study and schemes of work in years 7,8 and 9 are
primarily designed and created to equip the students with the necessary
knowledge and skills in reading, writing and speaking and listening to achieve
success at GCSE. Ks3 pupils will engage with novels, plays, poetry, drama,
short stories, Shakespeare and quality non-fiction texts to name a few.
Despite government confusion and mixed messages, it is the department’s
intention to continue to grade assess work at KS3 in the traditional level
format 1 -7. However in term 3, year 9 pupils will also receive a GCSE grade to
facilitate the transition to KS4. Each module will give students opportunities
to master the essential key reading/writing/speaking and listening skills
required for Ks4. The key standards which students and the department will
work with are outlined below:
Reading:
R 1 understand and collate explicit meanings
R2 understand, explain and collate implicit meanings and attitudes
R3 select, analyse and evaluate what is relevant to specific purposes
R4 understand how writers achieve effects.
Writing:
W1 articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined
W2 order and present facts, ideas and opinions
W3 understand and use a range of appropriate vocabulary
W4 use language and register appropriate to audience and context
W5 make accurate and effective use of paragraphs, grammatical structures,
sentences, punctuation and spelling.
Speaking and Listening:
S1 understand, order and present facts, ideas and opinions
S2 articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined
S3 communicate clearly and fluently
S4 use language and register appropriate to audience and context
S5 listen to and respond appropriately to the contributions of others
Boldon School English Department KS3 – Overview 2014/15
Week 39
Week 38
SUMMER HOLIDAYS
Assessment
Week 39
Week 38
Week 37
Week 36
Week 35
Week 34
Week 33
Week 32
Week 31
Week 30
Week 29
Week 28
Week 27
Week 26
Week 25
Week 24
Week 23
Week 22
Week 21
Week 20
Week 19
Week 18
Week 17
Week 16
Week 15
Week 14
Week 13
Week 12
Week 11
Week 10
Week 9
SUMMER HOLIDAYS
Assessment
JUNE HALF TERM
Assessment
EASTER HOLIDAYS
Assessment
FEBRUARY HALF TERM
Assessment
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS
Assessment
OCTOBER HALF TERM
Assessment
Week 39
Week 38
Week 37
Week 36
Week 35
Week 34
Week 33
Week 32
Week 31
Week 30
Week 29
Week 28
Week 27
Week 26
Week 25
Week 24
Week 23
Week 22
Week 21
Week 20
Week 19
Week 18
Week 17
Week 16
Week 15
Week 14
Week 13
Week 12
Week 11
Week 10
Week 9
Week 8
Week 7
Week 6
Week 5
Week 4
Week 3
Week 2
Week 1
SUMMER HOLIDAYS
Assessment
JUNE HALF TERM
Assessment
EASTER HOLIDAYS
Assessment
FEBRUARY HALF TERM
Assessment
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS
Assessment
OCTOBER HALF TERM
Assessment
Detailed Schemes of Work/Lesson ideas/Starters and plenaries
are on share point. Teachers in the department are
encouraged to share resources in this area.
Week 37
Week 36
JUNE HALF TERM
Assessment
EASTER HOLIDAYS
Assessment
FEBRUARY HALF TERM
Assessment
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS
Assessment
OCTOBER HALF TERM
Week 8

Week 35
Week 34
Week 33
Week 32
Week 31
Week 30
Week 29
Week 28
Week 27
Week 26
Week 25
Week 24
Week 23
Week 22
Week 21
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Assessment
Week 7
Week 6
Week 5
Week 4
Week 3
Week 2
Week 1
1984
Time Machine
Week 20
Week 19
Week 18
Week 17
Week 16
Week 15
Week 14
Week 13
Week 12
Week 11
Week 10
Week 9
Week 8
Week 7
Week 6
Week 5
Week 4
Week 3
Week 2
Week 1
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Key Stage 4 Poetry
Moon on the Tides
Relestionships
iGCSE Coursework
preparation
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KS4 iGCSE
intro’
AQA
Literature
texts
Shakespeare –
Macbeth
Sci-Fi
SoW/Slow
Writing
Gothic Unit/
Novel – Woman
in Black
Non Fiction
Writing/Reading iGCSE
Bill Bryson
George Alligha
Joe Simpson
Ellen MacArthur
iGCSE examples
Shakespeare –
Romeo and
Juliet/Richard III
Non Fiction
Media/News and
Advertising
Poetry of WW1
YEAR 9 – SUMMER TERM
YEAR 9 – SPRING TERM
YEAR 9 – AUTUMN TERM
The Island
Alive
Survivor
Need for
shelter
Food, Fire,
Water
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Slow
writing
and short
stories
Abomination or Holes
YEAR 8 – SUMMER TERM
YEAR 8 – SPRING TERM
YEAR 8 – AUTUMN TERM
UFO
Roswell
War of the
Worlds
Narrative
Journal
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Boy In
Striped
Pyjamas
Introduction to
Shakespeare –
The Tempest
Introduction to
Poetry – live
texts,
hedgehog,
devices,
vegans.
Slow Writing
and short
stories
Year 7 Transition Unit
Stormbreaker/
Skellig
YEAR 7 – SUMMER TERM
YEAR 7 – SPRING TERM
YEAR 7 – AUTUMN TERM
Sequencing of KS3 Programme of Study
2014 – 2015
Year7
Unit 1: Compulsory First Unit: transition unit The Sleeping Sword or Stormbreaker
Unit 2: Slow Writing/Tales In The Telling short stories
Unit 3: Poetry Appreciation
Unit 4: Shakespeare: Introduction to Shakespeare The Tempest
Unit 5: Skellig/Boy In Striped Pyjamas
Unit 6: UFO – Non Fiction/Fiction Themed Unit
Year 8
Unit 1: Reader – Abomination/Holes
Unit 2: Poetry of WW1
Unit 3: Non Fiction - Media, News and Advertising
Unit 4: Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet/ Richard III
Unit 5: Slow Writing/Short Stories
Unit 6: The Island – Non Fiction/Fiction Themed Unit
Year 9
Unit 1: Non Fiction Writing/Reading – iGCSE Anthology extracts
Unit 2: Gothic Fiction Unit/Novel Woman In Black
Unit 3: Sci Fi SoW / Slow Writing
Unit 4: Shakespeare – Macbeth
Unit 5: KS4 Cambridge iGCSE Introduction/ AQA Lit’ Coursework prep’
Unit 6: KS4 Poetry – Moon On The Tides/iGCSE English Coursework prep’
Overview of KS4:
Year 11
Students will follow the Cambridge iGCSE syllabus code 0500 for the first time
this academic year. (See page 8 of the Handbook) The compressed two year
programme will be delivered to current year 11 starting with the coursework
requirements. This will need to be delivered quickly and monitored closely as
achievement in module 4 is crucial to overall success. Students will follow either
‘core’ route or ‘extended’. Extended route will be followed in Tyne 1,2 and 3 and
the core route will be followed by Wear band. Core and Extended students will
not be grouped together as the exam requirements are different.
Students in year 11 will also study AQA Literature over the course of this
academic year (See AQA Literature) as this syllabus has already run for the past
year. There are expected gaps in the completion of AQA literature controlled
assessments; this is an area which will require immediate intervention.
Year 10
Year ten students will have two years to complete iGCSE English and at this stage
it is envisaged that they will also follow the AQA Literature route in parallel.
However, this is not ‘set in stone’ as yet and may be subject to change. Year 10
will also start the course with a focus on coursework requirements. Teachers in
the department are free to choose which coursework piece they tackle first. The
speaking and listening unit could be completed early if teachers also wish.
However, all department staff are urged to note and adhere to time frames. It is
expected that all coursework (Components 4 and 6) are completed before the
end of the academic year as exam practise is essential in year 11.
Component 4 Coursework
3 pieces of written coursework are required to pass this component. Each piece
must be between 500-800 words in length. Teachers may teach their own choice
for assignments 1 and 2. However all teachers will teach the same extract for
Assignment 3.
• Assignment one: Informative, analytical and/argumentative
• Assignment 2: descriptive and/or narrative
• Assignment 3: a response to text/s chosen by the centre
In KS4 Teachers and Students follow the iGCSE route outlined below.
This consists of one exam paper (1’core’ or 2 ‘extended’) 50% Three
written coursework pieces 50% and three speaking and listening
tasks.
Coursework – Component 4
Assignment 3 Reading/Writing
Speaking And Listening
Assessment and Monitoring Policy:
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Regular and meaningful assessment is an absolute necessity within the English
department at Boldon to ensure progress and to highlight quickly those needing
additional support. It is the department’s aim to adopt a common marking policy at
KS3 and KS4 whereby all students will receive regular and constructive feedback after
each completed piece of work. The students’ work will be marked to the learning
objectives/Key Standards agreed before completion.
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Assessment dialogue - Students in both key stages must be given the opportunity to
respond to teacher suggestions made during formative assessment. An ‘orange box’
where students can respond to assessment suggestions is an ideal format to allow
progress to be demonstrated in exercise books/folders.
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P.E.N. marking is to be introduced across the department in line with best practice
with relevant inset to be arranged. Like ‘SWANS’, PEN marking requires a Positive
comment based on the Key Standards/Objectives taught; Even Better suggestions
followed by Next Steps/Personal target/s. The orange box can then be used
afterwards.
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Peer assessment - Students will peer assess at both KS3 and KS4 at least twice each
half-term. Students will have access to grade boundaries/Level descriptors to facilitate
this. Students will also be made aware of their own current, aspirational/target grades
through stickers on all KS3 books and KS4 folders. Students will peer assess in green
pen.
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Summative assessment - A common assessment will take place across the
department each half-term. The assessment task will be the same within each year
group and be standardised/moderated by SL and FC. Each summative/End of module
task will take place two weeks prior to the end of unit with data being entered on Sims
the following week. Common assessment titles are to be arranged with SL and FC
before completion. Assessments can be evidenced in exercise books or in separate
folders. The dates for summative assessment are outlined below:
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Term one a :
Term one b :
Term two a :
Term two b :
Term three a :
Term three b :
Common Assessment
Common assessment
Common assessment
Common assessment
Common assessment
Common assessment
- Week 7
- Week 14
- Week 20
- Week 26
- Week 31
- Week 38
Data entry Week 8
Data entry Week 15
Data entry Week 21
Data entry week 27
Data entry week 32
Data entry week 39
Monitoring/Quality Assurance Procedures
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In addition to work trawls and timetabled book scrutiny, the SL or FC may visit lessons
and/or ask to see pupil APP record sheets to ensure consistency across the faculty.
Teaching and Learning observations to be carried out in line with Revised Performance
Management schedule.
Each half term teachers in the department are required to submit a mid-term teaching
plan outlining objectives/key standards to be taught for each module/unit delivered. This
is to facilitate the monitoring process and ensure consistency and quality assurance
throughout the department.
Each member of the department will also arrange a personal KS3/4 Progress meeting
with SL or FC each term to discus; Teaching and Learning, Data, Progress and tracking,
any other concerns. This will be in addition to any scheduled Performance management
meetings/observations.
Each year group will have at least one work/book scrutiny over the course of the year.
Consistency of marking, pupil progress and quality of teaching and learning will also be
monitored through this process. The SL or FC will request a random sample of books from
each class at the designated time. Feedback will be recorded and staff will be advised of
any areas requiring development.
Although the SL and FC will undertake rigorous moderation and support of the materials
taught, It should always be noted that it is the individual teacher’s responsibility to have
a clear working knowledge of all current specifications being taught. This is in line with
teachers’ standards but also common sense and good practice. Teachers are ultimately
responsible for the classes they teach and for making appropriate decisions (with SL/FC
support) in the best interest of the individual pupils in their care. The SL and FC are
always happy to advise and support any queries raised by teachers in the department.
Homework Policy:
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The department takes a consistent approach to homework. In KS3, homework should be set
once a week. This may take the form of a ‘light’ homework one week – for example key
spellings - followed by a more substantial piece the following week – for example extended
writing. Homework must be marked in line with department policy which includes the
option of peer assessment.
In KS4 Homework might not be formally set as students will be expected to work
independently on iGCSE or Literature coursework/controlled assignments. However,
intervention strategies may, at KS4, take the form of additional homework.
Teachers are advised to keep an individual record of homework set outlining the
objectives/key standards to which it applies. This could also be recorded in students’ books.
Rewards, Sanctions and Behaviour in English
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Good behaviour is essential in all areas of school life. To further improve
conduct in school and in particular the English area, staff are required to be
present in the corridors both before and after each lesson. This ‘heavy’ staff
presence, has a huge impact on the mood/behaviour of the students as they
enter their English classroom. The SL will ensure that all English teachers are
‘visible’ before and after lessons.
Each half-term the SL or FC will ask for names of students performing well in
each class. The SL will contact parents directly to praise students and a
postcard/certificate will also be sent home to support. Department teachers
are also encouraged to use postcards and praise stickers in the department
to celebrate all student success. Achievement in English will also be
recognised on the shared area.
Poor conduct will not be tolerated in any English lesson whatsoever and the
SL will intervene directly if needed. Once the classroom teacher has
exhausted all options – including their own sanctions, phone calls to parents,
the SL will mentor the student. A range of appropriate sanctions can then be
implemented if improvement is not rapid and sustained including;
Departmental report, SL detentions, lesson withdrawal, Parent interviews
and in extreme cases withdrawal of privileges like school/department
outings or even prom’ invites.
Intervention Policy:
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Intervention is crucial in all schools if all students are to achieve their
predicted targets. In English, Intervention will follow a five step format with
clear strategies and support put in place each stage for identified students.
The five steps are outlined below:
Boldon School Five Step English Intervention Process
1
Teacher to identify intervention area and speak to
pupil. Teacher to use strategies at classroom level
e.g. seating plan, AF focused lessons. Letter sent
home to parents with option of VLE resources
available.
Progress
Made
Highlight
green on
tracker
Progress
Made
Highlight
green on
tracker
Progress
Made
Highlight
green on
tracker
Still underachieving
2
Independent study. Student to complete extra
homework booklet on area of weakness. Class
teacher to check progression.
Pupil put on Progress Report
Still underachieving
3
One to one/ small group mentoring with LSA. This
could take place in reading lessons or arrangements
to be taken out of other subjects. Intervention at
this stage, with regards to time, will be dependent
on individual circumstances but will include skills
practice and a final piece of work as evidence of
progression.
Still underachieving
Meeting with Senior Leader or Faculty Coordinator.
4
Dol/ADol to be notified and if necessary parental
meeting.
Progress
Made
Highlight
green on
tracker
Progress
Made
Highlight
green on
tracker
Extra LSA intervention if necessary.
Still underachieving
5
Management Report. This step would be decided
by SL/FC /class teacher, if no progression is seen.
Report is to be signed by classroom teacher every
lesson and SL at end of every week.