English Department

English at Castledown School is a dynamic and varied subject, with roots in Drama and Media alongside the more traditional aspects of English lessons. The English Department offers an engaging program of study that is designed to interest and engage all learning styles and abilities, whilst maintaining a clear development through the Key Stages.

KS3

Students’ first experience of English at Castledown will be in their primary school; teachers from the department undertake transition units in Castledown’s feeder schools during the summer term to allow Year 6 pupils to begin the study of Louis Sachar’s ‘Holes’, the first unit they will follow upon starting at Castledown. Subsequent Year 7 units include narrative poetry, autobiographical writing and, in the summer term, a module based around the study of a play. Throughout the year, the English Department puts particular focus on spelling, with specially designed starters and plenaries to reinforce spelling rules.

In Year 8, students continue to build upon skills developed in Year 7 by learning, in more detail, about the English Language as a whole and how we as writers, readers and speakers adapt the language we use depending on situation. Additionally, Year 8 students spend time appreciating, and then writing, a variety of different poetry styles. Through Drama and textual analysis, students will also study Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’, among several other units of study during this year.

During Year 9, students are sufficiently prepared to undertake their National Curriculum Tests, and as part of that will spend a section of this year studying Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’. Students will also take part in a film-based media project, allowing them to learn about filming techniques before being able to shoot, edit and screen their own silent movies. This year we have also introduced a “high flying” top set in Year 9 who will, if appropriate, be given the opportunity to study for and then take their Media Studies GCSE a year early.

KS4

The students in Years 10 and 11 will follow one of two distinct paths depending on which set they are in, though both paths allow all students to gain two English-based GCSEs. All students in Key Stage Four will study English Language, which involves three coursework essays submitted prior to examinations (based on Media, Shakespeare and personal creative writing) and will furnish students with both reading and writing abilities. All students taking GCSE English Language will also study an anthology of short stories and poems to prepare them for their exam, as well as developing their writing skills.

 In addition to English Language, the top set will also study English Literature, a GCSE focused on the appreciation of a variety of written works by literature’s most important authors. This year, texts have included Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ and Priestley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’.   Again, both coursework and examination form the final grade awarded for this GCSE. 

The middle and lower sets will instead undertake Media Studies GCSE, a subject involving the study of a variety of popular Media. Students will have the opportunity to use the brand new Media suite to create and edit film, advertising and other Media such as music merchandise and newspapers.

As all students, whether taking Media or Literature, will be required to submit several pieces of coursework alongside preparation for their exam, Coursework Clinic runs after school every Tuesday. This after school club allows students of English, English Literature, Drama and Media to catch up or get help with their coursework projects from all teachers in the department.

Extra Provision

English at Castledown also provides an entry-level qualification for those students who are below the required level for entry into standard GCSE English Language. We also have dedicated Teaching Assistant support from Castledown’s Learning Support department in order to help and assist some students during lessons and in their own study time.

Extra Curricular

Castledown English offers a diverse range of extra-curricular activities, running both during and after school, to provide students with a broad and varied curriculum. Castledown Critics, our Gifted and Talented reading group, meet during Reading Time every day to read and discuss the latest books, whilst also having a direct influence on the books that are purchased for the school library.

Drama is also a thriving part of the English Department, with KS3 drama club running from the Autumn term once a week after school. Budding actors and actresses work on productions shown at Christmas and in the Spring, as well as putting together anti-bullying Drama workshops to take into the local primary schools. Additionally, the Drama department run regular theatre trips to Salisbury Playhouse for students studying GCSE Drama, which are also made available to KS4 English students.

Due to Castledown having its own radio station, Media Club meets every Wednesday to write and put together radio shows, which are then broadcast during lunchtimes across Tidworth, Perham and the surrounding areas. Students learn the craft of radio presenting, alongside the technicalities of recording and broadcasting equipment.