Welcome to the English Department

As one of the lead departments in a Humanities Specialist School, the English Department is committed to raising standards, particularly academic standards, across the whole school curriculum, using English and English Literature to help achieve this.

Our second main aim is to strengthen, and make even more effective, our collaborative work with local primary and secondary schools, and with organisations in the community.

Specialist Status provides opportunities to engage students with increased creativity, exciting resources, and modern ICT while extending opportunities for vocational learning and enrichment activity with business and community links.

As a department we are immensely proud of our students’ achievements both academically and in various competitions. We encourage students to enter public speaking, debating and writing competitions. Each year Readathon in the junior school raises a tremendous sum of money for CLIC Sargent. This year we presented a cheque for £5,000.

Departmental Staff

Mrs. Regina Savage     Head of Department   English
Ms. Kathleen McLoughlin  Senior Teacher   English
Mr. James Hay   Head of Sixth Form   English
Mrs Noirin McArdle      English/Journalism
Mrs. Siobhan McCoy  Drama Coordinator  Drama/English
Mrs. Catherine McDermott      Religion/English

The English Department is made up of five specialist teachers some of whom combine their teaching with additional promoted duties within a whole school context. Two members of other departments also contribute to the teaching of  English (Religion and Drama).

Experience, expertise and resources are shared both formally and informally and all members contribute to the development of English, English Literature within the school and a part to play in the excellent academic and extra-curricular achievements synonymous with the department. We have established strong relationships with some of our feeder primary schools engaging in letter writing projects, book based activities and debating competitions. Students from the local primaries visit our school library to take part in book based activities assisted by our students.

The Curriculum

The Department has an active approach to the delivery of the curriculum at all key stages. We encourage our students to discover rather than be told. As well as the obvious promotion of literacy, we also aim to imbue our students with a love of reading that will stay with them beyond their years of formal education. We strive to help our students become discerning, literate members of the community.

Public Examinations
Students of English are entered for the following Public examinations:

Year 10  CEA Key Stage 3 Assessment
  CEA ICT Accreditation

Year 12 CEA GCSE English (Tier H)
  AQA GCSE English Literature (Tier H)
  CEA GCSE  Journalism (Vocational GCSE)
Year 13  CEA AS English Literature*
 Key Skills Communication Level 3
  CEA A2 English Literature

*A student wishing to undertake the study of English Literature at AS level must have achieved at least   a Grade B at GCSE level in English and English Literature.

All students are also assessed in Year 8 and benchmarked internally upon entering. Results obtained from these test are used to aid departmental planning and to measure progress throughout the student’s involvement with English in the school. We provide additional support for any student who requires specific help with aspects of literacy through a specialised teacher-led programme.

Homework is viewed as a key focus in the development and continuous assessment of each student’s work and progression in English. Staff encourage students to take pride in their homework tasks whether completed in their exercise books or loose leaf for coursework assignments.

The Department actively encourages parental involvement in homework.
Parents are provided with guidance on what to expect in any academic year in the form of ‘Homework Statements’. In this we allocate a set length of time to be spent on English homework in any given week

Further information and Departmental Policies are available by contacting the Head of Department.