English

The study of English is the foundation of high quality learning across Barnhill’s curriculum and is key to personal development. Our aim is to deliver a rich and diverse curriculum that instils a life-long appreciation of literature, develops critical thinking and provides a secure knowledge base, from which we can develop effective written and spoken communication skills. 

We believe that these skills empower our young people to be successful members of society: they enable our students to continue to better themselves and their community long after leaving Barnhill; they are key to accessing the world of work and adapting to the cultural momentum of the ‘here and now’. 

Year 7  

• Unit 1: Prose (Animal Farm by George Orwell) 
• Unit 2: Creative Writing (Opening Doors to Fantastical Worlds)
• Unit 3: Poetry (Narrative Poetry Anthology) 
• Unit 4: Drama (A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare) 
• Unit 5: Non-fiction (‘Voices in Non-Fiction’ Anthology) 
• Unit 6: Transactional Writing (Voices & Perspectives)

Year 8 

• Unit 1: Prose (Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck) 
• Unit 2: Creative Writing (Shadows of Tomorrow: Navigating Dystopian Realities)
• Unit 3: Poetry (‘Relationships’ Poetry Anthology) 
• Unit 4: Drama (DNA by Dennis Kelly) 
• Unit 5: Non-fiction (‘Social Non-fiction’ Anthology) 
• Unit 6: Transactional Writing (A Charge of Perspective)

Year 9 

• Unit 1: Prose (The Stange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Louis Stevenson) 
• Unit 2: Creative Writing (Haunted Pages: Gothic Explorations)
• Unit 3: Poetry (‘Culture and Identity’ Anthology) 
• Unit 4: Drama (The Tempest by William Shakespeare)
• Unit 5: Non-fiction (‘The Power of Rhetoric’ Anthology) 
• Unit 6: Transactional Writing (The Art of Persuasion) 

Years 10 & 11: AQA GCSE – English Language (8700) 

• Fiction: Language Paper 1 (Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing) 
• Non-fiction: Language Paper 2 (Writer’ Viewpoints and Perspectives) 

Years 10 & 11: AQA GCSE – English Literature (8702) 

• Paper 1, Section A: William Shakespeare’s Macbeth 
• Paper 1, Section B: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol 
• Paper 2, Section A: J. B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls 
• Paper 2, Section B: AQA’s ‘Power and Conflict’ Poetry Anthology 
• Paper 2, Section C: Unseen Poetry 

Years 12 & 13: OCR English Literature A-Level (H472) 

• Paper 1, Section A: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet 
• Paper 1, Section B: Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Chaucer’s The Merchant’s Prologue and Tale 
• Paper 2, Section A: Investigations into the Gothic  
• Paper 2, Section B: Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Angela Carter’s The Bl**y Chamber 
• Coursework 1: Close Analysis of an extract from Sarah Moss’ Ghost Wall 
• Coursework 2: Comparative critical analysis of Tennessee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire and poetry from Carol Ann Duffy’s World’s Wife anthology of poems 

• Set texts (provided by the school) 
• CGP Revision guides 

KS3 Bedrock Learning

At Barnhill Community High School we are committed to supporting your child’s academic success and fostering a lifelong love of learning. To help achieve this, we are excited to introduce you to Bedrock Learning, the innovative and interactive online platform your child is using for their English homework.

The Importance of Homework in Academic Success
Homework plays a vital role in supporting classroom learning, developing independent study skills, and building knowledge over time. In English, a strong vocabulary and critical reading skills are key to unlocking success across all subjects and in life beyond school. Bedrock Learning is specifically designed to enhance these skills, making homework both meaningful and engaging.

What is Bedrock Learning?
Bedrock Learning is an online platform that helps students expand their vocabulary, improve reading comprehension, and build confidence in their use of language. Through interactive lessons and engaging texts, Bedrock introduces students to new words in context, helping them develop a deeper understanding of how language works. Over time, this not only improves their English performance but also their ability to express themselves clearly and think critically across the curriculum.

Expectations of Students
Students are expected to complete Bedrock homework on a weekly basis. Once logged onto the Bedrock Learning website, students will spend between thirty minutes and one hour reading extracts from fiction and non-fiction texts and completing activities and quizzes that teach new vocabulary. Students must achieve a minimum of twenty points per week. Failing to reach twenty points will result in a sanction.

How You Can Support Your Child
Your involvement as a parent or guardian is crucial in helping your child succeed. Here are a few ways you can support their learning with Bedrock and foster a culture of reading at home:

1. Encourage Regular Usage: Ensure your child completes their assigned Bedrock lessons each week. Regular practice is key to building and retaining knowledge.
2. Track Their Progress: Bedrock Learning provides you with access to a Parent Dashboard, where you can monitor your child’s progress and celebrate their achievements. Look out for their vocabulary growth and time spent engaging with the platform.
3. Create a Reading Environment: Encourage reading for pleasure by providing a variety of books, magazines, and newspapers at home. Discuss what they are reading and share your own experiences with books to show that reading is a valuable and enjoyable activity. Students can also borrow books from our school library.
4. Set a Routine: Designate a quiet, distraction-free time for your child to complete their Bedrock homework. A consistent routine will help them stay on track.
5. Celebrate Success: Acknowledge your child’s efforts and accomplishments, whether it’s mastering a new set of vocabulary words or finishing reading a book.

By supporting your child in their use of Bedrock Learning and encouraging a love of reading at home, you will be helping them build essential skills that will benefit them throughout their education and beyond.

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KS3: Once per week, incorporating exam practice and supplementary reading to deepen understanding of the subject.

KS4: Once per week for each science subject, focusing on exam practice, targeted revision, and reinforcing key concepts.

At A-level, homework can range from engaging in wider reading (to enrich their understanding from a previous lesson or build foundational knowledge for subsequent lessons), completing essay plans, preparing presentations, conducting independent research or consolidating their learning in a piece of writing. 

• Debate Club: Fridays at 3pm 
• Trip opportunities: Visits to the theatre, Oxford university and the Tate Modern 
• Enrichment: Travelling theatre companies; trust-wide poetry recital