Core · KS3 & KS4
English
With this curriculum, we aim to develop confident, articulate and accurate readers, writers and speakers. Pupils read a diverse range of increasingly complex and deep texts, write for a wide range of purposes with technical accuracy, and have multiple opportunities to develop their spoken language capabilities.
2026/27 at a glance
Each year is split into Autumn, Spring and Summer. Scroll sideways on small screens, or use the year-by-year detail below.
| Year | Autumn | Spring | Summer |
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| Year 7KS3 |
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| Year 8KS3 |
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| Year 9KS3 |
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| Year 10KS4 |
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| Year 11KS4 |
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Year by year
Year 7 Key Stage 3
Autumn
- The fundamentals of effective discussion Pupils solidify and build their spoken language skills.
- Step into the unknown: fiction reading and creative writing Pupils read extracts from famous fiction and emulate key techniques in their own writing.
- 'The Tempest' Pupils learn about the plot and characters of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', and read sections of the play.
Spring
- Poetry about place and home Pupils read and respond to poems that explore the links between place and identity.
- Sherlock Holmes: short stories Pupils read and explore two famous Sherlock Holmes stories.
Summer
- 'The Twisted Tree': fiction reading Pupils read, explore and respond to the modern fairytale novel 'The Twisted Tree'.
- Dystopian settings: descriptive writing Pupils learn to write atmospheric dystopian settings.
Year 8 Key Stage 3
Autumn
- Myths, legends and stories that inspire Pupils read and explore a range of text types connected to classical myths and legends.
- 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Pupils read and explore Shakespeare's comedy 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.
- Participating in effective debates Pupils learn about debate and practise having debates.
Spring
- Taking a stand Pupils learn about the different ways writers have expressed their points of view across history.
- Single poet study: Maya Angelou Pupils read and discover the work of Maya Angelou.
- Victorian childhood: non-fiction reading and writing Pupils read contemporary and nineteenth-century non-fiction texts on the theme of childhood.
Summer
- A monster within: reading and writing Gothic fiction Pupils explore the Gothic.
- Gothic poetry Pupils read and explore two nineteenth-century Gothic poems by Edgar Allan Poe.
- A history of language Pupils explore the history of the English language.
Year 9 Key Stage 3
Autumn
- 'Lord of the Flies' Pupils read and explore 'Lord of the Flies', considering Golding's message about human nature.
- Women's rights across the ages: non-fiction reading and writing Pupils read a wide range of non-fiction texts from across history centred on women's rights.
- Malevolent characters: fiction writing Pupils create and write malevolent characters.
Spring
- Literary perspectives from the First World War Pupils explore and compare texts written about the First World War.
- Comparing poetry from the First World War Pupils explore how poets responded to the horrors of the First World War.
- Creating and performing slam poetry Pupils learn about slam poetry and practise performing it.
Summer
- 'Small Island' Pupils explore the playtext adaptation of Andrea Levy's novel 'Small Island'.
- 'Othello' Pupils explore Shakespeare's 'Othello'.
- Simon Armitage: writing your world Pupils learn more about reading and writing poetry through words of wisdom from the Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage.
Year 10 Key Stage 4
Autumn
- Non-fiction: crime and punishment Pupils read and respond to nineteenth-century and modern non-fiction texts on crime and punishment.
- Fiction: read around the world Pupils read extracts from four novels from around the world and use them to develop their narrative writing.
- Spoken language: the language of change Pupils study powerful speeches and write their own.
Spring
- Fiction: science fiction writing Pupils read extracts from three science fiction texts and analyse how writers use language for effect.
- Non-fiction: changing views Pupils develop their non-fiction reading and writing skills.
- Fiction: ending stories Pupils look at four different types of story ending and practise writing them.
Summer
- Shakespeare: first reading Pupils read and analyse 'Macbeth', focusing on the role of Lady Macbeth in the tragedy.
- Nineteenth century text: first study Pupils read and explore 'A Christmas Carol'.
- Poetry anthology: first study Pupils explore 12 of the 15 poems in the 'Love and Relationships' anthology.
Year 11 Key Stage 4
Autumn
- Spoken language masters: refining public speaking skills Pupils develop their confidence in delivering speeches.
- Non-fiction: teenage kicks Pupils develop non-fiction reading and writing skills through texts about teenagers.
- Non-fiction: explorers Pupils develop non-fiction reading and writing skills through texts about explorers.
Spring
- Modern text: first deep dive Pupils look at different types of leadership in 'Animal Farm'.
- Nineteenth century text: first deep dive Pupils consider how and why Dickens presents 'A Christmas Carol' as a ghost story.
- Unseen poetry Pupils prepare for unseen poetry in GCSE Literature by reading poems, studying poetic methods and developing personal responses.
Summer
- Shakespeare: second deep dive Pupils analyse the importance of masculinity to Macbeth's downfall.
- Shakespeare: third deep dive Pupils learn about the importance of guilt in 'Macbeth'.
- Nineteenth century text: third deep dive Pupils explore how Dickens presents 'A Christmas Carol' as a critique of dominant Victorian values.