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English

Intent: The Big Ideas in English at Atherton High School

The study of English is a foundational cornerstone to students’ ability to understand, interpret, and influence the world around them. At Atherton High School, the English curriculum is designed to foster curious, confident, critical, and culturally rich readers, writers, and speakers who are equipped to participate thoughtfully in the big conversations of life through a lens of social justice.

We are committed to an inclusive curriculum that recognises and values the diverse identities and experiences of our students. Through careful text selection, we ensure that our students can see themselves reflected in the literature they study, while also being introduced to perspectives beyond their own. Our curriculum actively works to challenge assumptions, broaden horizons, and build cultural capital.

At AHS we do not shy away from academic rigour. Our curriculum includes challenging texts—both modern and canonical—that stretch students’ thinking and expose them to complex ideas, language, and structures. These texts are carefully scaffolded to be accessible to all, ensuring that ambition and inclusion go hand in hand.

The curriculum is underpinned by a spiral structure, returning to key concepts and disciplinary knowledge throughout Key Stages 3 and 4. This approach supports students in building deep schema, developing their understanding incrementally, and applying their knowledge with increasing independence and sophistication over time. Each unit builds on prior learning and anticipates future demands, preparing students for the rigour of GCSE English Language and Literature (AQA).

We aim to cultivate both academic success and personal voice. Students are supported to become strong analytical, creative, and persuasive writers. A variety of assessment forms—both formative and summative—encourage them to experiment, reflect, and refine their thinking. Through talk, reading, and writing, students develop confidence, critical literacy, and the power to express themselves with precision and impact.

Ultimately, English at our school is about opening doors for our young people: to new ideas, to personal agency, and to the transformative power of language.

How the English curriculum contributes to the school’s curriculum intent

1. Knowledge – Knowledge is at the heart of every scheme of learning. It is carefully selected, sequenced and curated to ensure students gain the right balance of substantive and disciplinary knowledge to become fluent in the application of their subject knowledge.
2. Vocabulary rich – Each of our schemes of learning will start with a challenging list of vocabulary (specifically chosen by our team to enrich learning and deepen understanding) which will be explicitly taught and mastered through a range of tasks that are embedded in pupils learning and developed over time. The vocabulary we choose give our students a rich and varied dialect with which they can express their thoughts with confidence.
3. Aspiration – Through knowledge rich schemes of learning, diverse and wide-reaching texts, discussions and experiential visits, students will be encouraged to develop knowledge and skills that will ensure a purposeful, ambitious, pupil-driven transition to life beyond AHS.
4. Character building – Through exploration of topics, text and experiences that develop pupils’ social, moral and cultural understanding; characters are strengthened through a curriculum that includes and promotes British Values and ensures employability skills of oracy and written communication are developed.
5. Love learning – Our students study engaging topics and texts that stretch their imagination and understanding of the world around them, developing skills of inquisition. A range of strategies are used in teaching designed to support, inspire and challenge pupils to become independent learners. As a department, and as a school, we encourage an understanding of the changing world and how learning is a life skill. We embed cross-curricular links wherever possible to empower pupils to demonstrate and deepen their knowledge and application of learning.

• Year 7 Learning Journey
• Year 8 Learning Journey
• Year 9 Learning Journey
• Year 10 Learning Journey
• Year 11 Learning Journey 

Reading in English

English reading and texts are the beating heart of the English curriculum at Atherton High School. Our carefully selected knowledge and concepts are taught through high quality, engaging literature texts as vehicles to ensure students of all abilities and backgrounds to make authentic meaning from their English lessons. We use research driven strategies to increase students’ reading abilities whilst also promoting reading for pleasure outside the classroom. On their journey from year seven to eleven our students will read a library of whole texts which transport them to other worlds, create invaluable empathy and allow them to become confident readers.

Cultural Capital in English

At our school, the English curriculum is designed to broaden students’ cultural capital through a diverse and enriching exploration of both classic and contemporary texts. With a strong focus on empathy, identity, and social justice, students are encouraged to engage critically with literature from a wide range of voices and contexts, deepening their understanding of the world and their place within it. Each year, students take part in theatre trips linked to key curriculum texts as well as performances chosen simply to foster a love of live drama. We also host author visits and welcome touring theatre companies into school, bringing literature and performance to life. Our curriculum is rooted not only in reading and writing but also in speaking and listening: students have regular opportunities to debate, present, and explore rhetoric, learning to articulate their views clearly while listening to and respectfully challenging the opinions of others. Through this vibrant programme of study and enrichment, English at our school cultivates curiosity, confidence, and compassionate yet critical eye in every learner.

Learning Beyond the Classroom in English

English at our school extends far beyond the classroom, offering students a wide range of opportunities to engage with language, literature, and creative expression in meaningful and enjoyable ways. From participating in national writing competitions and poetry slams to joining our creative writing club or contributing to the school magazine which we hope to launch this year, students are encouraged to develop their voices and celebrate the power of words. Theatre trips, author visits, and performances by touring theatre companies further enhance their cultural experiences, bringing texts to life and inspiring a deeper connection with literature. Pupils also take part in public speaking and debating events, building confidence, empathy, and critical thinking skills that will serve them in all areas of life. These experiences ensure that English is not just a subject, but a gateway to understanding the world, shaping identity, and expressing ideas with clarity and impact.