Year 7
Building Strong Foundations
Literature Exploration: Students discover how different cultures and life experiences are beautifully expressed through Poetry from Other Cultures, fostering global awareness and empathy. They are then introduced to the world of Shakespeare through A Midsummer Night’s Dream, exploring plot development, dramatic conventions, and the timeless appeal of the Bard’s work. Students also begin their journey into writer’s craft and genre features through C.S. Lewis’s captivating fantasy novel The Magician’s Nephew.
Creative Writing Development: Students develop their descriptive writing skills inspired by the magical world of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, learning to paint vivid pictures with words. They also build storytelling abilities through narrative writing tasks linked to The Magician’s Nephew, establishing strong foundations in creative expression.
Non-Fiction Skills: Students explore various styles of travel writing from around the world, developing their understanding of different perspectives and writing techniques while building essential non-fiction analysis skills.
Year 8
Expanding Horizons
Literature Studies: Students examine War Fiction and Poetry inspired by different conflicts around the globe, building crucial comparison skills while understanding historical context. They explore Dracula, an adapted study of Bram Stoker’s gothic masterpiece, examining gothic features alongside sophisticated language and structural analysis. Students also study Of Mice and Men, exploring fiction from other cultures while being introduced to evaluation skills and understanding the influence of historical context on literature.
Writing Excellence: Students undertake advanced descriptive writing tasks based on gothic imagery from Dracula and atmospheric settings from Of Mice and Men, stretching and developing their knowledge of effective writing techniques. They also explore powerful personal accounts through Personal Non-Fiction studies of letters from the trenches and diary entries based on World War II, learning to express strong opinions and emotions effectively.
Year 9
Mastering Complex Texts
Advanced Literature: Students delve deeper into Shakespeare through The Tempest, exploring themes of comedy and magic while building upon Year 7 foundations and examining character types and thematic conventions. They also engage with Dystopian Novels through study of texts such as The Knife of Never Letting Go, Noughts and Crosses, or The Northern Lights, exploring dystopian features while highlighting novel structures and character development.
Advanced Writing Skills: Students complete a comprehensive range of narrative writing tasks building sophisticated storytelling skills, linked to specific story starters and various genres. They also master non-fiction writing through study of diverse genres and challenging tasks to ensure mastery of appropriate tone, form, and register for different purposes and audiences.
Year 8
Excellence in Literature and Language
GCSE English Literature
Our Literature course offers students the opportunity to engage with some of the finest writing in the English language. Students study a comprehensive poetry anthology alongside developing analytical skills through unseen poetry work with new texts. They explore both modern plays that speak to today’s audiences and Shakespearean plays that demonstrate the Bard’s enduring genius. The course also includes study of modern novels that engage with contemporary literary voices and Victorian novels that help students understand literature within its historical context.
GCSE English Language
Our Language course develops practical communication skills essential for success. Students complete Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing, which combines analytical and creative skills, alongside Paper 2: Writer’s Viewpoints and Perspectives, which focuses on understanding how writers persuade and influence their audiences.
Assessment Objectives and Skills Development
Literature Assessment Objectives:
- AO1: Read, understand and respond to texts with sophistication
- AO2: Analyse language, form and structure, using relevant subject terminology appropriately
- AO3: Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between texts and their contexts
- AO4: Use varied vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation
Language Assessment Objectives:
- AO1: Identify and interpret explicit and implicit information; select and synthesise evidence
- AO2: Explain and analyse how writers use language and structure to achieve effects and influence readers
- AO3: Compare writers’ ideas and perspectives across multiple texts
- AO4: Evaluate texts critically with appropriate textual evidence
- AO5: Communicate clearly and imaginatively, adapting tone, style and register for different purposes
- AO6: Demonstrate technical accuracy in vocabulary, sentence structure, spelling and punctuation
Contact
The Thomas Adams School
Lowe Hill
Wem
Shropshire
SY4 5UB
Tel: +44 1939 237000