English

English at Biddick Academy is an immersive experience, exposing students to classics such as Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ and Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’, to the more modern works of Willy Russell’s ‘Blood Brothers’’ and the poetry of Maya Angelou.

Students will journey through the literary canon, beginning in Medieval England with Beowulf and Geoffrey Chaucer before travelling on to meet William Shakespeare’s ‘star-cross’d lovers’, Romeo and Juliet. Pupils can meet brooding Romantic heroes like Wordsworth, Byron and Blake before arriving in the Victorian period with Brontë, and Dickens’s tale of redemption, ‘A Christmas Carol.’ The journey concludes in the modern era where they explore 1930s America and the unlikely friendship of George and Lennie in Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’, followed by the social inequality of Edwardian England with Priestley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’, as well as a range of poetry from diverse and exciting voices.

Students study a rich and challenging curriculum. From engaging with ideas from a wide variety of texts to opportunities for self-expression and creativity in both spoken and written contexts, studying English at Biddick Academy nurtures self-expression and reflective thought. Throughout the key stages, students will encounter a range of literary genres and forms, ranging from Jacobean drama and courtly love poetry to a whole host of non-fiction diaries, essays, letters and autobiographies. We take a cross-curricular approach, encouraging students to think about the social, political and historical context alongside developing their own voice. As well as following the curriculum, students will be encouraged to read for pleasure, experiencing a diverse range of literature as a platform for exploring new ideas, developing critical thinking skills and learning more about the world around them. Students will be inspired by great thinkers such as activist Martin Luther King, environmentalist Greta Thunberg and suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst.

I really like being creative in descriptive writing, I enjoy learning new words.

Key Stage 3 student

I enjoy creative writing because it lets me develop and express my ideas. I also like the way Literature allows us to think critically about society in context.

Key Stage 4 student

Curriculum Information

Year

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Introduction to the Canon – a timeline of British literary heritage

Moments that Changed the World – developing speech writing skills through the study of key historical events of the twentieth century

Gory Gothic Writing – Fiction writing inspired by Victorian Literature

Much Ado About Nothing – Shakespeare’s funniest play and feistiest heroine

Individual Voices Poetry – explore a range of poems from the Romantic era to the modern day

Victorian Britain and Oliver Twist – Explore the twisting alleyways of Victorian London through the words of the those that walked upon them, including the great British writer, Charles Dickens.

It's a Man's World - NF Writing

Blood Brothers – travel back to 20th century Liverpool for Willy Russell’s tragic family saga

Romeo and Juliet – meet the most famous couple in literature

Adventures Around the World – be inspired to write by literature from around the world

Of Mice and Men – appreciate the heart-warming friendship of George and Lennie in 1930s America

Hope in a Ballet Shoe: Orphaned by war, saved by ballet.Discover the extraordinary true story of Michaela DePrince’s escape from Sierra Leone to the Boston ballet.

Animal Farm – George Orwell’s political allegory is a 20th century British classic

Short Stories – develop your narrative writing skills as you learn how to produce your own short story.

Diverse Voices – listen to the voices of contemporary poets and write your own dramatic monologue

Tragedy – meet the Greek chorus, tragic heroes, and explore the conventions of this epic genre

A Search for Truth – Deepen your knowledge of Non-Fiction Writing as you delve into the controversial world of investigative journalism

Say it Out Loud – embrace your inner orator by performing a passionate speech

Macbeth – visit medieval Scotland and the terrifying reign of Macbeth

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – R.L. Stevenson’s tale of dual identity and hidden evil

Explorations in Creative Reading – experience the breadth and beauty of 20th century fiction

An Inspector Calls - Evaluate Priestley's post-war political ideas

Writers’ Viewpoints and perspectives – compare and contrast the great thinkers of the Victorian era with modern journalism

Power and Conflict Poetry – read poetry across time and genre and explore the perennial questions

An Inspector Calls –J.B. Priestley’s moral social polemic explores the vices of the Edwardian era

Power and Conflict and Unseen Poetry

Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing

Macbeth

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

Non-fiction writing

Writers’ Viewpoints and perspectives