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In the first three years we aim to develop:
What staff and facilities are available to the department?The department has a staff of nine full-time teachers and one part-time teacher. They occupy seven rooms in the Convent House and one in the Woodsmoor Building. Teachers make extensive use of the Library and its ICT suite. How much time will I spend on this subject per ten day cycle?
What is English in the Lower School like?Work is taught in such a way that several aims are covered at a time. For example the close reading and study of a text can encourage creativity through the production of writing in a variety of forms. Presentation and oral communication skills are developed through discussion or dramatic role play and, as an integral part, specific technical skills such as spelling and grammar are learnt. Each First and Second Year class also has one period of Drama per fortnightly cycle. Specific attention is paid to the development of personal reading through a certificate scheme. All pupils begin this in the First Year. There is one library lesson per cycle in order to encourage personal reading. What happens further up the school?At IGCSE we concentrate on preparing pupils for the compulsory English and English Literature examinations, which are based on non-literary and media texts as well as the study of classic plays, poetry and novels. The English Literature coursework element gives pupils the opportunity to respond analytically, personally and imaginatively to texts which are studied in class. The coursework folder contains several pieces of written work including essays on Shakespeare or modern drama and poetry. At A Level we study modern prose texts such as ‘The Great Gatsby’ and ‘The God of Small Things’ alongside Shakespeare plays and poetry by Browning, Chaucer and Keats. Many theatre visits are organised and at the end of the Lower Sixth a residential visit to Stratford or London is arranged. Are there any extra-curricular activities?
Drama
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