• Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future

English

English

Welcome to the English Faculty

The faculty consists of a team of full and part-time highly qualified teachers and is very highly resourced. In conjunction with the learning resource centre, our pupils have the opportunity to access and study a wide variety of texts.

We use interactive learning and tools to cover a wide range of subjects including adaptations of classic plays. Pupils have excellent access to computers for both research and writing purposes. Equipping all pupils with a range of ICT skills is considered vital by the faculty; many of the teachers have used ICT in professional aplications.

The faculty continues to develop and expand to include Media Studies and Film Studies. English Language has become a popular choice for Sixth Form students and our traditional literature teaching continues to go from strength to strength.

The English teaching staff are highly committed, enthusiastic and professional. Classes are stimulating and engaging whilst retaining a spark of informality and humour.

English Faculty Aims

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1. To promote all pupils’ abilities to communicate effectively in speech and writing and to listen to others with sympathetic understanding.

2. To develop pupils’ ability to read for both understanding and pleasure, and to encourage them to extend their own reading tastes in a wide variety of texts.

3. Where reading skills are limited, to present pupils with suitable texts to improve skills and to promote a desire to read more.

4. To encourage an interest in language and its uses by offering a range of texts both historically and linguistically appealing.

5. To develop pupils’ ongoing understanding of the conventions of English grammar, punctuation and spelling; to foster an interest in writing logically and accurately.

6. To enable students to write in as wide a variety of genres as possible, to recognise the conventions of such genres and to be alert to audience and purpose.

7. To expand students’ capacity and confidence to speak, both as individuals and in groups of varying size, and to different audiences.

8. To encourage a deep and enduring love of literature.

Useful Websites

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Great for students of English, English Literature and Media Studies

www.dictionary.com On-line ctionary & thesaurus
www.infovisual.info Visual dictionary & brain-training games
www.englishbiz.co.uk English & English Literature study guides
www.vocabulary.co.il/index_main.php Vocabulary games and fun
www.samlearning.co.uk Improve your results
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize BBC revision guides & quizzes
www.universalteacher.org.uk Learning resources & fun
www.imdb.com Extensive database of movies & TV shows
www.empireonline.com Movie magazine: articles, reviews, opinions
www.howstuffworks.com Facts and details about almost anything!

Top Tips Guides

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Paper 1 Top Tips

Paper 2 Top Tips

Top Tips from your English Teachers

Top Tips of Mice and Men

Top Tips of Literature Poetry

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Students' work

Extra Curricular

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GCSE Performance

Hamlet at the Tobacco Factory

British Film Institute Special Screening

logos