English
As a result of our participation in the Revised Curriculum Pilot Scheme, Year 8 & 9 units have been designed to focus on developing pupils' knowledge, understanding and skills.
YEAR 8
TEXT
- 'Boy' by Roald Dahl (A or B Band)
- 'Danny Champion of the World' by Roald Dahl (B Band)
THEME
All About Me
TEXT
- 'Holes' by Louis Sinclair
Carrickfergus Castle Leaflet Design - pupils complete an ICT lesson based on their History trip to Carrickfergus. This lesson focuses on persuasive writing skills and draws attention to the connected nature of the boys' learning.
THEME
Conflcit and Bullying
TEXT
- 'Stormbreaker' by Anthony Horowitz (A Band)
- 'Stormbreaker', 'Going Solo', 'Small Steps' and 'The Bad Beginning' (B Band)
Group Reader Programme - to encourage a sense of independence, the pupils in the B Band will be given the opportunity to choose a novel that interests them and to engage in a series of generic lessons based on topics such as character, setting, genre and reviews etc. The boys will work in small groups to complete these lessons and will be given some responsibility for their group's reading pace.
THEME
Investigation
YEAR 8C
TEXT
- 'George's Marvellous Medicine' by Roald Dahl
THEME
All About Me
TEXT
- '100 Facts on Knights and Castles' by Jane Walker
THEME
Conflict
TEXT
- 'The Magician's Nephew' by C. S. Lewis
THEME
Magic
Units of work designed for the C Band focus primarily on developing the pupils' language skills.
YEAR 9 A & B
TEXT
- 'Artemis Fowl' by Eoin Colfer
THEME
Exploration and Fantasy
TEXT
- 'Horowitz Horror' by Anthony Horowitz (A & B Band)
- 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' by William Shakespeare (A Band)
- 'Frankenstein' Play version (B Band)
THEME
Magic and Horror
TEXT
- Selected Articles
THEME
Sport
YEAR 9C
TEXT
- 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' by C. S. Lewis
THEME
Discovery and Adventure
TEXT
- 'The Witches' by Roald Dahl
THEME
Magic
TEXT
- 'Fields of Glory, The Diary of Walter Tull' by Jillian Powell (Digitext)
- 'Respect' by Michaela Morgan
- 'Revolting Rhymes' by Roald Dahl
THEME
Football
It is hoped that the inclusion of an interactive ICT text for 9C will enhance the boys' independence and enthusiasm.
YEAR 10 A & B
TEXT
- 'Teaching Trailers' Unit
- 'The Wish List' by Eoin Colfer
THEME
Persuasion
TEXT
- 'You Don't KNow Me' by David Klass (A Band)
- 'Face' by Benjamin Zephaniah (B Band)
- 'Stone Cold' by Robert Swindells (B Band)
THEME
Alienation
Careers Unit - 'I Have a Dream' - this will be supplemented by the reading of various short stories.
YEAR 9C
TEXT
- 'The Bad Beginning' by Lemony Snicket
THEME
Alienation
TEXT
- 'Holes' by Louis Sinclair
THEME
Conflict and Bullying
Careers Unit - 'I Have a Dream' - this will be supplemented by the reading of various short stories.
Pupils in Years 8, 9, 10 and 12 complete weekly spelling tests. Spelling lists become progressively more challenging and focus on recognisable spelling patterns within words. The boys are re-tested at the end of each month and again, prior to the exams.
Pupils in Year 8 & 9 also complete book reviews prior to the Christmas and summer exams. The reviews comprise 10% of the Continuous Assessment marks for each exam. By formalising the reading and reviewing of individually chosen texts, we aim to develop a reading culture throughout the school.