Subject Information

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The Northern Ireland Curriculum aims to empower young people to achieve their potential and to make informed and responsible decisions throughout their lives. Consequently, teachers in the English Department teach the four ‘language modes’ of Talking/Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing, to Year 8-12 students, across the full ability range, with the emphasis on the development of skills and capabilities for life-long learning.

The ability to think both critically and creatively and to develop personal and inter-personal skills and dispositions is essential for functioning effectively in a changing world.  We, therefore, support the development of Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities and the cross-curricular skills of Communication, Using Mathematics, Using ICT, and, likewise, CEIAG.  Moreover, students are encouraged to adopt a Growth Mindset approach towards their learning in the English classroom.

Accordingly, in its aims, the English Department reflects the whole school vision by:

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• seeking to develop confidence and competence in the four language modes – Talking/Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing and to use these four communication modes as channels for thinking:

• providing students with a wide range of learning opportunities to develop effective use of language for functional and creative expression and response;

• promoting understanding of the nature of communication in different contexts;

• providing opportunities for students to become discerning users of language and to appreciate literature; and, also,

• enabling students to shape and deconstruct messages in print, mass media and information technologies.

Furthermore, the English Department aims to:

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• meet, through our policies and teaching, the requirements of the Northern Ireland Curriculum;

• encourage each student to become an independent learner and realise his/her full potential;

• nurture self-respect and self-confidence and develop attitudes of tolerance, understanding, mutual respect, co-operation, empathy, resourcefulness, adaptability and objectivity;

• foster in students a delight in reading, which will remain with them through life; and, also,

• empower students, through an active engagement with language, to develop as individuals, as contributors to society and to the economy and environment, encouraging them to achieve their potential and make conversant and responsible decisions throughout their lives.

All students have four, fifty-minute periods of English per week. Students identified as requiring support in Key Stage 3 English are invited to participate in the Literacy Support Programme and Reading Partnership Programme, while, students identified as requiring support in Key Stage 4 English Language are invited to participate in the Mentoring Programme and attend revision sessions.

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