English language and literature

English at Ashington Academy is an immersive experience, exposing students to classics such as Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ and Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’, to more modern works such as Dominic Cooke’s adaptation of the alternate reality ‘Noughts and Crosses’ 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 encounter the complexity of power and masculine relationships portrayed in William Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’. Pupils can meet brooding romantic heroes like Wordsworth and Blake before arriving in the victorian period with Brontë, Browning and Dickens’ festive seminal work ‘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 Ashington 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.

Our ‘Keys to Success’ literacy programme ensures students learn the fundamental skills to help them progress not only in English but across the whole curriculum. Students enjoy English because it is varied, fast-paced and fun. Every student is inspired to believe in their potential and to aim high. They acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language. Throughout their academic career here, students develop the ability to write accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences. We endeavour to ensure all students become competent orators, including: making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate. 

View our post-16 curriculum here.

It’s not only English lessons that are exciting at Ashington Academy: English teachers also fully immerse themselves in a range of English and literacy-themed events throughout the year, celebrating key dates in the literary calendar, including Shakespeare’s birthday in April and World Book Day. This entails a whole host of extra-curricular activities, including a 'Masked Reader' challenge! Alongside this, staff from all departments pull out all the stops to come to school dressed as their favourite literary characters.

The English department also hosts many extra-curricular clubs, including debate club, where students discuss the issues of the day and hone their arguing skills; creative writing club, where students are inspired to write across a range of genres and reading club, which allows students to come together to read and discuss their favourite books, all of which are very popular with our students.

Curriculum information