English
Details of the curriculum for KS3 and KS4 are included here, split into Year group information. Click on the relevant tab on the left to access this.
The Department
The English Department aims to enrich its students’ cultural knowledge and their understanding of the human condition through the study of a broad range of contemporary and historical literature, drama and film, carefully selected from both the British literary canon and from acclaimed authors that offer a broader global perspective. It is a curriculum that will help our students to think with critical independence and to act with compassion. Beyond Upton, we hope to have inspired in our students a lifelong passion for reading and a confident ability to communicate their ideas, both creatively and accurately, through the written and spoken word.
Pen portraits
Mrs Seed (Head of English)
Mrs Seed trained in the performing arts before attaining a BA first class Honours in English Literature at the University of Sheffield. A passionate reader of classic literature, she is particularly interested in the satirical writing of the 18th century and the novels panoramic of the 19th Century. Her favourite novels include Austen’s Persuasion, Hugo’s Les Miserables, Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness and the revisionary Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, as well as the Shakespearean plays, The Merchant of Venice, Measure for Measure and Much Ado About Nothing.
Mr Pearson
Mr Pearson gained a BA Honours in English Studies at Sheffield Hallam University, achieving a first in his creative writing dissertation. His poetry then went on to be published in Oxford Poetry Quartz Magazine and Student Quarterly Magazine. He is an avid teacher of works by Shakespeare, Blake, Hardy and Austen. His favourite novel since childhood is J.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit.
Mrs Wildman (Deputy Head of English)
Mrs Wildman graduated from the University of Liverpool with BA Honours in English Literature, going on to attain an MA in Educational Leadership alongside teaching in the English Department at Upton. She has a particular interest in teaching poetry and the representation of women and families in literature. Her favourite novel is The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger and the non-fiction text ‘Everything I Know About Love’ by Dolly Anderton.
Miss McHarron
Miss McHarron attained a BA Honours in Linguistics and English Language before going on to specialise in supporting students in SEND education for three years. She joined the department directly after qualifying as an English teacher, and she supports the wider life of the school at Upton by serving as a staff governor. Her favourite novel is Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.
Mrs Stones
Mrs Stones attained her BA Honours in English Literature at the University of Warwick, where she also studied for her PGCE and Masters in Education. The focus of her Masters was the place of English literary heritage in the curriculum, and she is interested in ways to diversify the range of literature that students experience. To this end, she runs the Women’s Prize for Fiction Book Club to share her love of literature by inspiring female authors. Her other interests include the 19th century novel and Romantic and Victorian poetry. Her favourite books are ‘Jane Eyre’ by Charlotte Brontë and ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. She is also Head of Year Ten and oversees pastoral duties for this year group.
Miss K Fletcher
Miss Fletcher attained her BA Hons in English and History as well as a MA in Victorian Literature from the University of Liverpool.
She joined the English department in January 2022 after completing her NPQSL in raising attainment of Key Stage 4 students. Miss Fletcher’s passion is to incorporate new teaching and learning ideas into her practice, and she enjoys mentoring newly qualified teachers as they embark upon the early career framework. Academically, she is particularly interested in the works of Percy Shelley alongside a range of other novelists from the Romantic and Victorian eras. Her favourite novels are Persuasion by Jane Austen and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. In her spare time, Miss Fletcher loves to travel and listen to her two favourite singers: Beyoncé and Dolly Parton.
Work from the department.
Curriculum The following student work exemplifies excellence in writing across the key stages.
Exemplar 1: Year 7 journalistic writing based on Private Peaceful
Exemplar 2: Year 7 ghost story
Exemplar 5: Year 10 original writing
Curriculum The following student work exemplifies excellence in reading across the key stages:
Exemplar 1: analytical essay on the GCSE poetry anthology
English Beyond the Curriculum
At the end of the school year, the English Department run an annual competition called ‘English Hall of Fame’ for students to submit original work that reaches beyond the curriculum. They are invited to submit work that might include poetry, short stories, book reviews and art work. In 2020-2021 the following work attained a prize in their year group:
Year 7
Exemplar 1: Cover Art of the short story ‘The Red Room’ using graphic design
Exemplar 2: Original Poetry ‘The Seagull’s Song
Exemplar 3: A portrait of Shakespeare
Exemplar 4: Book Review ‘Jane Eyre’
Exemplar 5: Original art work – portrait of Boxer from ‘Animal Farm’
Exemplar 6: Original Poetry ‘Sonnet 2013’
Year 8
Exemplar 1: Original Poetry ‘The Girl with the Long Dark Hair’
Exemplar 2: Original Poetry ‘My Beloved’
Exemplar 3: Original writing – short story
Exemplar 4: Critical writing book review of ‘The Last Warrior’
Year 9
Exemplar 1: Original writing – short story
Exemplar 2: Original Poetry ‘There Is Love’
World Book Day
Despite being unable to run our annual book-themed art exhibition for World Book Day in 2021, we still ran on online competition for original art work and book front covers. The following work received a commendation.
Exemplar 1: Year 7 student ‘The Ghost of Gosswater’
Exemplar 2: Year 7 student ‘Shine’ – a cover design for a novel the student is currently writing
National Poetry Day
For more information: