The exploration of English and English Literature as a means of nurturing balanced, resilient, creative and empathetic individuals well equipped for the challenges of adult life is a guiding principle. Encouraging students to appreciate the vital role English plays in their daily lives and enabling them to move beyond proficiency and become increasingly skilled in the functional application of English and its interlinking strands of reading, writing and speaking and listening, is a core aim of the English curriculum empowering students to fulfil their potential.

We teach and celebrate the ways in which being an effective communicator can enhance one’s life chances, foster healthy and rewarding relationships and build self-esteem. Providing students with regular opportunities to explore challenging issues and topics from a range of perspectives and promote respectful, nuanced and open-minded debate is a priority. We actively encourage students to appreciate that changing one’s mind is a sign of strength and not weakness. Insisting the views of others are respected, we seek to nurture acceptance, whilst at the same time urge students to challenge intolerance whenever they encounter it.

We champion reading and use the study of literature to enable students to reflect on their own and others’ experience of conflict, isolation, courage and the range of human emotions.

Fundamentally, our desire is that students accompanying us on this journey become not only competent users of English, but acquire a confidence in their relationship with the English Language that enables them to thrive as adults. Equally as important to us is to have fostered a pride in their own identity and an empathy towards others that enables them to enjoy fulfilling relationships and be a positive force in the wider world.