0. English Year 7-9.xlsx

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5		Year 7		Year 8		Year 9
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7	Half Term	Pupils will learn	Pupils will learn how to	Pupils will learn	Pupils will learn how to	Pupils will learn	Pupils will learn how to

8	Autumn 1	Autobiographies Welcoming pupils into Year 7, this introductory unit invites them to look inward, using their own lives, personalities, and memories as the fuel for their writing. At its heart, this scheme is about mastering the fundamentals. Through targeted instruction on sentence types, paragraphing, and accurate punctuation, we equip students with the essential tools they will rely on throughout their entire secondary school journey. Pupils will build directly on what they learned in primary school, discovering how to mix varied tenses, thoughtful vocabulary, and discourse markers to establish a mature writing tone. Reading is tightly woven into this writing journey. By exploring rich autobiographical extracts from writers around the globe—including voices from America and Pakistan—students are introduced to world literature that builds empathy and prepares them for future poetry studies. These texts serve as beautiful blueprints for their own creative writing. Fully aligned with the National Curriculum’s push for challenging non-fiction, this unit explicitly previews the technical accuracy and structural flair demanded by GCSE English Language Paper 2 Question 5, gifting students skills that will serve them across the entire school curriculum and into their future careers.	Master the fundamental mechanics of punctuation, consistently using capital letters and full stops with absolute accuracy to secure grammatical baselines. Manipulate a wide variety of sentence structures and paragraph lengths to deliberately control narrative pacing, structural cohesion, and stylistic emphasis. Deploy sophisticated discourse markers and ambitious vocabulary to consciously establish, shift, and maintain a controlled, authentic narrative tone. Identify a range of literary and linguistic devices within mentor texts and confidently replicate these specific methods to enhance the impact of their own writing. Analyse and critique a diverse selection of autobiographical world literature, using these texts to inspire their own writing, while developing cross-cultural empathy.	Duty and Protest Poetry This scheme of work immerses pupils in a diverse selection of poetry exploring themes of duty, protest, and literature as a vehicle for resistance against oppression. Building systematically on the foundational poetic conventions introduced in Year 7, this unit deepens pupils' understanding of how poets manipulate language, structure, and form for deliberate effect, while cultivating a strong, authentic critical voice. By the end of the unit, pupils will be equipped to write sophisticated analytical responses, formulate independent viewpoints, and select judicious textual evidence. A key focus is advancing their writing framework from PEA (Point, Evidence, Analysis) to PEAC (incorporating Context), allowing them to seamlessly embed historical and cultural insights into their paragraph structures. Furthermore, the unit actively develops verbal literacy (oracy) through structured discussions, drama-based activities, and presentations. While fulfilling the KS3 National Curriculum requirements for poetry, this thematic unit also establishes an essential conceptual foundation for the 'Power and Conflict' themes required at GCSE.	Identify poetic devices and critically evaluate the deeper meaning and subtext behind them. Analyse the writer's use of structure and form, exploring how structural shifts and formatting choices impact the reader. Write analytically and develop a critical voice, formulating independent arguments and expressing an authentic personal perspective on the text. Embed contextual information fluently into their written work, successfully upgrading their paragraph structures from standard PEA to a more sophisticated PEAC framework.	Novel study - Purple Hibiscus As the culminating novel study of Key Stage 3, this unit challenges Year 9 pupils to master the art of sustained textual analysis. Building on their literary foundations from Years 7 and 8, pupils will dive into a rigorous text that intertwines concepts from previous units—such as Private Peaceful, Animal Farm, and Duty and Protest poetry. This scheme deliberately introduces pupils to the complex themes of power, conflict, poverty, gender, and religion, mapping out a clear pathway toward their upcoming GCSE studies. To guide them through this demanding literature, lessons are structured to secure firm comprehension before moving into formal writing. By the end of the unit, pupils will possess a deep, critical appreciation for authorial intent and the historical context that shapes great writing.	Develop and articulate mature, independent opinions when exploring complex, overarching themes. Understand and construct precise thesis statements that establish a clear, central argument from the beginning of an essay. Synthesise evidence dynamically from across different chapters to support a sustained, text-wide interpretation. Analyse the writer’s methods in depth, evaluating how specific choices of language, structure, and literary devices create meaning. Embed contextual evidence seamlessly, linking the events within the novel to its real-world historical and cultural setting. Evaluate authorial intent, beginning to critically discuss the wider political, moral, or social messages the writer intends to convey.
9	Autumn 2	Detective Fiction In this scheme, pupils will develop their writing from Autumn 1 and transition from writing non-fiction to writing fiction. Building upon their ability to organise ideas and describe events with clarity, in this unit pupils will focus on writing narratives to create tension through the detective fiction genre. By reading a range of increasingly challenging texts, pupils will be exposed to the typicalities of the detective fiction genre before practising planning and writing their own creative writing. The extracts have been chosen to mirror the development of a narrative arc and to model a range of language and structural features that they will in turn practise and use in their own stories. By focusing on specific moments in a narrative, pupils are encouraged to think critically about the most appropriate linguistic/structural devices and vocabulary, drawing upon their learning about tone in Autumn 1. By understanding how writers use linguistic devices for effect, pupils will be prepared for their study of poetry as certain terms (e.g. similes) will be familiar. Furthermore, they will recognise and understand the thought process involved in creating such devices. Ultimately, this scheme allows pupils to write creatively, which is a requirement for GCSE English language. This scheme fulfils the requirement that KS3 pupils read increasingly challenging pre-1914 English literature and exposes pupils to a new genre. Additionally, through reading, pupils will develop their understanding of how language is used to present meaning. In their writing, this scheme aligns with the NC’s requirement that pupils apply their growing knowledge of vocabulary and form to write narrative texts. Finally, through continued engagement with drama pupils will develop their performance skills and use of spoken language.	Manipulate a diverse range of sentence types—intentionally balancing simple, compound, complex, and short/minor sentences—to build suspense, control narrative pacing, and create tension. Deploy a sophisticated range of figurative language (such as similes, metaphors, personification, and hyperbole), understanding the creative thought process behind these devices to enhance descriptive impact. Master the technique of "show, don't tell," utilizing sensory details, physical actions, and atmospheric imagery to reveal character emotions and build tension implicitly. Utilise a varied and challenging range of punctuation architecture—including colons, semi-colons, dashes, and ellipses—to manipulate text pacing, fragment speech, and isolate shocking narrative revelations. Construct purposeful paragraph lengths, strategically using single-sentence paragraphs or sudden structural shifts.	Novel Study - Animal Farm Building naturally on the political and historical ideas explored in our poetry unit, pupils will apply their critical thinking to Orwell's famous allegorical novella, Animal Farm. This marks the second text studied in complete depth during Key Stage 3, satisfying the National Curriculum’s demand for a rigorous and diverse reading. Throughout the unit, pupils will hone their ability to track complex themes and characters across an entire narrative, moving away from isolated paragraph writing toward fluent, sustained essays. Looking ahead, this allegory prepares students for the social commentary and structure of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at GCSE. The core debates of Animal Farm—centering on social injustice, corruption, and the exploitation of power—will gift pupils the mature vocabulary and concepts they need to confidently tackle any text at Key Stage 4.	Build on Year 7 knowledge and develop complex topic sentences to critically explore character development and motivation. Select and embed quotations seamlessly into their own writing to maintain a professional, academic tone. Construct precise analytical sentences that unpack the deeper meanings and subtext behind an author's specific choices. Utilise transitional phrasing and linking sentences to connect ideas smoothly from one paragraph to the next, building a cohesive argument.	Novel study - Purple Hibiscus Pupils will continue to study Purple Hibiscus
10	Spring 1	Poetry In this unit, pupils will form authentic responses to a diverse range of poetry, focusing specifically on the speaker’s emotions and perspective toward a central theme. Building on their exploration of feelings in Autumn 1 and their introduction to writer's methods in the Detective Fiction unit, pupils will deepen their understanding of how poets use language for effect. Having mastered basic paragraphing, pupils will now apply these skills to formal analytical writing using the PEA (Point, Evidence, Analysis) structure. By exploring a wide breadth of poetry—including world literature from poets such as Subramaniam and Toha—pupils will practise identifying emotional shifts, selecting judicious evidence, and analysing specific poetic techniques. Ultimately, this scheme lays the foundational poetry skills required throughout their English curriculum while directly fulfilling the KS3 National Curriculum requirement to read a wide and varied range of poetry.	Identify a range of poetic techniques and discuss why certain methods have been used. Develop clear points and use appropriate evidence to prove ideas. Use the PEA structure to form a concise, well-structured argument. Embed ambitious vocabulary and precise analytical verbs into writing.	Adventures and Discovery - non-ficiton writing This writing unit provides students with the space and tools to communicate with flair and clarity across different non-fiction forms, including articles and formal or informal letters. Lessons put a deliberate spotlight on SPAG, allowing pupils to consolidate the sentence structures they learned during their Year 7 autobiographical writing. We take their technical accuracy a step further by teaching them how to control advanced punctuation—such as colons, semi-colons, and dashes—to give their writing a more sophisticated rhythm. Using the gripping themes of adventure and discovery, students will practice tailoring their tone and layout to match strict real-world conventions. Crucially, this unit looks directly forward to the exact criteria pupils will face on their GCSE English Language Paper 2 exam. By prioritizing ambitious vocabulary choices, seamless paragraph transitions, and precise discourse markers, this scheme sets up our pupils to hit the ground running with GCSE assessment objectives AO5 and AO6.	Master the structural and stylistic conventions of formal letters, informal letters, and journalistic articles, accurately tailoring layouts (e.g., headlines, subheadings, addresses, and formal sign-offs) to each form. Use advanced and varied punctuation—including semi-colons, colons, dashes, and accurate direct speech punctuation (AO6). Embed impactful rhetorical devices (such as tricolons, anaphora, rhetorical questions, and emotive language) to strengthen their arguments and engage the reader's interest. Adapt tone, register, and voice Integrate sophisticated, ambitious vocabulary (Tier 2 and Tier 3 words) Utilize varied discourse markers and cohesive transitions to ensure logical paragraph sequencing and a seamless, well-structured overall argument (AO5). Manipulate a diverse range of sentence structures—intentionally balancing simple, compound, complex, and short/minor sentences—to create deliberate emphasis and stylistic effect.	Poetry - War and Conflict In this unit, pupils will engage with a rigorous selection of War Poetry, systematically building on the foundational skills and concepts developed during the Year 8 'Duty and Protest' scheme. While the Year 8 unit focused on analysing a single text in isolation, Year 9 introduces a vital progression: the transition to comparative analysis. Pupils will learn to evaluate two texts side-by-side, mirroring the exact structural demands of the GCSE exam. Crucially, this unit establishes a direct thematic bridge to the AQA GCSE Power and Conflict anthology. By interrogating universal concepts such as the psychological realities of warfare, patriotism, propaganda, and the clash between individual and institutional power, pupils develop the precise conceptual framework required for Key Stage 4. As the culminating poetry unit of KS3, it also sharpens their ability to approach unseen poetry independently.	Develop comparative analysis, successfully transitioning from evaluating a single poem in isolation to analysing two texts side-by-side. Deconstruct GCSE-level themes, critically exploring complex concepts such as the psychological trauma of conflict, the influence of patriotism and propaganda, and the clash between individual and institutional power. Navigate unseen poetry independently, acquiring a repeatable framework to approach, unpack, and interpret unfamiliar texts with confidence. Analyse complex poetic methods, evaluating how writers use advanced linguistic techniques, structural shifts, and form to communicate hidden meanings and shape reader responses. Structure integrated comparative essays, learning to weave connections, points of contrast, and shared thematic ideas smoothly throughout a single sustained argument. Evaluate context and perspective, examining how a poet’s background and the historical era of a conflict influence the voice and message of the poem.
11	Spring 2	Novel Study: Private Peaceful Building on the analytical skills developed during the poetry unit, pupils will now apply their understanding to a full prose text. Pupils will explore Private Peaceful thematically, focusing on childhood, love, and conflict. This unit introduces the concept that literature is crafted to convey broader societal messages, guiding pupils to examine Morpurgo’s commentary on the futility of war and the enduring nature of love. By the end of the unit, pupils will be confident in using the PEA structure and prepared to analyze more challenging texts with complex language. Crucially, this study acts as a stepping stone to the demands of the English Literature GCSE. By evaluating characters and themes, and by practising extract-based responses, pupils will build familiarity with the assessment styles used for texts like Macbeth and A Christmas Carol. Teachers will emphasize the importance of rooting answers in the text, modelling how to use analysis to construct a convincing argument. This unit directly aligns with the National Curriculum’s requirement to read a wide range of fiction and allows for an in-depth study of a single author. Furthermore, by exploring historical context and reading the complete novel through integrated homework tasks, pupils will deepen their understanding of a writer's overarching purpose.	Develop confident, cohesive analytical (PEA) paragraphs that explore character development or core themes, ensuring each point is well-reasoned, supported, and directly answers the question. elevate written responses by deliberately integrating sophisticated vocabulary, precise analytical verbs (e.g., conveys, emphasiSes, implies), and accurate literary terminology to articulate ideas. Identify the most judicious and precise textual evidence to support overarching arguments, focusing on embedding short, powerful phrases naturally into the flow of their sentences rather than copying out long chunks of text. Move beyond surface-level plot comprehension to analySe authorial intent, exploring how the novel reflects its historical context and what broader societal lessons the author is trying to teach the reader.	Gothic Horror After the intensive spotlight on grammar and sentences of the last unit, this writing unit shifts the purpose from non-fiction writing to fictive gothic writing. Pupils will be exposed to the genre of Gothic Fiction, ultimately using its conventions and tropes to inspire their own creative writing. Similarly to the Detective Fiction unit in year 7, pupils will identify a range of methods within extracts and subsequently recreate these in their own creative writing. They will also revise the narrative form encountered in year 7. Pupils will read approximately one extract a week, as opposed to one every two weeks in year 7, and the content is significantly more challenging to indicate how pupils have progressed from year 7. By the end of the unit, pupils will have written a detailed description of a Gothic setting, planned a full narrative and written the opening and endings of gothic stories. Pupils will be expected to embed a range of language and grammatical devices in their writing for effect, as well consciously adopt the conventions of the gothic genre. This correlates with the National Curriculum as the unit focuses on supporting pupils to ‘write accurately, fluently (and) effectively’ for a range of purposes, specifically stories and ‘imaginative writing’. In addition, the National Curriculum states how pupils should draw on literary devices to enhance the impact of their writing, which is demonstrated in this unit through pupils recreating devices in the Gothic extracts for effect.	Manipulate complex and varied sentence structures to deliberately build tension, control pacing, and create suspenseful atmospheres. Employ established Gothic horror conventions—such as ominous settings, isolation, the supernatural, and pathetic fallacy—to craft a compelling and authentic genre piece. Identify and evaluate a range of sophisticated language techniques, critically discussing how writers use semantic fields, imagery, and sensory details to evoke fear and anxiety in the reader. Select and embed ambitious, genre-specific vocabulary (Tier 2 and Tier 3 words) to enrich descriptions, avoid cliché, and sustain a sinister, immersive tone throughout their narrative.	Non-fiction writing - Eco-warrior feature articles This unit shifts the focus from fiction to non-fiction. Pupils will be exposed to a range of non-fiction articles and speeches, and consolodate their understanding of non-fiction writing conventions and structures. Similar to the non-fiction writing unit that pupils study in year 8, pupils will identify a range of methods used by writers and recreate these in their own pieces of writing. Pupils will also be exposed to some key issues that have been known to appear on the GCSE Language Paper 2, section B question. By the end of the unit, pupils will have researched into a topic of their choice, written a full length speech and delivered it in front of their peers. Pupils will be assessed on their Speaking and Listening, which prepares them for their Spoken Language assessment at GCSE.	Draft extended texts: craft persuasive, full-length articles and powerful speeches tailored to specific audiences. Apply the rhetorical triangle: effectively utilise ethos, logos, and pathos to build credible, logical, and emotionally resonant arguments. Embed rhetorical devices: seamlessly weave impactful techniques (such as repetition, tricolon, and rhetorical questions) into their writing to strengthen their viewpoint. Utilise varied discourse markers and cohesive transitions to ensure logical paragraph sequencing and a seamless, well-structured overall argument (AO5). Adapt tone, register, and voice. Use advanced and varied punctuation—including semi-colons, colons, dashes, and accurate direct speech punctuation (AO6). Present with impact: master the art of purposeful, dynamic, and confident oral delivery.
12	Summer 1	Shakespeare Study - Villains and Heroes This scheme is designed to introduce pupils to Shakespeare, whereby they will study key extracts from Macbeth, Richard III, King Lear and Othello. Throughout this scheme of work, students will be introduced to various themes in Shakespeare's plays and study characters in depth. Pupils will build on their knowledge from Spring 2 novel study, and be introduced to more complex language and themes. They will continue to practise their analytical writing skills. By the end of year 7, pupils will be expected to write analytically on characters and themes within the play. This unit of work introduces pupils to Literature Paper 1 of the GCSE, whereby they will be expected to read an entire Shakespeare play.	Read and understand language from the text, proactively embedding this ambitious terminology into written analytical responses. Analyse language and structural techniques: Identify a wide range of writer's methods, evaluating how these specific choices shape meaning, build tension, or impact the reader. Carefully choose the most judicious and precise quotations to substantiate overarching ideas, embedding them naturally into sentences. Formulate cohesive, well-structured arguments to clearly and convincingly articulate responses to a text or theme. Explore the background of the text, demonstrating an understanding of how the author's specific time period, culture, and experiences shape their wider messages and purpose.	Shakespeare Study - The Tempest In Summer 1 and 2, pupils will dive into Shakespeare’s The Tempest, building directly on the analytical skills they developed in Year 7 through studying Shakespeare's Villains and Heroes. This year, we challenge students to go beyond analyzing characters and themes to begin writing evaluatively. They will also explore the fascinating way The Tempest blends elements of both comedy and tragedy—a key concept that prepares them for GCSE and A-Level study. This rigorous unit ensures students are reading increasingly complex texts while fulfilling the KS3 National Curriculum requirement for Shakespearean study.	Transition to evaluative writing, building on Year 7 foundations by analyzing how The Tempest dynamically blends conventions of both comedy and tragedy. Craft complex topic sentences that probe deep thematic and conceptual layers within the play. Expertly select and embed quotations into their writing to sustain a fluent, academic argument. Deploy precise analytical language to interrogate how Shakespeare’s specific linguistic and dramatic choices construct meaning. Seamlessly link close textual analysis to broader historical contexts, establishing the vital evaluative foundations required for KS4 and KS5 literature.	Shakespeare Study - Romeo and Juliet This unit builds directly on the foundational knowledge pupils developed in Years 7 and 8. It fulfills the National Curriculum mandate of exploring two full Shakespeare plays and acts as a crucial springboard into their upcoming GCSE study of Macbeth. Through a rigorous exploration of the text, pupils will critically evaluate character arcs and thematic depth. Ultimately, they will master the ability to write compelling essays—confidently articulating a distinct point of view and anchoring their arguments in rich textual and historical evidence.	Craft precise thesis statements that directly respond to essay prompts and establish a clear, overarching argument from the outset. Construct developed topic sentences that effectively guide paragraph structure and sustain a consistent line of reasoning throughout an essay. Synthesise whole-text evidence, moving beyond isolated scenes to select and embed compelling quotations from across the entire play to support their interpretations. Analyse language and structure in depth, exploring how Shakespeare’s specific linguistic choices, dramatic techniques, and structural shifts create meaning and impact the audience. Integrate contextual analysis, seamlessly linking the events and themes of the play to the realities of the Elizabethan era, with a specific focus on the expectations and constraints of a patriarchal society.
13	Summer 2	Shakespeare Study - Villains and Heroes Pupils will continue with their Shakespeare study.		Shakespeare Study - The Tempest Pupils will continue with their Shakespeare study.		Shakespeare Study - Romeo and Juliet Pupils will continue with their Shakespeare study.
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