English Spring Term

Year 8S	8S will continue to focus on critical skills and composition. We will look at a number of advanced extracts, both prose and poems, and will work through some past papers in preparation for their examinations. Post examination we will turn our attention to producing our own short stories and prepare for the summer term when we will once again be shadowing the Carnegie Medal nominees.
Year 8	Year 8's syllabus is now Common Entrance driven and we will be revisiting important areas covered in the last two years. Our text for this term is 'Bog Child' and much of the work derived from it is aimed at consolidating existing techniques. We will also look at some of Seamus Heaney's poems and compare Siobhan Dowd and Heaney's views on relationships, community and societal evolution in their native Ireland. Comprehension exercises will reflect similar texts to those the boys may encounter during their exams.
Year 7	Year 7 will be looking at 'Framed' by Frank Cotrell Boyce. In particular the boys will look at character and plot development, and thinking about the relationship between art and writing. Complex sentence structure and direct/indirect speech are among the grammatical elements of the syllabus. There will be a focus, too, on spelling.
Year 6	We will be studying 'Private Peaceful' this term, paying particular attention to the rich tapestry of themes relevant to the boys. We will continue to cover a number of comprehensions, concentrating on non-fiction material after half-term. In addition we will be doing some vocabulary extension work and focusing on combining narrative and dialogue.
Year 5	Narrative - Traditional stories and fables. We will identify and classify the features of myths, legends and fables. Narrative Poetry - We will look at the differences between literal and figurative language, e.g. through discussing the effects of imagery in poetry and prose. Non-fiction - We will examine a range of explanatory texts and non-chronological reports. Ongoing - Comprehensions and class reading books.
Year 4	The children will produce a postcard and diary entry based on their reading of 'War Game' by Michael Foreman. They will then learn to take notes, investigate information texts during guided reading sessions, produce a class information book and an informative PowerPoint presentation. The boys will analyse form and use of language in poetry, drawing on this to write their own. There will be a continued focus on reading comprehension, investigating spelling patterns, and speaking and listening.
Year 3	Phonics - Spelling and comprehension - Read Write inc phonics scheme. Poetry - We will continue to look at a variety of rhyming and non rhyming poetry. We will then read and write shape poetry and calligrams - some of this collaboratively with a Year 3 at another school. Non-fiction - We will read and learn to take notes using various reports focusing on big cats. The boys will then write an individual report about a big cat of their choice. Plays - We will read the play version of The Twits by Roald Dahl learning about the layout, preparation and performance of plays. The boys will then write their own play including stage directions.
Year 2	Phonics - Read Write inc phonics scheme. Narrative - Traditional stories with predictable and patterned language. Traditional stories from other cultures. The children will retell stories and create a character profile. Poetry - poems from other cultures with predictable and patterned language. The children will create a class collection of poems. Non-fiction - Dictionaries, glossaries and other alphabetically ordered texts.
Year 1	Phonics - Read Write inc phonics scheme. Narrative - To build simple profiles of characters from stories, describing characteristics, appearances and behaviour. To use some of the elements of known stories to structure their own writing. Poetry - To use poems or parts of poems as models for own writing. Non-fiction - To write simple questions and non-chronological reports. To use simple dictionaries and understand their alphabetical organisation.