At Work Skills Learning, we build a personalised curriculum for each of our individual learners. We are equipped to offer a range of English qualifications from all exam boards and will carefully consider the strengths and interests of each pupil before assigning the appropriate course.
English Entry Level and Functional Skills
INTENT
The foundation level courses provide learners with an opportunity to develop their understanding and skills in English. These qualifications support learners to improve their spelling, vocabulary, and grammar as well as build confidence in reading a range of texts and writing for functional purposes. Pupils also build their speaking and listening skills by participating in discussions on a range of topics.
Implementation
This course provides pupils with the opportunity to::
- Listen, understand and make relevant contributions to conversations and discussions in a range of contexts
- Apply their understanding of language to adapt delivery and content to suit audience and purpose
- Read a range of text types confidently and fluently
- Apply their knowledge of texts to their own writing
- Write texts of varying complexity with accuracy, effectiveness, and correct spelling, punctuation and grammar
- Understand the appropriate communication style required for a range of contexts and requirements based on audience and purpose.
Impact
These qualifications at Entry Level and Functional Skills can help pupils to:
- Read, write, speak, listen and communicate in English
- Apply these skills to a range of purposes in the workplace and in other real-life situations
- Listen, understand, and make relevant contributions to discussions
- Gain a qualification which can be used in work and life
- Prepare pupils for further study, if appropriate.
GCSE English Language
INTENT
GCSE English Language engages with a number of different fiction and non-fiction texts from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, to strengthen pupils’ development as readers, writers, and critical thinkers.
Through investigations of literature from various moments in our world, pupils will study the techniques writers use to highlight their interpretations of society. Thus, pupils will critically expose truths, lies, and grey areas, along with the cultural implications of a wide range of texts.
Pupils practise expressing their insights on texts, as well as their understanding of the world, through a variety of writing (analytical and creative) and spoken language.
Implementation
Specific units and lessons are carefully planned with both the individual pupil in mind and through a skills-based approach to strengthen and support pupils so they can be successful in their GCSE qualification and other qualifications they may take.
Each unit focuses on the areas of study outlined in the relevant exam specification and will cover: reading comprehension; creative writing; and transactional writing. These curriculum areas will enable pupils to build skills in synthesising, analysing, comparing perspectives across texts, text evaluation, effective communication, and the effective use of vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure.
Moreover, with a focus on project-based learning, pupils have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills built into each unit.
Finally, pupils are encouraged to make real-world connections with the literature and skills covered throughout each lesson.
Impact
The impact of this course enables pupils of all abilities to:
- Develop the skills they need to read, understand and analyse a wide range of different texts, as well as to write clearly, coherently and accurately using a range of vocabulary and sentence structures
- Practise speaking and listening skills as part of whole class discussion and debate, understand the importance of the wider benefits that speaking and listening skills have for them, and grow into confident communicators
- Work towards achieving a GCSE qualification in English Language
- For pupils not taking the GCSE this year, they will have the opportunity to lay down the foundations of reading, writing, and conversation needed in order to be successful when they do take the GCSE or Entry Level and Foundational English courses
- Pupils continue their growth as readers, writers, conversationalists, and, just as importantly, critical thinkers
- Pupils enjoy a widening perspective on the world through reading a diverse range of texts, both fiction and non-fiction.
GCSE English Literature
INTENT
The English Literature curriculum at Work Skills Learning is not only built towards success at GCSE, but also designed to embed in our pupils an appreciation and evaluative curiosity of all different forms of literature. We want our pupils to be lifelong readers who engage with the world critically by engaging with a breadth of literary texts by various writers throughout the ages. They will identify themes, maintain a critical and evaluative tone, whilst discussing how authors have used language, form, and structure to create meaning.
Implementation
Over one or two years, depending on the individual’s learning pathway, pupils will study a combination of drama and prose, as well as a poetry anthology including both contemporary and pre-19th century poems around a specific theme.
Texts studied will include Shakespeare, the 19th century novel, post-1914 prose, and poetry from an anthology spanning the ages.
The course is designed to challenge pupils and generate thought provoking discussions around the ideas of power, identity, morality, love, belonging, and conflict. Pupils will be encouraged to consider how the themes and ideas of these powerful texts relate to both themselves and the world around them.
Impact
At the end of this course, pupils of all abilities will be able to:
- Read a wide range of classic literature fluently and with good understanding, and make connections across their reading
- Read in depth, critically and evaluatively, so that they are able to discuss and explain their understanding and ideas
- Develop the habit of reading widely and often appreciate the depth and power of the English literary heritage
- Write accurately, effectively and analytically about their reading, using Standard English
- Acquire and use a wide vocabulary, including the grammatical terminology and other literary and linguistic terms they need to criticise and analyse what they read.
AS and A Level English Language
INTENT
At this level, pupils can take the AS Level and continue on to the full A Level in the second year, if appropriate. During the course, pupils will engage with a number of different texts (fiction and non-fiction, speeches, novels, short stories, and memoirs) to build their abilities as readers, writers, and critical thinkers, with a specific emphasis on building opportunities to study English language and its use in communication.
Investigating a wide array of forms, pupils will pay specific attention to language in order to enhance their ability to read and analyse material, gaining further knowledge and understanding of English language features and issues. Moreover, they will dive deeply into their own craft as they develop the skills of writing clearly, accurately, creatively and effectively for different purposes and audiences.
Throughout this course of study, pupils will:
- Enjoy the experience of studying English language
- Develop a critical and informed response to texts in a range of forms, styles and contexts produced for a variety of audiences
- Communicate effectively, creatively, accurately and appropriately in their writing
- Develop the interdependent skills of reading, analysis and research
- Develop an appreciation of concepts and techniques in the study of English language
- Build a firm foundation for further study of language and linguistics.
Keeping the study of language at the forefront of all they do, pupils will strive to enter into conversation with the texts and authors they read, thus breathing new life into the literature covered.
Implementation
Through carefully planned units and lessons, pupils will engage with the skills needed to be successful in the AS Level qualification and then take the course through to A Level.
Each unit focuses on a different set of skills for both reading and writing papers, consisting of:
- Sustaining accurate, fluent and consistent writing
- Producing informed responses appropriate to the specified form, style, context, and audiences
- Conveying knowledge and understanding from both specific examples and wider studies
- Through modelling and productive struggle, pupils will master each of the skills above.
Furthermore, project-based learning will present the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the skills covered in each unit while preparing for the questions rooted in the exam.
Finally, as pupils pursue each unit, active effort will be taken by all to connect each lesson to the world around them.
Impact
Pupils will benefit from a wealth of positive impacts from this course, including:
- Gaining an AS Level and/or A Level qualification in English Language
- Laying down the foundations of reading, writing, and conversation needed in order to be successful when presented with different forms of texts throughout life
- Growth as readers, writers, conversationalists and critical thinkers
- Widening perspectives of how language is used in everyday life and how we can use our mastery of language in everyday situations
- Providing an opportunity to take the subject forward for higher education.
AS and A Level English Literature
INTENT
At this level, pupils can take the AS Level and continue on to the full A Level in the second year, if appropriate. During the course, pupils will engage with a number of different texts (poetry, prose and play texts) to build their abilities as readers, writers, and critical thinkers.
Investigating a wide array of literature, pupils will analyse the ways in which writers shape meanings in texts and the ways in which individual texts are interpreted by different readers. They will examine the ways in which texts relate to one another and to the contexts in which they are written and read.
The aims of this course are to enable pupils to develop their interest in and enjoyment of literature and literary studies as they:
- Read widely and independently from a range of set texts and others that they have selected for themselves
- Engage creatively with these texts and develop a range of responses to them
- Develop and effectively apply their knowledge of literary analysis and evaluation in writing
- Explore the contexts of the texts they are reading and others’ interpretations
- Develop and effectively apply their knowledge of literary analysis and evaluation in writing.
Implementation
Through carefully planned units and lessons, pupils will engage with the skills needed to be successful in the AS Level qualification and then take the course through to A Level.
Across the unit, pupils will read texts from Shakespeare, pre-1900 poetry, post-1900 drama, and post-1900 prose. Pupils will be inspired, motivated and challenged by reading widely and will cultivate their own critical and creative responses to literature.
Pupils will explore connections across texts, identify and consider how attitudes and values are expressed in texts, draw on their understanding of different interpretations in responding to and evaluating texts, communicate fluently, accurately and effectively their knowledge, understanding and judgement of texts and use literary critical concepts and terminology with understanding and discrimination.
Throughout each unit, pupils will:
- Form articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression
- Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts
- Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received
- Explore connections across literary texts
- Explore literary texts informed by different interpretations.
Impact
Pupils will benefit from a wealth of positive impacts from this course, including:
- Gaining an AS Level and/or A Level qualification in English Literature
- Becoming lifelong readers with a love of literature and a critical appreciation of all forms of writing
- Growth as readers, writers, conversationalists and critical thinkers
- Widening perspectives of literary writers and texts, as well as the world around them
- Skills of interpretation and expression to give insightful, accurate, well-argued responses to texts.
- Insights gained from the ways in which contextual factors and different interpretations of texts illuminate their own readings
- Providing an opportunity to take the subject forward for higher education.