English: A Term of Growth, Creativity and Farewell Moments

Key Stage 3 & 4

Year 7 have dipped their toes in their Shakespeare journey, exploring the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. It is always a joy seeing so many volunteer to read aloud roles and get involved. Students have developed their understanding of poetic devices such as iambic pentameter and other literary devices such as oxymorons and dramatic irony. 

Year 8 have been reading George Orwell's allegorical telling of the Russian Revolution and the rise of communism through Animal Farm. Students have developed their understanding of rhetoric and characterization. 

Year 9 have completed their first GCSE text Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' and have developed their analytical skills and weaving in the significance if social and historical context in literary works. 

In Year 10 students have delved into the thought-provoking world of William Golding's classic novel, Lord of the Flies, as part of their GCSE Literature course. This timeless tale of survival and human nature has sparked engaging discussions and deep reflections among our students. Throughout the course of their studies, students have explored themes such as the innate savagery within human nature, the loss of societal norms and order, and the struggle for power and control.

Gardening Club

The gardening club this year has seen the successful growing of lemon basil, the propagation of spider plants and the transfer of tomato seedlings. Alongside this, students have been exposed to the Latin names of plants, the nutrients needed to successfully grow plants indoors and outdoors and have had the opportunity to bring plants home. They have also been shown different preserving techniques for herbs and vegetables and developed a deeper understanding of how our foods are created. 

Year 12

This term, our Year 12 students had the enriching opportunity to visit the Picture Gallery at Royal Holloway University, where they immersed themselves in a stunning collection of 19th-century art.

The exhibition prominently featured works by Victorian painters, yet what stood out to many students was the unmistakable influence of Romanticism - an artistic and literary movement that predated the Victorian era. Through the themes of nature, emotion, and the individual, students were able to identify parallels between the visual arts and the Romantic poetry they have been studying in class.

This experience provided valuable insight into how art and literature can reflect shared contextual influences, such as reactions to industrialisation, a growing interest in the natural world, and the exploration of human emotion. Students engaged in thoughtful discussion around how the paintings’ themes complemented the Romantic ideals expressed by poets like Wordsworth, Blake, and Keats.

Year 13

We said goodbye to our Year 13 class of 2025. They showed exemplary resilience during the build-up and duration of their A Level exams with some students having their most pressurised exams on consecutive days. However, it was clear their dedication never wavered to their studies and their determination to keep on going was inspiring. They will be fondly remembered!

Congratulations to Bhria who won English Student of the Year for Year 13. This is incredibly well deserved and not only a recognition of Bhria’s academic success in Literature but an acknowledgement of her consistency in attendance and application to her English studies since she joined the academy in Year 7. She was also noted for being unwaveringly kind through sharing resources that she spent her own money on with her classmates through the English Teams page. Without question, Bhria has a bright future ahead of her!