Year 7
Students in Year 7 will have looked extensively at conflict poems and non-fiction writing based on the experiences of those living through the Vietnam war. This will provide them with excellent insight into the techniques and devices used by poets in preparation for their study of Literature poems at GCSE. It will also develop their skills in analysing and extracting information from prose texts. From here, the theme of conflict will continue, though in this case through their study of the novel, ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.’ This focus on the Holocaust will also enable students to explore and understand themes linked to genocide, prejudice and racism through a piece of Literature which provides a poignant view of one of the darkest periods in modern history.
Year 8
Following on from a detailed study of the novel ‘Buddy’ by Nigel Hinton, students in Year 8 have moved onto studying conflict poetry. In this Scheme of Work, they explore a wealth of poems, both modern and those written during the First World War which allows students to develop their skills in commentary and analysis. From here the focus moves to the watershed novel, ‘A Kestrel for a Knave,’ by Barry Hines which is a GCSE Literature text and tells the gripping tale of Billy Casper whose love for a kestrel enables him briefly to escape the gritty bleakness and hardship of his life. Language analysis, historical context and understanding of character are key skills developed in this Scheme of Work.