For details of our English curriculum please select the relevant year group:

Our approach to English is rooted in the dialogic classroom, promoting curiosity and critical thinking through a diverse range of engaging texts and topics. All team members in the department are currently developing their practice as teachers of ‘Let’s Think in English’, supported by the Hampshire Let’s Think Network and the Let’s Think in English team at King’s College, London.

Our Key Stage 3 curriculum is in the process of being redeveloped in order to integrate new research-based practice such as the ‘immersive read’, and greater opportunities for subject knowledge and skills to be layered up through the years in a connected way. ‘Subject knowledge’ in our department is focused on how writers write and how readers read: conventions of genres and text-types that are explored and experimented with over the three-year Key Stage 3. In addition, we take a drama-based approach to Shakespeare, and currently our learners explore three different Shakespeare plays throughout their time at Oakmoor.

The curriculum in Key Stage 4 ensures that all students have the skills to succeed in their examinations, covering the content first before working on examination and revision skills in Year 11. The curriculum is engaging and thought-provoking for students, with carefully selected Literature texts that offer rich intertextual links to develop critical thinking and engagement.

We teach our classes as mixed attainment groups, providing a high challenge and high support to enable all learners to access the curriculum and develop rapidly as independent readers, writers, and thinkers. All students have access to every type of text, with teaching assistants available for those who require extra support to aid their writing, when necessary.