English
The English Faculty is a very successful faculty, which regularly achieves outstanding results at all key stages
Students are set according to ability.
Opportunities exist within each academic year, for students to be moved between groups, to ensure that their needs continue to be effectively met.
The English Faculty offers exciting opportunities for students to engage with the study of English and Drama. We participate in many enrichment activities such as the ‘Jack Petchey Speak Out’ challenge and the students enjoy theatre trips, visits to student conferences and study days and visits from theatre companies.
KS5 recommended reading list
KS5 recommended reading list: Students should aim to read at least two books from each section during KS5.
Literature students should make notes where this is relevant to the texts studied for A Level
*Texts on the A Level syllabus
**Texts that link to those on the A Level Literature syllabus
*** Film/TV/play versions available for comparative study
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Recommended for all readers: |
Recommended for readers studying English Literature (including texts on the A Level syllabus*) |
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Pre-20th Century Fiction:
Jane Eyre: Charlotte Bronte*** Wuthering Heights: Emily Bronte*** Great Expectations: Charles Dickens*** The Sign of Four: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle*** Tales: Edgar Allen Poe Far From the Madding Crowd: Thomas Hardy*** |
Pre-20th Century Fiction:
Emma: Jane Austen** and *** Pride and Prejudice: Jane Austen** and *** Bleak House: Charles Dickens*** The Turn of the Screw: Henry James** and *** The Picture of Dorian Gray: Oscar Wilde** and *** Tess of the d’Urbervilles: Thomas Hardy*** |
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Classic 20th Century Fiction:
The Woman in Black: Susan Hill*** Lord of the Flies: William Golding*** To Kill a Mockingbird: Harper Lee*** The Catcher in the Rye: JD Salinger |
Classic 20th Century Fiction:
The Great Gatsby: F Scott Fitzgerald* and ***Their Eyes Were Watching God: Zora Neale Hurston Rebecca: Daphne du Maurier** and *** All Quiet on the Western Front: E M Remarque**and *** |
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Modern Fiction:
Atonement: Sebastian Faulks The Kite Runner: Khaled Hosseini** and *** White Teeth: Zadie Smith*** The Color Purple: Alice Walker*** |
Modern Fiction:
A Long Long Way: Sebastian Barry* Regeneration: Pat Barker (trilogy)** and *** Birdsong: Sebastian Faulks* and *** Spies: Michael Frayn A Thousand Splendid Suns: Khaled Hosseini** |
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Science Fiction and Fantasy:
The Passage: Justin Cronin (trilogy)*** The Chaos Walking Trilogy: Patrick Ness The Dark Materials Trilogy: Philip Pullman*** |
Science Fiction and Fantasy
The Road: Cormac McCarthy*** Woman on the Edge of Time: Marge Piercy** The Handmaid’s Tale: Margaret Atwood** and *** |
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Biography/Autobiography
Becoming: Michelle Obama The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole… Mary Seacole Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit: Jeanette Winterson*** |
Biography/Autobiography
Testament of Youth: Vera Brittain** and *** Goodbye to All That: Robert Graves** The Woman Warrior: Maxine Hong Kingston** |
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Poetry:
Passport to Here and There: Grace Nichols Ariel: Sylvia Plath
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Poetry:
The Songs of Innocence and Experience: William Blake* The World’s Wife: Carol Ann Duffy: ** The poems of Wilfred Owen** |
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Plays:
Ruined: Lynn Nottage Blood Brothers: Willy Russell The Importance of Being Earnest: Oscar Wilde*** |
Plays:
Journey’s End: RC Sherriff* and *** Antony and Cleopatra: William Shakespeare *** Othello: William Shakespeare* and *** |
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‘Lighter’ reading: Station Eleven: Emily St John Mandel – possibly the best post-apocalyptic, ‘after the plague’ novel of recent years! After the Hole: Guy Burt*** - gripping horror set in a school The Hunt: Andrew Fukuda (series) – an intelligent vampire horror series with an alternative perspective on things with fangs! The Other Boleyn Girl: Philippa Gregory*** - recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction Little Face: Sophie Hannah (series) – crime |
Wool: Hugh Howey (trilogy) – an exciting sci-fi series Never Let Me Go: Kazuo Ishiguro – a moving, terrifying and all too-believable dystopian horror story set in an alternate vision of modern England*** The Games of Thrones: G R R Martin (series) *** Before I Fall: Lauren Oliver – tear-jerking fantasy aimed at teens but engaging, believable and thought-provoking The Secret History: Donna Tartt – psychological thriller set in a US college |
KS4 Recommended Reading List
KS4 Recommended Reading List: Students should aim to read at least one book from each section every half term. Tick off the titles on the list below as you read each text.
*More challenging
** More challenging and some ‘adult’ content (parents may wish to read these books first)
*** Film/TV and/or play interpretations available for comparative study
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Easy reading |
Moving forwards |
More challenging |
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Pre-20th century fiction:
Black Beauty: Anna Sewell*** Heidi: Johanna Spyri***
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Pre-20th century fiction:
The Three Musketeers: Alexandre Dumas*** Little Women: Louisa May Alcott*** Oliver Twist: Charles Dickens*** |
Pre-20th century fiction:
David Copperfield: Charles Dickens*** Far From the Madding Crowd: Thomas Hardy Great Expectations: Charles Dickens*** Jane Eyre: Charlotte Bronte*** The Woman in White: Wilkie Collins |
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Classic 20th century fiction:
Eagle of the Ninth: Rosemary Sutcliff*** Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry: Mildred D. Taylor Swallows and Amazons: Arthur Ransome (series)*** |
Classic 20th century fiction:
Anne of Green Gables: L.M. Montgomery*** Call of the Wild: Jack London*** Of Mice and Men: John Steinbeck***
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Classic 20th century fiction:
A Kestrel for a Knave: Barry Hines*** I’m the King of the Castle: Susan Hill To Kill a Mockingbird: Harper Lee*** Travels With My Aunt: Graham Greene*** Wide Sargasso Sea: Jean Rhys |
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Modern Fiction:
Bone Talk: Candy Gourlay Looking for Alaska: John Greene** and *** On the Come Up: Angie Thomas** Out of Heart: Irfan Master The Poet X: Elizabeth Acevedo** |
Modern Fiction:
A Burnt Child: Shereen Pandit** The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: Mark Haddon** The Vanishing of Katharina Linden: Helen Grant |
Modern Fiction:
Anita and Me: Meera Syal** Pigeon English: Stephen Kelman** The Book Thief: Marcus Zusak** The Familiars: Stacey Halls** The Jungle: Pooja Puri** The Tattooist of Auschwitz: Heather Morris** The Trouble With Goats and Sheep: Joanna Cannon** |
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Poetry
Funky Chickens: Benjamin Zephaniah Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats: TS Eliot The Fat Black Woman’s Poems: Grace Nichols |
Poetry
Death of a Naturalist: Seamus Heaney Half-caste and Other Poems: John Agard On the Move: Michael Rosen Selected Poems: Gillian Clarke |
Poetry
Collected poems: Chinua Achebe** Collected poems: UA Fanthorpe Death of a Naturalist: Seamus Heaney Island Man: Grace Nichols Selected Poems: Simon Armitage |
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Biography/Autobiography
All Creatures Great and Small: James Herriot*** Badass Black Girl: MJ Fievre Chinese Cinderella: Adeline Yen Mah
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Biography/Autobiography
Girl Code: Going Viral and Getting it Done: Angela Gonzales My Family & Other Animals: Gerald Durrell*** The Book of Awesome Women: edited by Becca Anderson |
Biography/Autobiography
Becoming: Michelle Obama I am Malala: Malala Yousafzai** The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Phillip Hoose** They Called Us Enemy: George Takei** |
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Science Fiction, Dystopian fiction, Fantasy and Horror
Before I Fall: Lauren Oliver** Chasing the Stars: Malorie Blackman: Delirium Trilogy: Lauren Oliver How I Live Now: Meg Rosoff** and*** |
Science Fiction, Dystopian fiction, Fantasy and Horror A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars: Yaba Badoe Girls of Paper and Fire: Natasha Ngan Matched Trilogy: Ally Conde The Wind Singer: William Nicholson (series) |
Science Fiction, Dystopian fiction, Fantasy and Horror 1984: George Orwell** and *** I, Robot: Isaac Asimov*** Mortal Engines: Philip Reeve*** The Chaos Walking Trilogy: Patrick Ness The Lord of the Rings: J.R.R. Tolkien*** The Dark Materials Trilogy: Philip Pullman*** The Woman in Black: Susan Hill** and *** |
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Student Recommendations:
Modern Fiction:
If I Stay: Gayle Forman*** Princess in Practice: Connie Glynn** Soulmates: Holly Bourne The Names They Gave Us: Emory Lord The Sun is Also a Star: Nicola Yoon THUG: Angie Thomas**
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Science Fiction, Dystopian fiction, Fantasy and Horror
‘Divergent’ Trilogy: Veronica Roth*** Frozen Charlotte: Alex Bell** ‘Gone’ (series): Michael Grant ‘Slated’ Trilogy: Teri Terry The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games Trilogy: Suzanne Collins*** |
Crime/Mystery:
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder: Holly Jackson The Disappearances: Emily Bain Murphy Two Can Keep a Secret: Karen M McManus |
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Books I have read:
Autumn Term:
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Spring Term: |
Summer Term: |
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My Reading Wishlist:
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KS3 Recommended Reading List
KS3 recommended reading list: You should read at least two books from each section during KS3 (years 7, 8 and 9) and keep a record:
*More challenging and/or ‘adult’ content (parents may wish to read these books first)
** Film/TV and/or play interpretations available
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Easy reading |
Moving forwards… |
Fancy a challenge? |
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Modern fiction
Saffy’s Angel: Hilary McKay
Love Aubrey: Suzanne La Fleur
A Boy Called Hope: Lara Williamson
The Fastest Boy in the World: Elizabeth Laird
Wonder: RJ Palacio |
Modern fiction
A Good Day for Climbing Trees: Jaco Jacobs
Boy at the Back of the Class: Onjali Q Raúf
Can You See Me?: Libby Scott
Happy Girl Lucky: Holly Smale*
One of Us is Lying: Karen M. McManus* |
Modern fiction
Everything, Everything: Nicola Yoon*
Five Children on the Western Front: Kate Saunders
The Hunt: Andrew Fukuda (series)* (parental advisory: horror)
The Goldfish Boy: Lisa Thompson
Where the World Ends: Geraldine McCaughrean
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Science Fiction and Fantasy
A Pocketful of Stars: Aisha Bushby
Ghost Boys: Jewell Parker Rhodes
Harry Potter: JK Rowling (series)**
Lampie: Annet Schnapp
I am Number Four: Pittacus Lore (and sequels)
Ingo: Helen Dunmore |
Science Fiction and Fantasy
Chaos Walking Trilogy: Patrick Ness* ** Brother in the Land: Robert Swindells*
The Boy in the Tower: Polly Ho Yen
The Girl of Ink and Stars: Kiran Millwood Hargrave
The House with Chicken Legs: Sophie Anderson
The Restless Girls: Jessie Burton
Red Queen Series: Victoria Aveyard |
Science Fiction and Fantasy
Inkheart Trilogy: Cornelia Funke
Noughts and Crosses: Malorie Blackman (series)**
Nowhere on Earth: Nick Lake**
Railhead: Philip Reeve
What Sunny Saw in the Flames: Nnedi Okorafor (series)
The Lie Tree: Frances Hardinge*
Where the River Runs Gold: Sita Brahmachari |
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Crime/Mystery/Adventure
A Different Dog: Paul Jennings
High Rise Mystery: Sharna Jackson
SMART: Kim Slater |
Crime/Mystery/Adventure
Girl. Boy. Sea: Chris Vick
The Falconer’s Knot: Mary Hoffman
The Murder Mysteries: Robin Stevens (series) |
Crime/Mystery/Adventure
Dead Time: Anne Cassidy ( The Murder Notebooks series)*
Catching Teller Crow: A. Kwaymullina and E. Kwaymullina*
You’re Not Here: Tariq Mehmood* |
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Classic 20th century fiction
The Little House on the Prairie: Laura Ingalls Wilder (series)**
101 Dalmatians: Dodie Smith**
Why the Whales Came: Michael Morpurgo
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Classic 20th century fiction
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe: CS Lewis (series)
The Secret Garden: Frances Hodgson Burnett** |
Classic 20th century fiction
Lord of the Flies: William Golding* (parental advisory: some violence)
Anne of Green Gables: L.M. Montgomery**
The Woman in Black: Susan Hill * (parental advisory: horror)
The Chrysalids: John Wyndham
Watership Down: Richard Adams |
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Pre-20th century fiction
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: Lewis Carroll**
Black Beauty: Anna Sewell** |
Pre-20th century fiction
What Katy Did: Susan Coolidge
Heidi: Johanna Spyri** |
Pre-20th century fiction
Jane Eyre: Charlotte Bronte**
Little Women: Louisa May Alcott** |
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Biography/Autobiography
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit: Judith Kerr
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Biography/Autobiography
Diary of Anne Frank: Anne Frank |
Biography/Autobiography
My Family & Other Animals: Gerald Durrell
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Student Recommendations: |
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An Abundance of Katherines: John Green
The Book Thief: Markus Zusak* (parental advisory: war, death)
Paper Towns: John Green
Skulduggery Pleasant (series): Derek Landy
Heroes: Robert Cormier* (parental advisory: war, death, violence)
Refugee Boy: Benjamin Zephaniah
Oddity: Eli Brown |
Girl Missing: Sophie McKenzie
A Year Without Autumn: Liz Kessler
North of Nowhere: Liz Kessler
The Strange Adventures of Charlotte Holmes: Hillary Bailey
Listening for Lucca: Suzanne LaFleur
The House of Silk: Anthony Horowitz
The Cruel Prince: Holly Black |
