English

Reading for pleasure is at the heart of English at Crispin. Students read widely in our well-stocked library, and in Years 7 to 9 they explore an exciting range of classic and contemporary texts, from War Horse, Noughts & Crosses and Animal Farm to The Great Gatsby, Gothic fiction, war poetry and Shakespeare. They learn to question writers’ viewpoints in non-fiction, to write imaginatively and accurately, and to speak with confidence, from persuasive speeches in Year 7 to the Spoken Language assessment in Year 9.

English has its own building, shared with the school library, and our specialist teachers know their students well, giving extra support in small groups so that every student makes progress. Beyond the classroom, students enjoy book clubs, reading challenges, writing competitions, theatre trips and visits from authors and poets. At GCSE, every student studies both English Language and English Literature, and leaves with the reading, writing and speaking skills they will use for life.