WELCOME TO THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
Welcome to the English department. In this section of the website, you will find important information for the department as well as some useful links to our curriculum page. If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Meet the department
Miss Aston – Head of Department - katie.aston@hccmac.co.uk
Mrs Panait – 2iC English – andra.panait@hccmac.co.uk
Mrs Samworth – KS5 Co-ordinator - laura.samworth@hccmac.co.uk
Mr Osborne - Intervention Co-ordinator - nathan.osborne@hccmac.co.uk
Miss Neville – Teacher of English - sadhbh.neville@hccmac.co.uk
Mr McLintock – Head of Year 8 - joseph.mclintock@hccmac.co.uk
Miss Mohan – Head of Sixth Form - lucy.mohan@hccmac.co.uk
Mrs Perkins – Assistant Headteacher - kelly.perkins@hccmac.co.uk
Mr McDonnell – Assistant Headteacher - sam.mcdonnell@hccmac.co.uk
Miss Goodwin – Deputy Headteacher - michelle.goodwin@hccmac.co.uk
Homework
Within English, homework will be set on a weekly basis by the class teacher. Students will be able to find this on Classcharts and should have written the task and deadline in their planner.
We use Seneca, which is an online subject specific question-based platform, and Educake, which is an online homework platform which links directly to the exam boards that we teach at KS4. As your child moves into KS4, homework will begin to incorporate exam practice questions to prepare them for sitting their GCSE.
If your child is unable to access homework online, please ensure that the department are aware so that accessible homework can be set for your child.
Seneca Learning - https://senecalearning.com/en-GB/
Educake - https://www.educake.co.uk/
Equipment and Resources
department praise and recognition
In English, we strive to acknowledge our students' successes. Students will experience reward and recognition through the school newsletter, postcards and letters home as well as through our subject's Twitter page - @English_Newman
READING AND VOCABULARY LISTS
Year 7 and 8 Recommended Reading List
Year 9 Recommended Reading List
Year 10 and 11 Recommended Reading List
Year 12 and 13 Recommended Reading List
A Level Vocabulary Bank
KS3 Recommended Vocabulary
KS4 Recommended Vocabulary
Upcoming Events
Thurs 27th March 2025 – Catenian Public Speaking Competition
Thurs 8th May 2025 - Y8 Harry Potter Studios Trip
Tues 1st July 2025 – Y8 Shakespeare in Action
Extracurricular opportunities in English
Year 11 - An Inspector Calls 2025
Our wonderful students attended a production of An Inspector Calls at the Wolverhampton Grande Theatre.
Year 11 A Christmas Carol Trip
In December, we took our Year 11 students to see an incredible performance of A Christmas Carol at The Rep Theatre in Birmingham.
Year 9 - Aladdin on Ice Trip
Students attended the Skydome in Coventry to watch a festive performance of Aladdin on Ice which featured some of our ex-students!
Year 12 - London Trip
Year 12 English Literature and Language students had a lovely time in London on Friday. They explored the city to research and gather ideas for their coursework. A fun day was had by all and there was even to time to play a little tune on the piano at Euston train station! ✨💚
Year 11 - Macbeth
On Monday 22nd April, Year 11 students enjoyed an engaging and interactive performance of Macbeth to support their upcoming Literature exams.
Year 7 - Peter Pan Goes Wrong
Year 7 had a phenomenal time watching Peter Pan Goes Wrong at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham. Our students were well behaved and had an afternoon filled with laughter and joy.
Warwick Transformations Project 2024:
Year 8 students went to Warwick University to celebrate their success in the Warwick Transformations Creative Writing Project. They were given a tour of the University and even shown backstage of the Warwick Arts Centre, they saw some sculptures in the art gallery and took part in a creative writing workshop with Dr Nancy Jiang. Well done to Lucy and Josh who were school finalists and a massive congratulations to Jenna who was a runner up (against students from a range of schools across Coventry). Their work will be published in a book that will be available in the British Library! We are very proud of them, and they are always showing that we are all Made for Greatness.
World Book Day 2024
The English department celebrated World Book Day through a range of exciting activities including themed lessons, staff costume competition, literary treasure hunt and the annual Year 7 Dress the Door Competition (Congratulations 7RAB & 7NSD who won!).
Year 8 - Shakespeare in Action
Year 8 students took part in the Shakespeare in Action sessions preparing them for
their upcoming study of Romeo and Juliet
Year 8 - Poetry Slam
Year 8 students were visited by Coventry poet, Emilie Jones, where they participated in a poetry slam workshop. The winners of the workshop will go on to the compete against other schools in the new year!
0Y11 - A Christmas Carol Trip
A number of our Year 11 students visited the Crescent Theatre on Thursday 7th December 2023 to see a performance of A Christmas Carol for their English Literature GCSE. The performance was exceptional, as were our students!
Wizard of Oz Trip
On Tuesday 5th December 2023, 55 Year 9 enjoyed a festive theatre trip to see Wizard of Oz on Ice! The students had a joyous afternoon watching the spectacular ice skaters.
An Inspector Calls Trip
On Wednesday 30th November 2022, we took 150 students from Year 11 (and some from Year 10) to the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham to see An Inspector Calls, which is one of our GCSE English Literature set texts. We were so proud of how wonderful you all were, and an amazing time was had by all!
A Christmas Carol Trip
On Thursday 14th December 2022, 90 Year 11’s went to the RSC in Stratford upon Avon to see A Christmas Carol (another GCSE English Literature set text). Lots of fun was had by all students’ and staff. Our students were excellent ambassadors of CNCS and it was lovely way to get into the Christmas spirit!
Shakespeare in Action Workshop
On Tuesday 31st January, Year 8 were visited by Shakespeare in Action. This involved a workshop with a professional actor who taught the students’ the importance of Shakespeare, but in a fun way! Students re-enacted a key scene from Romeo and Juliet and we hope that they took lots of inspiration and knowledge from the workshop. The English Department can’t wait to teach you the play now in the summer term! 🎭💚
Key stage 4 information
We use the exam board Eduqas for GCSE English Language and Literature. Students are Cardinal Newman will sit their GCSE English Language exam in Year 10 and then complete their GCSE English Literature in Year 11.
You will find links to the exam board's specification and recommended revision materials below:
GCSE English Language - https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/english-language-gcse
GCSE English Literature - https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/english-literature-gcse
Key stage 5 information
We offer two English A Levels at CNCS:
- English Literature
- English Language and Literature
You will find the links to Edexcel's A Level specification and recommended revision materials below.
English Literature - https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/english-literature-2015.html
English Language and Literature - https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/english-language-and-literature-2015.html
Careers in English
Careers in English
The English Department strives to prepare students for life after school! We believe it’s invaluable that students are inundated with a range of skills that will help them to be successful after they leave us. Some of the things we do are:
- Careers focused sessions at each key stage
- Topics dedicated to ‘professional communication’
- Help students develop team working skills, communication skills, resilience skills, organisational skills and extended writing skills
- Debate style topics that allow students to explore real life issues that will affect them once they leave CNCS
- Wider reading on all topics covered in English
- Use ‘real world’ scenarios in lessons for context
As well as this, students are made aware of careers paths that English can take them down. Having a English degree can open up many different routes for students, such as:
- Digital copywriter
- Editorial assistant
- English as a foreign language teacher
- Lexicographer
- Magazine journalist
- Newspaper journalist
- Private tutor
- Publishing copy-editor/proof-reader
- Web content manager
- Writer
- Academic librarian
- Advertising copywriter
- Journalist
- Archivist
- Arts administrator
- Education consultant
- Information officer
- Learning mentor
- Media researcher
- Records manager
- Social media manager
This list is not exhaustive and is ever-changing. Having an English degree or some form of education in English opens up so many routes for students.
If you have any questions, please contact your child’s English teacher.
Mission Statement
For more information on our curriculum intent and implementation, click on the link below
Link to English curriculum page