English GCSE / Functional Skills Curriculum: Intent 

The intent of the English curriculum at ArtsXchange is to provide a high-quality education that enables students to develop strong literacy skills, broaden their understanding of literature and language, and foster a lifelong appreciation for reading and writing. We aim to create a nurturing and inclusive learning environment that supports the emotional well-being of our students while also challenging and stretching their abilities in English. 

Due to the context of the young people who attend the college, we aspire to nurture our students' confidence, self-esteem, and resilience to engage meaningfully with the English curriculum. We believe that English is a powerful and transformative vehicle to learn the skills needed in everyday life. This is why we emphasise the practical applications of English; fostering students' ability to communicate effectively, critically analyse information, and present their own ideas confidently through written and verbal means. 

Through the inclusion of specialised GCSE and Functional Skills English pathways, teachers are able to meet the diverse learning needs of The ArtsXchange students, and ensure they can access and engage with the curriculum in meaningful ways. Both the Functional Skills and GCSE pathways ensure students develop excellent literacy skills across speaking, listening, reading, and writing, and demonstrate a deep understanding of complex texts, articulate their ideas confidently, and express themselves fluently.  

The English curriculum is underpinned by the whole school curriculum intent; empowering our students to be creative, compassionate, and adaptable individuals who are well-prepared to face the challenges and opportunities of the future. It is our intention for all students to be equipped with the necessary English skills and literacy competencies to not only demonstrate outstanding progress and attainment, but successfully pursue further education, training, or employment opportunities

Units comprising the GCSE English Language

AO1: (i) identify and interpret explicit and implicit information and ideas o (ii) select and synthesise evidence from different texts

AO2: Explain, comment on and analyse how writers use language and structure to achieve effects and influence readers, using relevant subject terminology to support their views

AO3: Compare writers’ ideas and perspectives, as well as how these are conveyed, across two or more texts

AO4: Evaluate texts critically and support this with appropriate textual references

AO5: Communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively, selecting and adapting tone, style and register for different forms, purposes and audiences. Organise information and ideas, using structural and grammatical features to support coherence and cohesion of texts 

AO6: Candidates must use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation. (This requirement must constitute 20% of the marks for each specification as a whole.)

AO7: Demonstrate presentation skills in a formal setting

 AO8: Listen and respond appropriately to spoken language, including to questions and feedback on presentations

 AO9: Use spoken Standard English effectively in speeches and presentations

Units comprising Functional Skills English

• Listen, understand and make relevant contributions to discussions with others in a range of contexts;

• Apply their understanding of language to adapt delivery and content to suit audience and purpose; 

• Read a range of different text types confidently and fluently, applying their knowledge and understanding of texts to their own writing;

• Write texts of varying complexity, with accuracy, effectiveness, and correct spelling, punctuation and grammar; and understand the situations when, and audiences for which, planning, drafting and using formal language are important, and when they are less important.

Students should be able to use these functional skills autonomously, applying them to a range of formal and informal contexts, in the workplace and in real life. A key aspect of developing knowledge and skills in English, at Level 1 and Level 2, is to be able to communicate with confidence, effectiveness and with an increasing level of independence.