Our English Department delivers a stimulating and challenging curriculum to all of our pupils. Our aim is to stretch the minds of those we are lucky enough to teach through innovative and creative means. Studying English at St George’s is both stimulating and enriching; we relish the opportunity to ignite a lifelong love for English in all our pupils.
We provide a rigorous curriculum that not only develops our pupils’ academic abilities but also builds their confidence and deepens their appreciation of the diverse world around them. Pupils at St George’s enjoy a broad range of high quality literature.
During their time at St George’s, the girls study and consider broad and exciting themes within literature. For example, in Years 7, 8 and 9, we scrutinise the representation of women in literature over time. The girls consider the role of characters such as Portia and Jessica in William Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’ and Curley’s Wife in Steinbeck's ‘Of Mice and Men’, they study speeches by Emmeline Pankhurst and Malala Youfsafzai and explore the work of poets such as Maya Angelou and Sylvia Plath.
At GCSE and A Level, pupils continue their evaluation of the portrayal of gender in great literature, exploring the marriage of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’, dealing with a disquieting dystopian reality for women and men in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ by Margaret Atwood and delving into the fascinating lives of trailblazer authors such as Mary Shelley. By deliberately revisiting concepts such as the evolving depiction of women in literature, we encourage our pupils to develop a critical understanding of complex, topical issues.
The Department encourages and supports pupils with entries to the Young Writers, ISA poetry and essay writing competitions. All pupils of English from Years 7 to 10, take part in a yearly speaking competition, developing their ability to perform confidently to a crowd on a topic of their choice.
Pupils of English at St George’s take part in a wide range of opportunities beyond the classroom, allowing their particular talents and interests to shine. Theatre trips to enrich the texts studied by the girls are regularly undertaken.
