Welcome to the English Department

All English teachers are passionate about reading, but there is so much more to the English curriculum than curling up with a good book. At Simon Balle, we offer a lively, varied selection of materials, suitable for all ranges of ability and skill.

From the Autobiographical Unit of work in the first term of year 7 right the way through to the last week of GCSE in year 11, students are given the opportunity to study classic and contemporary works of fiction, non-fiction, media texts, drama and, of course, poetry too. A new component to the GCSE course is the analysis of non-standard or spoken language, which reflects the evolving nature of English today.

In writing, we encourage accuracy of written expression as well as promoting creativity. Independenceis encouraged and strategies are in place to allow students to know their strengths and improve areas that are in need of more work or development. The full range of styles and forms are covered over Key Stages 3 & 4 with our aim being to promote fluent, versatile writers, fully equipped to deal with the challenges of writing in the 21^st century. We also have an emerging writers’ group where students who enjoy independent creative-writing can share their work.

At A level, students can choose either AQA English Literature Syllabus B or English Language and Literature Syllabus A which allows Key Stage 5 students to follow their areas of strength and expertise. Both options are popular and well-supported.

We have close links withMiddlesexUniversity, who work with us to provide training opportunities to Post Graduate students. This brings fresh ideas and new perspectives on learning into the department, creating valuable learning opportunities for students and teachers alike.

Extra curricular aspects of English provide further enrichment, including theatre trips inLondon, including a visit to the reconstructed Globe theatre in Key stage 3. Visiting authors and trips to lectures or readings are a feature of the department. The new library facilities provides more opportunities for our Reading Groups, including video conferencing with school’s elsewhere in the country

A major project within English since 2008 is the’ BBC School Report’, which is a nationwide initiative to enable 11-14 year old students to participate in live broadcasting of news. We have had some fantastic opportunities as a result of our regular participation including:  a feature spot on the promotional trailer for 2009, an interviews with the C.E.O. of Children in Need and, most recently Children’s Commissioner for England, Maggie Atkinson and excitingly, joining with 260 other schools to break a World Record for the world’s largest interactive weather report.

We hope you will find all of the information you require within this site.  For any further information please contact the English Department direct on 01992 410400 ext 237

I’ve Just Read…

Title: One Day

Author: David Nicholls

The group all agreed that the novel was very emotional in parts even though the main character, Dex, was at times extremely unpleasant.  The characterisation of Emma was such that she seemed to be everyone’s favourite daughter or girlfriend – the type of girl everyone would like to know.  This did open up the plausibility issue within the novel: how could she like Dex so much?  The group acknowledged that the novel is very readable but some suggested that chunks were over-written and monotonous to read at times.  All felt that the novel was highly predictable, that the two main characters were going nowhere so something at sometime had to happen.  Nevertheless,  when the ‘event’ did occur it was felt that Nicholls dealt with it very well and it did come as an unwelcome shock to the reader. Not so positive was the representation of the teaching profession in the book: why does teaching have to be a career a protagonist does until something better comes along?  A cliche that is all too common amongst modern day writers and film-makers.  The idea of story being structured around one day every year brought much commentary in the group.  Most felt it was simply a gimmick and that the story would have been better off without such constraints; too much was missed out, for example, Dex’s reaction to his mother’s news in Venice.  However, there was an agreement that this technique allowed the reader the freedom to fill in the gaps and made the novel a more unique personal experience to the reader.  The idea was expressed that the book was a female novel and that it did not appeal to the male psyche.  However, one member did say that on a recent flight she had noticed that as many men were reading the book as were women.  The balance of Dex’s promiscuity and hedonism alongside Emma’s frustrated cynicism seemed to work. The general consensus was that the story appealed to both sexes as it took a tour do force through the lives of two people with whom most readers of a certain age could identify – ‘the New Labour novel’.

All members of the group recommended this novel.

Next book: What Came Before He Shot Her

Author: Elizabeth George

SBS Book Club

The first meeting of the SBS Staff Book Club took place on Thursday the 20^th of October. We discussed the novel “One Day” by David Nicholls. If you want to read about our discussion please follow the link.

The next book we shall be discussing is, “What came before he shot her”, by Elizabeth George. We invite you to read it and get involved via our blog!

I’ve Just Read…

is a new blog site set up by the SBS book club. The aim of the blog is to invite parents/guardians and students to send in their thoughts about the book the club is currently discussing. The club will gather all the blogs which will be bounced about in the club’s half-termly meeting. We will put the feedback from the meeting on the blog for you all to read! So, if you’ve read the book we’re currently reading or you’d like to read it with us, please give us your queries.

http://ivejustread.blogspot.com/