At Saint Martin’s, a dedicated and experienced team of English specialists preside over this popular department with a history of outstanding results.  We offer both a challenging and rigorous curriculum, maintaining the academic prowess for which Saint Martin’s is renowned.  As a small school, we know every student and ensure that every child in our care makes good or outstanding  progress from their starting point.

The English Department provides a range of extra-curricular activities.  These include providing our students with opportunities to attend and appreciate live theatre performances.  In addition, there are many opportunities for students to meet writers who talk to the students about their craft as well as entry into various writing competitions at local and national level.  At KS4, there are opportunities for students to attend additional GCSE preparation sessions. We are also delighted to be able to offer a highly professional and exciting annual ‘BBC School Report’. ​

Since September 2015, with the release of the Government’s new specifications, we have followed both the AQA GCSE English Language and English Literature specifications.  These will enable our students to participate in these popular and well-resourced courses that include the study of the following texts:  ‘An Inspector Calls’, ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’, and the plays of Shakespeare.  Since September 2015, we have commenced delivery of these new exam-focused GCSEs from the onset of Year 9.  This will allow our students to realise their fullest potential, through focused study and deeper learning.

English is an invaluable qualification for your future. No matter what you are aiming for, a good command of the spoken and written word will benefit all your other GCSE subjects. At GCSE level, you will further develop your skills of reading, analysing and writing texts, and speaking and listening. Your reading will cover a wide range of fiction, poems and plays which were written both in the twentieth century and beforehand. You will also study a variety of non -fiction texts and a Shakespeare play as well as forms of media such as newspapers, advertisements and web pages