Miss R Widdup (Head of Department)

Mrs S Pearce

Miss J Nickisson

Mrs A Simmonds

Miss R Nixon

English at DGGS is currently taught in mixed ability form groups in Key Stage 3, ranging in number from 22 to 28. In Key Stage 3 all lessons are based on the National Literacy Strategy and pupils follow detailed thematic schemes of work which incorporate literacy, media, IT and social, moral, spiritual and cultural issues. Resources for these schemes are housed in a central resource area. Lessons are likely to include a variety of Reading, Writing and speaking and Listening tasks, group, paired and individual work.

GCSE candidates, who are taught in five ability groups, follow AQA Specification A and all pupils are entered for English and Literature and submit coursework in media, creative writing, Shakespeare, prose studies and modern drama. Students are also examined in a 20th Century novel and an anthology of poetry. Examination success for candidates has been excellent in recent years, with as many as 80% of pupils achieving grades A or A*.

At AS and A2 English Literature (AQA Specification B) is extremely popular with about 60 Year 11 pupils per year, about half the year group, choosing to do the subject. Post-18 there is also a high number of students who choose to study Literature at university. A Level students involve themselves in lively debate and produce brilliant writing, making lessons at DGGS interactive, energetic and productive.

The Department of 6 members consists of a mix of youthful and experienced specialist teachers and is housed in a suite of rooms, amongst them a fully equipped Drama Studio. Drama, and later in the 6th Form Theatre Studies, are taught as separate subjects at the school, but classes often use the studio for drama related tasks. Each of the English rooms is equipped with audio/visual equipment, IT facilities, sets of dictionaries and white boards for pupil use.

As well as the Department enjoying excellent examination success rates at DGGS, and has also built a reputation for contributing a great deal to the extra curricular life of the school. At least one theatre trip per Key Stage is organised each term, and Sixth Form candidates also attend seminars and lectures.