English
The Mount School English Department aims to inspire students to be confident, competent and creative individuals.
The Department, located in its own suite of rooms in College House, provides a breadth of opportunities for pupils to discover and develop their unique strengths. The carefully developed curriculum and broad range of extra-curricular opportunities offered by the department, allows each student the opportunity to develop her potential, whether through creative writing, drama or debate.
We are guided, but not constrained, by the National Curriculum framework and passionately believe in the freedom to explore texts and to take opportunities to broaden our pupils’ horizons whenever we can. The KS3 curriculum aims to provide a wide and varied programme of study which develops literacy skills through exploration of prose, poetry and drama. Texts studied in class include contemporary novels such as Michael Morpurgo’s ‘Private Peaceful’ and Frank Cottrell Boyce’s ‘Millions’ whilst students are also introduced to classic texts such as ‘Jane Eyre’ or the works of Chaucer. We also study a range of modern and traditional poetry and drama. Each year group has the opportunity to experience the work of Shakespeare. We were one of the first schools to sign up to the RSC’s manifesto for schools: Start it young, See it Live, Get up and Do it! Our emphasis is very much on making Shakespeare enjoyable and accessible in the early years, particularly through practical drama sessions held in our ‘black box’ Drama Studio.
We are justifiably proud of our students’ consistently excellent achievements in public examinations. The majority of girls take English Language and English Literature GCSE. We follow the AQA specifications, studying classic drama such as ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and contemporary works such as Chimamanda Adichie’s ‘Purple Hibiscus’. Many students gain top grades. We have a high proportion of girls continuing their study of English Literature at ‘A’ Level. We currently follow AQA’s Specification A which focuses on the Literature of the First World War at AS and Love through the Ages at A2. Students regularly go on to study English or related subjects at top universities.
Visit the English Department at any time and you will find girls engaged in lively debate, collaborative learning, quiet reflection and creative activity. The welcoming foyer sets the tone for the department, featuring regularly changing displays on events such as National Poetry Day whilst up to date notice-boards alert students to forthcoming theatre visits, competitions and creative writing opportunities. Attractive photographic displays highlight residential trips to Stratford or showcase the Mount’s latest Drama production.
A typical term might see students offered the opportunity to go on a variety of theatre trips, work with a nationally acclaimed theatre company or attend a lecture at York University or a poetry reading. We run a variety of extended learning opportunities including a Creative Writing group, Book Group, Journalism and Drama activities. We regularly welcome authors to the Mount to talk about their work. Recent visitors have included children’s authors Ann Turnbull, Theresa Tomlinson (shown below), Jamila Gavin and film director Mark Herman.
Theresa Tomlinson, visited the school recently, to give a talk to Year 7 and 8 students about her literature and about being a professional writer. The girls have been studying her novel 'The Flither Pickers' and were fascinated to meet her and discuss her novels and the art of novel writing.