Every AP within our MAT has an English lead teacher. Here are a few words from each about themselves, and their classrooms across the two counties...
Hayley Morgan-English Lead at Caradon
First a little bit about me...When I'm not at work or with my head in a book, you will find me being a taxi service for my son and daughter, transporting them around their hectic schedule of football, swimming, musical theatre, cross country and dance. On the rare occasion I do get some free time, I enjoy running, tennis and dining out with my husband.
At Caradon you can expect to be immersed in a multi-sensory experience when you enter the English classroom. You will SEE smiles; HEAR laughter; FEEL safe; TASTE success and SMELL...my latest plug-in air freshener!
I could write pages demonstrating my love for my subject and how passionate I feel about the beauty of our language, but I think I will leave it up to the great Dr Seuss who sums it up perfectly: "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."
CHES English teachers (a team of over 12 specialist English and Primary teachers and 2 Hospital School room teachers in Treliske) are committed to helping students reengage and reconnect with learning where health may have impacted upon education. We operate a range of specialist online classrooms for both GCSE English Language and English Literature students, as well as teaching students within our centre at Glynn House, and in the community according to individual student need. We teach English at every stage from Primary through to GCSE, and adapt our planning around the individual to help them to find and develop their love of language, make progress and keep up with their mainstream peers whilst health may prevent them from attending mainstream. Check out the CHES twitter page for information about our reading and vocab challenge to help kick-start and reward reading habits, as well as inspire and extend language power. There's so much to love about the subject of English and you can read more on our CHES website English and Literacy pages here.
John Watson-English Lead at Nine Maidens AP
The English Department at Nine Maidens is staffed by John Watson, who after 10 years in the Army became a teacher and taught English in several London schools. He is supported by Ian Nicholson, a trained engineer whose first job was at Holman’s in Camborne- now the site of Tesco’s!
John & Ian visit the feeder secondary schools in the area. The books and novels taught at Nine Maidens broadly mirror texts studied in local schools. Texts and topics are studied on a half termly basis and are designed to prepare students for AQA English & English Literature. The classroom at Nine Maidens is full of the books we read and there is even a theatre above the book shelves. The walls are covered with the work of our students.
Key Stage 3 books include ‘Holes’ Louis Sachar;‘Small Steps’ Louis Sachar;‘Coraline’ Neil Gaiman;‘The Hobbit’ Tolkien;‘Great Expectations’ Charles Dickens;‘War Horse’ Michael Morpurgo (with WW1 poetry);‘Private Peaceful’ Michael Morpurgo;‘Stone Cold’ Robert Swindells (with non fiction);‘Blitzed’ Robert Swindells;‘Shrapnell’ Robert Swindells;‘Freedom Writers’ Errin Grewell;‘Much Ado About Nothing’ William Shakespeare;19th Century Literature- Dickens, Hardy, Bronte etc
Key Stage 4
All students will take AQA GCSE English Language & Literature
‘Romeo & Juliet’ William Shakespeare
‘Never Let Me Go’ Kazuo Ishiguro
‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde’(Year 11)
‘Frankenstein’ Mary Shelley (Year 10)
‘Power & Conflict’ Poetry Anthology.
Paula Wright English Lead at Penwith AP
"Irony is a serial school refuser becoming a teacher! However, I really do love teaching English at Penwith Academy, mainly because I get to work with such lovely people.
My classroom is a welcoming, safe, and relaxed space where we get to think, listen, speak, read and write about all the interesting stuff; music, crime, ghosts, rebellion, survival, to name but a few of our half termly topics.
My one tip for exam and life success is READ, whatever you can and as widely as you can."
Carole Gill – English and Film Studies Lead at Restormel Academy
Hi! So, I guess I’ll start with a little about me…
I’ve been teaching English for 13 years in a range of capacities, from delivering Functional Skills to adults, right through to all A Level English subjects. The one thing that most of my students come away with is this idea that not only am I’m a bit bonkers (it all adds to the fun) but extraordinarily passionate about the subjects I teach.
When stepping into my classroom you may be faced with my terrible accents as I recite poetry, students with paintbrushes in hand annotating quotes on my windows, or me shoeless half on a table trying to reach the top of my whiteboard so that I can take up all available space; suffice to say it’s never boring in my room.
I’m a great believer in celebrating the small things and pushing students towards the big. So often students feel that they lack capability and confidence, it’s my job to show them that their ideas are significant and worthy.
Outside of the classroom I can often be found treading the boards or on the small screen, a passion that has now been passed down to my children from the endless rehearsals they’ve attended over the years.
Caroline Maher-English Lead at Shoreline AP
Hello my name is Caroline and I teach English at Shoreline Academy in Barnstaple. Year 11 have jumped straight in at the deep end by reading and exploring ‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare! We are all enjoying this tragedy which charts the downfall of a once noble character with a fatal flaw; plus it has witches in it! Year 10 are practising their Language reading and writing skills and KS3 are revising their English skills in a unit about surviving on their own tropical island!
Reading has become top of the agenda at our academy and we start the day with a book and tea and toast. My favourite part of the day! Reading is fundamental to being able to function in our everyday lives and getting into the habit of reading helps our students achieve their best exam results. Reading is vital for our students’ post-school careers.
Sara Wearne-English Lead at Torlands
Hi, I’m Sara (pronounced Sarah, just without the ‘h’!). I’ve been teaching English for 16 years, 12 of those in a mainstream secondary school in Barnstaple, North Devon, where I live. I am currently the Subject Lead for English and an online teacher at Torlands Academy. Please excuse the cliché, but English is a bit like Marmite...you either love it or hate it. Although unlike Marmite, you can’t avoid it. My main aim as a teacher is to make my students either love it or like it just a little bit more than they did before I taught them!
As a teacher, I’d like to think I am approachable, patient and organised. I also like to think I have a good sense of humour, but I guess my students are the real judges of that! I have high expectations of my students and expect them to always try their hardest. If they’re still struggling, I am more than happy to help – that’s what I’m here for, after all.
When I’m not being a teacher, I am a mum to two girls. I also love baking, running and doing freelance writing for a holiday cottage company.
I am a big believer in growth mindset and the power of ‘yet’: I can’t do it…..yet. I don’t understand it…yet. Adopt a growth mindset and you’ll get there in the end.
