English Department

Latest News

This has been a particularly proud and memorable year for the English department.

Results at GCSE far exceeded predicted targets with 23% of students achieving A* or A grades and at A Level all students achieved AC grades with almost 50% achieving A grade in English Literature and just under 80% passing with grades A
or B. As a result of this success the department was awarded the ‘The Good Schools Guild’ Award for the best results at A level achieved by our students taking English Literature at an Independent School. It is thanks to the hard work, enthusiasm and commitment of all the English teachers in the department that English at Trinity School continues to go from strength to strength. My thanks to a wonderful team.

At Key Stage 3 once again this year students produced some remarkable work. In the Young Poetry Writers Competition 23 poems were successfully published and the school’s own poetry writing competition, organised by Mrs Potts, produced
some outstanding work. Tim Bowler, the popular children’s author, visited the school and ran a workshop with Year 8 on story writing. Our thanks to Mrs Shears in the library and to Mrs Stoyle for making this possible.

Once again Mrs Potts took a group of year 12 students to Haworth in Yorkshire to visit the Brontë parsonage in order to gain a greater insight into Charlotte Brontë’s work and the inspiration behind her novels.

This year’s edition of the English Review Magazine was successfully published thanks to the efforts of students from Year 13, Mrs Gray, Mrs Stoyle and Mrs Potts who all worked tirelessly to ensure the magazine was completed on time. Contributions to the magazine were made by students within the school, once again celebrating the creative and imaginative work produced by our students.

With two groups running again at A level this year the profile of English within the school continues to grow with four students from last years Year 13 now studying for degrees in English.

This year we say goodbye to Mrs Daly, an inspirational and outstanding teacher of English whose drive, determination and enthusiasm have helped to make the department what it is. Her relationship with her classes is warm and encouraging.
She has the ability to bring out the best in her students and she will be greatly missed by us all.

Young Poetry Writers Competition winners:
Alice Trout, Rhiannon Depla, Mia Hayward, Isheeta Abdullah, Sally Bascombe, Jonathan Hadley, Jenny Towill, Jamie IsaacRichards, Tristan Wiggins, Sam Homer, Jack Duggan, William Plunkett, Danielle Jones, Patrick Walsh, Emma
Roby, Serena Gosden, Danielle Rickard, Chelsea Bartlett, Ben Walker, Harry Locke, Melissa Downey, Matthew Smith, EllisJane
Taylor.
Mrs Caroline Teece, Head of English

Introduction to the Department

The English Department is made up of five teachers, Caroline Teece (Head of Department), Joan Potts, Beth Gray and Pamela Daly (Head of Sixth Form). The department’s ethos is to communicate an enjoyment for English, to promote the value of reading and to ensure that all students fulfil their potential in English.

Results in the Department are impressive. In 2006 almost 90% of students at GCSE gained A-C passes in English and English Literature while at A2 level all students achieved A-C.

Literature is the basis for learning within English and the library plays an integral part in that learning process. As well as the learning that takes place within lessons, the Department produces a school English magazine and enters a range of literary competitions. Each year, younger students participate in a sponsored read, raising money for children’s charities, and a number of theatre visits are run each term.

English lessons should be fun. Their job is to encourage the imagination and open children’s minds to the wonder of literature.