Headstart: fast track skills for beginning GCSE English
The final term of Year 9 is a real opportunity to enrich and add value to your students' learning experiences. With the Key Stage 3 tests finally over and GCSE just around the corner, a boost is often needed to keep students motivated and on-track. The 'Headstart' workshop will provide a new perspective on English studies and a host of fresh challenges - encouraging students to feel enthused and ready for the learning journey ahead.
English and English Literature at GCSE require students to demonstrate a range of sophisticated skills: active reading; analysis and evaluation; and speaking and writing for a variety of different audiences and purposes. The final term in Year 9 provides an ideal opportunity to invest time and resources in these skills so that students can begin their GCSE programme with confidence and enthusiasm.
The Headstart workshop provides students with a clear focus for the rest of the course, incorporating ideas and activities that will develop the necessary transferable skills. The day will be stimulating and enjoyable, equipping students with the tools they need to realise their potential at GCSE.
The day is also intended to stimulate interest in reading outside the curriculum - there will be a focus on 'active reading' and students will be encouraged to begin a reading programme that will prepare them for GCSE (and in some cases A level). Three months' support will be provided to students following the workshop and during that time they will receive a monthly email focusing on their own reading, including recommendations specific to their interests.