Page 120 - Bellfort Magazine 2025

Year 8: Finding Their Voice—This year, our students embarked on a journey of self-expression
and discovery. They began with Personal Writing, recounting their own experiences and
adventures in chronological order. These stories were rich with detail and emotion, helping
students develop their narrative voice. As the year progressed, they explored the power of
persuasive language, crafting dynamic book blurbs and dramatic movie voice-overs that brought
heroes and villains to life. In the final term, students turned their attention to the world around
them, reflecting on influential figures from history and considering how individuals can shape
society. Through this, they developed a deeper understanding of character, influence, and
legacy.
Year 9: Power, Persuasion, and the Past—Year 9 students began by examining inspirational
characters and their impact on others. Through the analysis of famous speeches and key
moments in history and media, they explored how language can inspire, motivate, and unite.
They these techniques in their own persuasive writing, learning to craft arguments that could
influence and engage. The tone shifted in the spring with the Chillers Unit, where students
embraced the eerie and unsettling. They used descriptive writing to create chilling horror
openings, crafting vivid settings and spine-tingling characters. In the final term, students delved
into the world of Shakespeare, exploring how his plays have shaped the English language and
continue to influence storytelling today.
Year 10: Conflict, Crime, and Creativity—Year 10 began the year by exploring the impact of
conflict, focusing on war and its representation in literature. Students studied a range of war
poems and texts, both classic and contemporary, examining how writers convey the emotional
and physical toll of battle. They also stepped into the boots of soldiers through first-person
descriptive writing, vividly imagining the harrowing experience of going 'Over the Top' and
enduring trench warfare. The spring term brought a shift in tone with the WhoDunnit Unit,
immersing students in the world of crime and detection. They analysed key texts from the
genre, sharpening their retrieval, summarising, and inference skills. Inspired by their reading,
students crafted the openings of their own crime stories, using setting and character to build
suspense and intrigue.
Key Stage 4: Mastering the Craft—At Key Stage 4, our students focused on preparing for their
GCSE English Language and Literature examinations, developing a wide range of analytical and
expressive skills. In English Language, students explored the art of persuasion, personal writing,
and creative writing, crafting thoughtful and imaginative responses. They also tackled Non-
Fiction Reading tasks, where they practised reading closely, selecting and summarising key
information, and inferring meaning from a writer’s language and tone. These skills were further
refined through Controlled Assessment work, which focused on the study of written and spoken
language, encouraging close analysis of how meaning is constructed.
In English Literature, students had the joy of reading novels and plays from a variety of historical
and cultural contexts, including detailed analysis of 19th-century texts. A highlight of the year
was the study of war poetry, where students examined the contrast between propaganda and
the harsh realities of war. Shakespeare also made a powerful impression, with students
completing a Controlled Assessment on Macbeth, focusing on the influence of Lady Macbeth an
her manipulation of her husband in his quest for power.
Key Stage 5: Independent Thought and Literary Exploration—At Key Stage 5, our A-Level
students embraced the challenge of studying plays and prose from a range of genres and
historical contexts. Notable texts included A Streetcar Named Desire and Frankenstein, both of
which offered rich opportunities for discussion around character, context, and theme.
Students also explored poetry from across the ages, analysing how different genres and
historical moments have shaped poetic expression and influenced society. These studies
encouraged students to think critically about the relationship between literature and the world
around them. A particular highlight was the Dystopian Literature unit, where students took a
highly independent approach to their learning. They selected their own essay questions,
engaged with critical interpretations, and explored the historical and cultural contexts of their
chosen texts. This culminated in debates and essays where students argued for and against their
chosen positions, demonstrating not only their analytical skills but also their ability to think
independently and articulate complex ideas with confidence.