English
With the wonderful facilities available to the faculty, such as the Learning Resource Centre and our performance space, together with the energy and enthusiasm displayed from our English Teachers, pupils are able to profit from a plethora of opportunities. Pupils benefit from a variety of teaching methods, which includes not only the theoretical aspects taught through reading, writing and discussion but also visits to theatres, drama-based teaching and film trips. Extra-curricular opportunities include debating and public speaking, film clubs and literature clubs.
The department provides opportunities to develop self-confidence, team work and creativity. We want our pupils to become highly literate and articulate young people, armed with the skills they will need to succeed in life. We are passionate about the vital importance of every child developing their reading skills in order to fully access the written word. The skills that pupils develop in English will be extremely valuable to them in every area of the curriculum, in the workplace and in their own future lives.
Pupils constantly excel in external competitions and represent the College in various fields, often at a national level, such as recent triumphs in the English Speaking Union.
The College can proudly count among its alumni two leading Oxbridge academics, the J R R Tolkien Professor of English at Oxford, Vincent Gillespie, and Professor of English 2000 at Cambridge, John Kerrigan. Best-selling science fiction author Dr Stephen Baxter is another Old Edwardian who retains strong ties with the College.
Our past pupils frequently return to share their experiences and insight through lectures, workshops and Q&A sessions.