The Department started the new academic year with a spring in its collective step, thanks to some excellent results.  At A level, we achieved a 100% pass rate, 75%  at grades A and B.  It was heartening to see several candidates earning higher grades than expected.  One outstanding coursework essay  gained full marks, an infrequent phenomenon in English Studies; congratulations to Francesca Scicluna on this splendid achievement.  At GCSE, there was also much to celebrate.  In English, the pass rate was 100%, 38% of candidates being awarded A* or A.  The figures for Literature were similar, with 37% A* and A: impressive statistics when we consider that almost all students in Year 11 took the Literature examination.  Results such as these are the product of a professional team effort, and I should like to thank my colleagues for their hard work.

The investment in digital projectors has paid significant dividends.  We are now able to use handsome video screenings to support our linguistic and literary work.  Lesson materials which were formerly photocopied or written on the board can now be projected in an attractive form that makes lessons brighter.  We have also made good use of the various websites devoted to the teaching of English, and I hope to make a further investment in commercially-produced educational software. 

Our central concern, however, remains unchanged: to encourage wide and discriminating reading.  As English teachers, we have all been concerned at the decline of reading among young people.  Many intelligent students, even those with  good examination grades in English, will admit to reading very little.  There are a number of factors at work here: the sheer variety of  entertainment  available these days, the number of examination subjects now pursued  at GCSE, the time-consuming  coursework requirements, and our culture’s emphasis on the visual.  Our response has been to promote reading  in the School through the Private Reading Scheme and the Reading Certificate Awards.  We have been allocated extra funds for these projects, and I hope to secure even more.  The benefits for the students are beyond price.

The Department has continued to offer a varied extra-curricular programme.   The Theatre Society, under the leadership of Mrs Pepperdine and Mrs Cassim, organised trips to see a variety of plays, from ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and  ‘The Woman in Black’ to the musical ‘Mary Poppins’.  Mr Barrett again ran the Poetry Competition, including an eye-catching display of entries; he also took students to the Globe to see a rare performance of Shakespeare’s first tragedy, ‘Titus Andronicus’, a blood-curdling tale of revenge set in Ancient Rome.  Mrs Brinded has organised another excursion to the Globe to take place next term.  The annual Words and Music evening went remarkably well: it seemed to me that the quality of the spoken contributions was higher than usual, perhaps because of the excellent microphone system set up by our Head of Chemistry, Mr Baron.  

It is gratifying to reflect on what we have achieved this year.  I look forward to further success in the year ahead.

J. Cunningham.