English at Chantry Middle School: Building Confident Communicators
At Chantry Middle School, our English curriculum is designed to develop confident, creative, and thoughtful communicators. We aim to foster a love of reading and writing while equipping students with the skills they need to succeed in an ever-changing world. Through high-quality teaching and a carefully sequenced curriculum, students explore key themes such as identity, justice, power, and sustainability, encouraging them to think critically and connect learning to the wider world.
Every English lesson is built upon conceptual learning questions and rich vocabulary instruction. These help students understand not only what and how they are learning, but why it matters. Our structured lessons guide students from modelling and guided practice to independent work, with live feedback used to address misconceptions and celebrate progress to propel learning forward.
In Key Stage 2, students follow a clear writing journey—from a ‘cold write’ to a final ‘hot write’—allowing them to develop and refine their ideas across each unit. In Key Stage 3, formative assessment is embedded into every lesson through targeted questioning, live marking, and regular written tasks that inform future teaching.
We are proud of our inclusive approach, ensuring all learners, including those with SEND, are supported through scaffolded instruction, explicit vocabulary teaching, and resources which can be accessed by all. Our calm, respectful classrooms promote high expectations, collaboration, and opportunity for focus, independent application.
Beyond the classroom, students enrich their learning through exciting opportunities such as live theatre visits, school productions, reading challenges, and author workshops. Our Reading Rails initiative connects students to literature, their local heritage, and the wider world, nurturing empathy, creativity, and resilience.
At Chantry, English is more than just a subject—it’s a journey of discovery, expression, and empowerment, giving students the tools to become thoughtful, informed citizens of the future.
