Introduction

In the English and Drama Department, we strive for each student to leave us as confident, creative and original thinkers, writers and speakers. Through reading a variety of challenging and stimulating texts, we aim to offer an inclusive and diverse curriculum that broadens each student’s perspective of the world. We want to instil a love of literature and language, developing confident, independent students, who are empathetic and aware of their social conscience. The English and Drama teachers at RGS are passionate about reading, writing, speaking and performing; this is plain to see in our lessons, and through the rapport with our students. We want every pupil to take with him from RGS a deep-seated confidence in his ability to use language precisely and creatively, and we want to foster a love of reading that goes far beyond his academic goals.

A Level (OCR)

In the Sixth Form, we offer A Level English Literature. Students currently study Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ibsen’s A Doll’s House (in translation), Chaucer, and the Gothic genre for their exams, and 20^th and 21^st century texts for their coursework. Applying relevant contextual knowledge becomes even more important at A Level, along with an appreciation of different critical interpretations. We run a co-curricular opportunity called Vulture Society, where students can sign up to attend live theatre performances, broadening their cultural knowledge. This is open to all Sixth Form students (not just those on the A Level Literature course), and we hope to be able to restart this club as soon as government guidance allows.