The Department has pleasant and spacious teaching rooms in the Kent Block, built in 1971 to celebrate the College's Centenary. Each room has a television and video recorders as well as audio equipment.
The Staff
Mr Ed Scates, Head of Department, joined the College in January 2005 as an English teacher and took over the department in September 2007. He is also a tutor in Priory House and runs the Fencing Club.
Mr Nick Robert joined the department in January 2006. He is also editor of the school magazine ‘The Dovorian’.
Elizabeth Tresidder is an Old Dovorian and second in charge of Leamington House. She graduated from Durham University before joining Dover College in September 2007. A Grade 8 Trumpetist, she also runs the History Society and is the Editor of the pupils' newsletter called "The Close".
The Curriculum Programme of Study. The English Department teaches pupils to develop skills in Reading and Writing, Speaking and Listening. We hope to foster an enjoyment of Literature and a respect for the English language. In all years emphasis is placed upon precise communication, regular reading and the development of a wider vocabulary. Year 7. Year 8. Year 9. Year 10:GCSE/ KS4 The GCSE course is a mixture of Coursework and Terminal Examination. In ENGLISH the coursework amounts to forty per cent with twenty per cent for Speaking and Listening and twenty per cent for Reading and Writing. The terminal examination consists of two one hour 45 minute papers: 'Non-fiction, Media and Information ' and 'Different cultures, Analysis and Argument'. In ENGLISH LITERATURE coursework amounts to thirty per cent with a Terminal Examination of two and a quarter hours on three set books: a novel, a play and a collection of poems. Texts are allowed in the examination room. The current set books are 'Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry' (Taylor), 'Educating Rita' (Russell) and 'Journey's End'. During Year 10 we place a particular emphasis on these examination texts. Year 11. The current set book is "Macbeth" Sixth Form. Lower Sixth / AS level. Pupils are encouraged to take advantage of regularly visiting the theatre, be it locally or in London,.
Apart from an emphasis on basic literacy skills and orthography the pupils are encouraged to read widely with class readers such as Greek Myths and 'A Midsummer's Night Dream'.
Pupils continue to develop their writing skills through the study of literature. Class readers include 'The Canterbury Tales' and 'The Tempest'.
Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' is examined in some detail as well as classroom readers such as 'The Woman in Black' and 'Animal Farm' . Comprehension and summary skills are developed through reading a range of written material including media texts. Pupils are encouraged to widen vocabulary through the Dover College Vocabulary Scheme.
InYear 10 we start the two-year GCSE course. We follow the O.C.R Syllabus 1900 for ENGLISH and Syllabus 1901 for ENGLISH LITERATURE. For both courses we enter candidates for the Higher Tier of assessment.
The GCSE course continues with a strong emphasis on the coursework assignments. This coursework has to be completed by late March.
The course we follow is OCR 3828 leading to A7828. There are six units to be studied: the first three units form the AS level (3828) and are studied in the lower sixth; the second three units complete the Advanced level (7828) and are taken in the upper sixth.
Unit 2707
Poetry and Drama pre-1900
(two-hour examination: no texts allowed)
Unit 2712
Prose post-1914
(two-hour examination: open text)
Unit 2713
Comparative and Contextual Study
(two-hours, plus fifteen minutes reading time: no texts)