Welcome to the English Department

The English Department at WGGS is a large department, comprising thirteen subject specialists. The department offers English and English Literature at all Key Stages, and Drama as part of English at KS3. Drama and Theatre Studies are offered as specialist subjects at GCSE, AS and A Level. The English Department is high achieving, with results at all Key Stages well above the national average. We are committed to sharing our passion for the subject, providing a stimulating, dynamic and academically rigorous experience of English for all our students.

Classes at all Key Stages are taught in mixed ability groups which allow our students to work to the highest level that each can attain. The department has its own laptops and interactive whiteboards, and a wide range of ICT resources. A love for literature is fostered through the enthusiasm and expertise of our specialist staff, an emphasis on personalised learning through independent research and projects, and plenty of opportunities for discussion, as we place a high value on each student's personal response.

Each student has access to a rich cultural experience as we offer the opportunity to participate in an extensive range of extra-curricular opportunities. Every year the department organises many theatre trips, as well as external study days for KS4 and KS5 students. We also arrange a programme of in-school Drama workshops, talks and writing workshops by visiting authors, as well as a wide range of lunch time clubs to cater for all enthusiasms.

Stimulating creativity and thought beyond the curriculum is an important focus for the English Department. We encourage students to enter national creative and critical competitions, and value the achievement and participation of all our students. Every year, we award subject prizes for academic achievement, but we also award a whole school Creative Writing Prize, and, just for the Sixth Form, the Halford Clark Prize for Creative Writing. World Poetry Day sees staff and students working together to produce a fun day for the whole school.

We share with the students of WGGS our own love of reading, circulating detailed reading lists, encouraging discussion, and promoting our popular Reading Log scheme for lower school. Every year, the English Department participates in the Carnegie Award Shadowing Scheme, and our Year 8 Carnegie Shadowing group contributes to the judging of this prestigious children's book award by voting for their favourite of short-listed books and posting their own reviews on the Carnegie website.

Lady's Close House, an elegant Edwardian house, is the self-contained base for the English Department, allowing the department to work closely together to create a strong sense of identity for the subject. Gardens surround Lady's Close House, providing a beautiful and atmospheric setting, perfect for the woods outside Athens or the Forest of Arden in fine weather!