I provide high quality, tried and tested materials, developed over 17 years of teaching KS3-5. There is material to support G3/4 students as well as material to push for G8 and G9s.
I provide high quality, tried and tested materials, developed over 17 years of teaching KS3-5. There is material to support G3/4 students as well as material to push for G8 and G9s.
This Literacy Support scheme of work has been created to support students who need extra support at KS3. It gives an overview of the skills and themes often taught at KS3. This unit of work is specialised to target travel articles and diaries, with both reading and writing skills, and works well with small support groups.
This Literacy Support scheme of work has been created to support students who need extra support with poetry at KS3. It gives an overview of the skills and themes needed, such as writer’s use of language and voice, poetic techniques and rhythm. Each unit of work comes with 6 lessons and an easy to follow workbook. This unit works well with small support groups.
Lesson 1: Poetic techniques
Lesson 2: Synonyms in Autumn by John Keats
Lesson 3: Rhythm in Sonny’s Lettah by Linton Kwesi Johnson
Lesson 4: Voice in Hitcher by Simon Armitage
Lesson 5: Style in Kid by Simon Armitage
Lesson 6: Originality in Talking Turkeys by Benjamin Zephaniah
This Literacy Support scheme of work has been created to support students who need extra support at KS3 with Romeo and Juliet. It gives an overview of the skills and themes needed to access Shakespeare. Each unit of work is specialised to target a specific area of the KS3 curriculum such as Shakespearean language and context. Each unit of work comes with 8 lessons and an easy to follow workbook. This unit works well with small support groups.
Lesson 1: Accessing Shakespeare’s language
Lesson 2: Costume design
Lesson 3: Plot and key quotes
Lesson 4: Exploring parent and child relationships
Lesson 5: Writing a magazine article on the Capulet Ball
Lesson 6: Evaluating who is to blame
Lesson 7: Plot quiz
Lesson 8: Grammar
This unit is a great way to teach summary, language and perspective skills at KS4. It is focused on AQA English Language GCSE Paper 2. It prepares students for Q2 summarise the differences, Q3 writer’s use of language and Q4 perspective and point of view. It includes 24 lessons and is fully resourced with lesson powerpoints, exemplar answers, online research and historical articles . Page numbers refer to the Arrow Books edition.
Lesson 1: Context research online
Lesson 2: C1 Maycomb County
Lesson 3: C2 Education
Lesson 4: C2 Analysing Miss Caroline
Lesson 5: C3 Comparing Atticus’ and Scout’s point of view
Lesson 6: The Case of Ruby Bridges
Lesson 7: C4 Analysing Atticus Finch
Lesson 8: C5 Analysing Miss Maudie Atkinson
Lesson 9: C6 Building tension
Lesson 10: C7 Scout’s understanding of the world
Lesson 11: C8 The Fire
Lesson 12 C10 The Rabid Dog
Lesson 13: Analysing Miss Dubose
Lesson 14: C12 Race relations
Lesson 15: C13 Comparing Aunt Alex with Ms Dubose
Lesson 16: C15 The Lynch Mob
Lesson 17: C16-21 Summarising the trial
Lesson 18: C21 The Verdict
Lesson 19: C23 Comparing Bob and Atticus
Lesson 20: C24 Analysing the Missionary Ladies
Lesson 21: C25 Racism and Prejudice
Lesson 22: C28 The Attack on Jem and Scout
Lesson 23: C29 The Aftermath and Boo Radley
Lesson 24: C31 The Ending
Private Peaceful is a fantastic way to teach students about the realties of war, at a time when politicians seek to glorify it.
This unit is ideally for Year 7 or mid ability Year 8. 18 lessons covering the whole of the text, focusing on writer’s use of language, how the writer uses structure, character analysis and creative writing opportunities. The unit of work is fully resourced with ppts, contextual information to illuminate understanding of the text, chapter extracts and more. This is perfect for early exam preparation as well as fostering English Literature skills. Page numbers refer to the Harper Collins Edition.
Lesson 1: Introduction to WW1
Lesson 2: First day at school
Lesson 3: Older brothers
Lesson 4: Creating characters
Lesson 5: Grandma Wolf
Lesson 6: Siblings
Lesson 7: Describing a plane crash
Lesson 8: Parent-child relationships
Lesson 9: Diary Writing
Lesson 10: Life in the army
Lesson 11: Analysing character motivation
Lesson 12: War propaganda
Lesson 13: Use of setting
Lesson 14: Dulce et decorum est by Wilfred Owen
Lesson 15: Describing a gas attack
Lesson 16: Letter writing
Lesson 17: Assessment
Lesson 18: Assessment feedback
This scheme of work contains everything you need to teach Narrative Writing at KS4 and will save you hours of preparation! It is focused on AQA Paper 1 for English language but can easily be adapted for other purposes. It includes 23 lessons and is fully resourced with lesson ppts, short stories and extracts, IWB interactive resources, quizzes and activities to exploit drama. Each lesson targets a different area of the mark scheme for the students to master.
Lesson 1: An introduction into narrative writing with ‘On the Road’
Lesson 2: How to structure a story using a story mountain
Lesson 3: How to write an effective opening
Lesson 4: Using connectives
Lesson 5: Creating characters with depth
Lesson 6: Writing about a party
Lesson 7: Focus on punctuation in ‘The Hero’
Lesson 8: Avoiding cliche in “The 100% perfect girl”
Lesson 9: Using dialogue
Lesson 10: Multiple narrative voices in “Not My Best Side”
Lesson 11: Writing a story using a unique voice
Lesson 12: Structure in ‘The Fugitive’
Lesson 13: A Day in the Life of a Nobody
Lesson 14: Writing a personal response
Lesson 15: Creating titles
Lesson 16: Expanding and planning
Lesson 17: Topic sentences
Lesson 18: Openings and endings
Lesson 19: Endings
Lesson 20: Narratives and dialogue
Lesson 21: Opening lines
Lesson 22: Creating a sense of place
Lesson 23: Show don’t tell
This scheme of work contains everything you need to teach Descriptive Writing at KS4. This unit of work is focused on AQA Paper 1 for English language. It includes 18 lessons and is fully resourced with lesson ppts, exemplar essays, IWB interactive resources, quizzes, activities to exploit drama, fiction extracts and opportunities to exploit online research. It focuses on tense changes, structure, linking paragraphs, grammar and different approaches to tacking the question.
Lesson 1: Using ‘On The Road’ to describe a desert
Lesson 2: How to create characters with depth
Lesson 3: Describing a beach with sophisticated language
Lesson 4: Describing place in ‘Lord of the Rings’
Lesson 5: Describing a funfair with a focus on structure
Lesson 6: Writing ‘An Ode to Christmas’
Lesson 7: Changing Narration to Description
Lesson 8: Sustain, develop and contrast your paragraphs
Lesson 9: Focus on grammar
Lesson 10: Using metaphors to describe a school canteen
Lesson 11: Describing a playground with a focus on language
Lesson 12: Describing an old person with originality
Lesson 13: How to choose a question
Lesson 14: Describing a mansion with flashbacks
Lesson 15: Describing Paris through ‘Perfume’
Lesson 16: Describing a market with ‘Game of Thrones’
Lesson 17: Vocabulary Challenge
Lesson 18: Focus on punctuation
This unit contains 20 lessons covering the film ‘Let Him Have It’, focusing on opinion writing, speeches and newspaper articles that discuss capital punishment. It is fully resourced with worksheets, speeches, crime scene sketches and contextual information to illuminate understanding of capital punishment in the 1950s and the Derek Bentley case. This unit of work is an engaging way to prepare for non-fiction writing . It works well in conjunction with the film ‘Let Him Have It’ (1991) .
Lesson 1: Attitudes to capital punishment
Lesson 2: Crime
Lesson 3: A timeline of the warehouse robbery
Lesson 4: Witness evidence
Lesson 5: Prosecution and defence
Lesson 6: Using camera angles
Lesson 7: Creating a storyboard
Lesson 8: Filming your storyboard
Lesson 9: Writing a police report
Lesson 10: The Court Case
Lesson 11: Bentley’s execution
Lesson 12: 1950s culture
Lesson 13: Protest songs
Lesson 14: Persuasive techniques in a letter
Lesson 15: Persuasive techniques in a speech
Lesson 16: Creating a protest poster
Lesson 17: Writing a defence speech for Craig
Lesson 18: Writing a defence speech for Bentley
Lesson 19: Planning your assessment speech
Lesson 20: Writing your speech
Bring Titanic to life with this introduction to non-fiction texts at middle school. 16 lessons focusing on evaluating non-fiction texts, opinion writing, evaluating a statement and writing a summary. Fully resourced with ppts, contextual information to illuminate understanding and Interactive White Board activities.
Lesson 1: an introduction to Titanic
Lesson 2: online research
Lesson 3: a timeline of the sinking
Lesson 4: newspaper articles
Lesson 5: a survivor’s account
Lesson 6: radio broadcasts
Lesson 7: creating Titanic characters
Lesson 8: character profiles
Lesson 9: grammar
Lesson 10: writing a speech
Lesson 11: performing a speech
Lesson 12: report writing
Lesson 13: evaluating blame
Lesson 14: the Titanic quiz
Lesson 15: poster lesson
Lesson 16: descriptive writing
This scheme of work contains everything you need to teach Narrative Writing at KS3. This unit of work is great preparation for AQA Paper 1 for English language. It includes 13 lessons and is fully resourced with lesson ppts, exemplar paragraphs, IWB interactive resources, activities to exploit drama, media activities and fun ways to engage the students using horror writing.
Lesson 1: How to create tension in your writing
Lesson 2: Using camera angles
Lesson 3: Filming your Sandman
Lesson 4: Designing a storyboard
Lesson 5: Narrating over the Sandman
Lesson 6: Planning and structure
Lesson 7: Editing, extending and improving
Lesson 8: Focus on grammar
Lesson 9: Focus on sentence structure
Lesson 10: Planning your story
Lesson 11: Writing your story
Lesson 12: Less is more - being concise
Lesson 13: Designing a Sandman poster
This unit contains everything you need to teach Jekyll and Hyde at KS4 and will save your hours of preparation! It is focused on AQA Paper 1 for English Literature. It includes 21 lessons and is fully resourced with lesson powerpoints, contextual information, exemplar essays, interactive resources, quizzes, activities to exploit drama, extracts and opportunities for online research.
Lesson 1: The importance of context
Lesson 2: An introduction to Jekyll and Hyde
Lesson 3: Victorian Britain
Lesson 4: Acting out the plot
Lesson 5: The importance of the opening
Lesson 6: Impressions of Mr Hyde
Lesson 7: Exploring Mr Utterson
Lesson 8: How the writer creates mood and atmosphere
Lesson 9: Mr Utterson’s Dream
Lesson 10: Analyzing Jekyll’s state of mind
Lesson 11: Comparing Hyde and Jack the Ripper
Lesson 12: The murder of Danvers Carew
Lesson 13: Good and Evil
Lesson 14: Symbolism
Lesson 15: The two sides of Mr Utterson
Lesson 16: Repression
Lesson 17: Society
Lesson 18: Narrative viewpoint
Lesson 19: The ending
Lesson 20: The structure of the novel
Lesson 21: Comic strip revision
This unit is a great way to teach AQA GCSE English Language Paper 1 . This unit of work is focused on Heroes by Robert Cormier. The students are given repeated practice of questions 1-4 through a literature text. The main focus is Q2 writer’s use of language, Q3 writer’s use of structure and Q4 evaluation of a statement. It includes 23 lessons and is fully resourced with lesson powerpoints, exemplar answers, quizzes, extracts and opportunities to exploit online research. This would suit a lower group who are aiming for G4 G5 or G6. Page numbers refer to the Puffin Books Edition.
Lesson 1: WW2 context and Frenchtown
Lesson 2: Writer’s use of language with Francis Cassavant
Lesson 3: Using flashbacks
Lesson 4: Evaluating how the writer uses flashbacks
Lesson 5: Structure in Francis’ memories
Lesson 6: Language to describe WW2 veterans
Lesson 7: Describing the Rec Centre
Lesson 8: Language to describe Larry LaSalle
Lesson 9: Mood and atmosphere
Lesson 10: Language to describe a sports story
Lesson 11: Flashbacks and memories
Lesson 12: The effect of Pearl Harbour
Lesson 13: Creating expectation
Lesson 14: Writer’s use of contrast
Lesson 15: Evaluating Larry LaSalle
Lesson 16: Creating sympathy for Francis
Lesson 17: Writer’s use of grammar
Lesson 18: Planning a story
Lesson 19: Structure in chapter 14
Lesson 20: Language in chapter 14
Lesson 21: Creative Writing
Lesson 22: The Ending
Lesson 23: Evaluating the ending
Are you looking for a fresh and creative way to teach Macbeth? To enlighten students on the human condition, power and corruption? I recently studied for my Certificate for Teaching Shakespeare at the RSC in Stratford and it has revolutionized the way I teach the bard.
This unit contains everything you need to teach Macbeth at KS4. It is focused on essay writing skills, analyzing extracts for English Literature and bringing the play to life. It includes 30 lessons and is fully resourced with lesson PowerPoints, contextual information, exemplar essays, IWB interactive resources, quizzes, activities to exploit drama, extract analysis and opportunities for online research. Page numbers refer to the Cambridge Shakespeare edition.
Lesson 1: Context
Lesson 2: Shakespearean language
Lesson 3: The plot
Lesson 4: The characters
Lesson 5: A1S1 The witches
Lesson 6: Is Macbeth a hero in A1S2?
Lesson 7: A1S3 The Witches’ prophecies
Lesson 8: A1S5 Lady Macbeth
Lesson 9: A1S7 Macbeth’s soliloquy
Lesson 10: Act 1 Review
Lesson 11: A2S1 Soliloquys
Lesson 12: A2S2 Comparing The Macbeths
Lesson 13: A2S3 Staging Duncan’s murder
Lesson 14: A2S4 Nature and Divine Right to rule
Lesson 15: Act 2 Review
Lesson 16: A3S1 Banquo’s murder
Lesson 17: A3S2 The relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
Lesson 18: A3S3 Banquo’s death speech
Lesson 19: A3S4 The banquet
Lesson 20: A3S6 Lennox’s suspicions
Lesson 21: Act 3 Review
Lesson 22: A4S1 The Witches
Lesson 23: A4S2 The murder of the MacDuffs
Lesson 24: Comparing Macbeth and MacDuff
Lesson 25: Macduff’s reaction
Lesson 26: A5S1 Lady Macbeth’s madness
Lesson 27: A5S3 Macbeth reclaims his heroism
Lesson 28: A5S5 The death of Lady Macbeth
Lesson 29: A5S8 Good vs Evil
Lesson 30: Act 5 Review
Do you need a way for students to engage with the big questions of today, such as what brings us true happiness in a world obsessed with money and status?
This unit contains everything you need to teach A Christmas Carol at KS4. It is focused on essay writing skills for English Literature, as well as the ability to analyze, evaluate and apply context to your writing. It includes 24 lessons and is fully resourced with lesson PowerPoints, contextual information, exemplar material, IWB interactive resources, quizzes, activities to exploit drama, extracts and opportunities to exploit online research. Page numbers refer to the Scholastic Classics Edition.
Lesson 1: Character and plot overview
Lesson 2: A Victorian Christmas
Lesson 3: Context presentations
Lesson 4: Performing the play
Lesson 5: Our first impressions of Scrooge
Lesson 6: Victorian attitudes to the poor
Lesson 7: Marley’s ghost
Lesson 8: Marley and Scrooge
Lesson 9: The Ghost of Christmas Past
Lesson 10: Scrooge’s childhood
Lesson 11: Victorian employers
Lesson 12: Victorian women
Lesson 13: The Ghost of Christmas Present
Lesson 14: The Cratchits
Lesson 15: The struggles of the poor
Lesson 16: The lessons Scrooge learns
Lesson 17: Ignorance and Want
Lesson 18: The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
Lesson 19: Old Joe’s Shop
Lesson 20: Scrooge’s death
Lesson 21: Pathetic fallacy
Lesson 22: Cyclical structure
Lesson 23: Creating character profiles
Lesson 24: Writing your own quiz
There are also several options for assessment, including how Scrooge changes and the struggles of the poor.
Everything you need to teach Murmuring Judges at KS5. This unit of work includes 40 lessons and is fully resourced with lesson powerpoints, contextual information, exemplar material, IWB interactive resources, quizzes, extracts and articles that explore the relationship between the 3 branches of the criminal justice system. Page numbers refer to the Faber and Faber edition.
This unit contains everything you need to teach Of Mice and Men and will save you hours of planning time! This unit of work is focused on preparing students for their GCSE exam, but it could also be modified for Year 9. It includes 20 lessons and is fully resourced with lesson PowerPoints, exemplar material, IWB interactive resources, quizzes, extracts, contextual information and opportunities for online research. Page numbers refer to the Faber and Faber edition.
Lesson 1: The American Dream
Lesson 2: The Opening
Lesson 3: Context Game
Lesson 4: The relationship between George and Lennie
Lesson 5: Dreams
Lesson 6: Chapter 1 review
Lesson 7: The Ranch
Lesson 8: Slim, Curley, Crooks and Curley’s Wife
Lesson 9: Film review of chapters 1-2
Lesson 10: Character relationships
Lesson 11: The shooting of Candy’s dog
Lesson 12: How the dream has evolved
Lesson 13: Structure and the fight
Lesson 14: Crooks and racism
Lesson 15: Isolation
Lesson 16: Chapter review 3-4
Lesson 17: Mood and atmosphere
Lesson 18: Appearance and reality
Lesson 19: Curley’s Wife
Lesson 20: Lennie’s death
Lesson 21: Building atmosphere
Lesson 22: Lennie
This unit is a great way to teach language, structure and evaluation skills at KS4. It is focused on AQA English Language GCSE Paper 1. It prepares students for Q2 writer’s use of language, Q3 writer’s use of structure, Q4 statement evaluation and Q5 descriptive writing. It includes 20 lessons and is fully resourced with lesson powerpoints, exemplar material, IWB interactive resources, quizzes, extracts and opportunities for online research. Page numbers refer to the Faber and Faber edition.
Lesson 1: The American Dream
Lesson 2: How does Steinbeck use language to set the scene?
Lesson 3: Creative Writing and marking
Lesson 4: How Steinbeck creates characters
Lesson 5: Structure in Chapter 1
Lesson 6: How to use semi colons
Lesson 7: Writer’s use of language
Lesson 8: Creative Writing
Lesson 9: Using flashbacks and past tenses
Lesson 10: The structure of Chapter 3
Lesson 11: Evaluating George and Lennie’s dream
Lesson 12: Writing a Q4 answer
Lesson 13: Structure in the fight scene
Lesson 14: Using language to describe Crooks’ room
Lesson 15: Evaluating Curley’s Wife’s character
Lesson 16: Mood and atmosphere
Lesson 17: Appearance and reality
Lesson 18: Building tension at the end
Lesson 19: Planning your creative writing
Lesson 20: Writing a G9 answer
This unit is a great way to teach language, structure and evaluation skills at KS4. It is focused on AQA English Language GCSE Paper 1. It prepares students for Q2 writer’s use of language, Q3 writer’s use of structure, Q4 statement evaluation and Q5 descriptive writing. It includes 26 lessons and is fully resourced with lesson powerpoints, exemplar material, IWB interactive resources, quizzes, extracts and opportunities for online research. Page numbers refer to the Faber and Faber edition. It is best used with a high ability set aiming for G6 to G9.
Lesson 1: An introduction to Lord of the Flies
Lesson 2: William Golding and rules
Lesson 3: How Golding describes characters
Lesson 4: Describing the island
Lesson 5: Jack evaluation question
Lesson 6: Creative Writing
Lesson 7: How Golding uses language to describe Jack
Lesson 8: Language to describe the mask
Lesson 9: Mood and atmosphere on the hunt
Lesson 10: Order and chaos
Lesson 11: Evaluation of the boys
Lesson 12-13: Group behaviour
Lesson 14: The Beast
Lesson 15: Describing a person
Lesson 16: Exploring the island
Lesson 17: Creative writing
Lesson 18: Evaluating the impact of the beast
Lesson 19: Human nature
Lesson 20: Jack’s tribe
Lesson 21: Golding’s use pathetic fallacy
Lesson 22: Symbolism
Lesson 23: Writer’s use of structure
Lesson 24: Evaluating the death of Piggy
Lesson 25: The message of the novel
Lesson 26: Building tension and expectation
This unit contains everything you need to teach Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan at KS3. This is a sequence of 21 Cirque du Freak lessons that aid KS3 students in developing their understanding of plot, character, language and structure through studying Darren Shan’s text. The unit of work includes:
Lesson 1: Narrative Hooks
Lesson 2: Initial impressions of Darren
Lesson 3: Analysing characters
Lesson 4: Comparing the boys
Lesson 5: Describing setting
Lesson 6: The Freakshow
Lesson 7: Language to describe the snake
Lesson 8: Vampire webquest
Lesson 9: Steve and friendship
Lesson 10: Forming a plan
Lesson 11: The relationship between Steve and Darren
Lesson 12: Building tension
Lesson 13: Analysing Mr Crepsley
Lesson 14: Writing a letter of application
Lesson 15: Designing a vampire
Lesson 16: Writing effective endings
Lesson 17: Assessment Planning on Steve
Lesson 18: Writing your assessment
Lesson 19: Assessment feedback
Lesson 20: Designing a front cover
Lesson 21: The film
The unit ends with an assessment that evaluates the character of Steve Leonard. It is supported with a feedback sheet, writing frames and exemplar answers to mark afterwards.
This scheme of work is 10 lessons designed to test your students’ ability to plan and write creatively using a picture as a springboard for their imagination. It is most effective when used a few weeks before their exam. The focus is:
Lesson 1: structuring paragraphs in a WW1 trench scene
Lesson 2: using varied sentence structures in a train scene
Lesson 3: noun-verb collocation in a forest scene
Lesson 4: the effect of adjectives in an alien planet scene
Lesson 5: paragraph focus in a scene from Private Peaceful
Lesson 6: descriptive techniques in a castle scene
Lesson 7: using tense changes in a stormy sea scene
Lesson 8: individual word choice in a transport image
Lesson 9: creating backstories from AI images
Lesson 10: using a learning mat for a mountain scene