Why is abbreviation such a long word?”
lateral thinking pupil

The teaching of English is at the heart of the education and creative energy at Frensham. We believe that literature has the capacity to help stir feelings of imagination and empathy as well as promoting skills of literacy and communication. The development of a love of reading and theatre is a gift which will make life more interesting, enjoyable and fulfilling; the ability to analyse and evaluate what is said is important for all of us who need to make decisions about the future and to consider where our sympathies lie.

The desire and freedom to express oneself creatively, too, is so much part of what it is to be human that it is given plenty of room and scope throughout the English curriculum from year 1 right through to year 13. This is also true for those who teach the subject in terms of the wide range of activities and teaching styles which go on in the classroom. Interest in the individual is an important feature of the dialogue which goes on between teacher and student as we seek to facilitate progress in critical and expressive skills.

The media, an ever increasing force in our world, bombards us constantly with messages and pressures. How do we react to these with understanding? What should we feel? Should we take action? We aim to equip our students with the ability to respond in a measured way to manipulation of all kinds, to speak and listen appropriately and to communicate clearly and powerfully. We hope that they will therefore leave Frensham as confident, articulate young adults.

 Lisa Graham, head of English