‘English’ at all ages and levels at school contains many elements – learning the language and understanding how it is made up, developing skills at using the language, reading its rich literature, learning to read factual communications, writing personal works of fact and/or fiction, and learning to revel in this understanding and usage.
At GCSE and GCE A level the courses usually offer a skills based approach, allowing students to explore a range of literary and, in some courses, language topics. All of them rely mainly on ‘set books’ chosen from a list set out by the examination board
Teachers of English usually try to capture students’ interest in language and literature by attending plays and participating in conferences and debates. A number of educational visit companies offer such opportunities. And visits to localities featured in famous books and to authors’ and poets’ homes can inspire even the most reluctant student.
Main organisations:
National Association for the Teaching of English
Inclusion: NASEN
Thought of visiting?
The Tolkien Trails (Birmingham and Lancashire)
Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, Bucks
Dr Johnson’s Museum and Library, Lichfield
Jane Austen’s House and Museum
Articles on English, Education and Trips on SchoolTripsAdvisor
Wordsworth House and Garden, in the Cumbrian town of Cockermouth, is the birthplace and childhood home of romantic poet William and his sister Dorothy.
It is presented as it would have been when they lived here with their parents, three brothers and servants in the 1770s.
Holy Trinity, Stratford, on the banks of the River Avon, is probably England's most visited Parish Church. As well as being a thriving Parish church, it receives many thousands of visitors each year due to the fact that William Shakespeare was baptised here, worshipped here, and is buried in the chancel.
When you come to The Lyceum, we want your visit to be as relaxed and enjoyable as possible, from booking your tickets to the performance itself.
At the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry we create theatre in the belief that it can enrich our communities and fundamentally change peoples’ lives for the better.
Schools
Max Gate, an austere but sophisticated town house a short walk from the town centre of Dorchester, was the home of Dorset's most famous author and poet Thomas Hardy. Hardy, who designed the house in 1885, wanted to show that he was part of the wealthy middle classes of the area, to reflect his position as a successful writer, and to enable him to enter polite society.
See Scottish literature come to life in this 18th-century thatched cottage in the heart of Kirkoswald, Ayr. The former home of cobbler – or souter – John Davidson, the real-life Souter Johnnie immortalised in the Robert Burns poem Tam o’ Shanter, it features a thatched tavern in the garden, complete with life-sized sandstone statues of the poem’s main characters.
The most complete surviving Cistercian monastery in southern England, with almost all the walls of its 13th-century church still standing, along with many monastic buildings. After the Dissolution, the buildings were converted into the mansion house of Sir William Paulet.
Hidden in the quiet back streets of Chelsea is the home of Thomas and Jane Carlyle.
A twist of fate turned Carlyle into a star of the 19th-century literary world. Suddenly this was the place to be.
When you pull the bell to enter you will follow in the footsteps of Dickens, Ruskin, Tennyson and many more.
Castle Donington Museum Trust was founded in 1994 to provide and maintain a Local History Museum, reflecting the long and interesting history of this community overlooking the River Trent, which brought, in their turn, Saxons, Romans, Vikings and Normans to the heart of England.
"Something for everyone of all ages" is the motto of Sidmouth Museum through its interpretation of Natural History and the Jurassic Coast.
The museum and art gallery at the birthplace of artist Thomas Gainsborough in Sudbury.
The REP’s mission has always been to produce excellent theatrical experiences, to entertain, enlighten and engage audiences and, wherever possible, to reflect the diversity of Birmingham and the surrounding region. This supports our vision, which is to ‘Inspire the city of Birmingham to a lifelong love of theatre’
Step back in time, and when you visit London, remember to visit The World's Most Famous Address - 221b Baker Street - the Official Home of Sherlock Holmes!
Download our FREE Sherlock Holmes's London Walking Tour HERE.
Access our catalogues to search the collections available at the Archive and Archaeology Service.
This award winning museum is situated right in the heart of the historic town of Stratford upon Avon within a Grade 2* listed historic building.
Interactive and stimulating tours of the historic university where much of Harry Potter was filmed! Like stepping into their favourite films. Most tours are for 10+ but Family Tours in holidays welcome 5+.
Explore the landscape and childhood home of famed local author Thomas Hardy.
Visit Nash's House and the site of Shakespeare's last home at New Place, where he died in 1616.
Few authors have such strong associations with the natural and cultural heritage of their local area as Thomas Hardy. This cottage, where Hardy was born in 1840, was built of cob and thatch by his grandfather and has been little altered since the family left.
Jane Austen is one of the most popular and important novelists that England has ever produced. The house at Chawton is where she spent the last eight years of her life. It is of international importance as the place where she did the majority of her mature writing, but at the same time retains the charm of a village home.
An exciting venue for outdoor adventure and learning in a picturesque and easily accessible location, Staffordshire provides a welcoming and friendly environment
Our original Kingswood centre, where guests instantly feel at home
Particularly suited for younger students where all activities are close to the main buildings
Working with teachers to inspire a life-long love of Shakespeare in young people.
The Little Theatre Cinema was built by community theatre pioneer Consuelo de Reyes and her husband in 1935.
It initially functioned as a news theatre, open from midday and showing hourly programmes of documentaries and newsreels. Feature films were first shown in 1939, the first two being PEG OF OLD DRURY starring Anna Neagle, followed by OH, MR PORTER! starring Will Hay.
The 17th-century cottage was home to Coleridge for three years, from 1797. It was during his time here in Somerset that Coleridge wrote his finest works, including The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Kubla Khan, Frost at Midnight, The Nightingale, Cristabel and This Lime Tree Bower my Prison.
The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget.
A 15-year-old boy fell 60ft over the edge of a cliff whilst on a geography school trip, miraculously only suffering minor injuries.