English Society

The English Society, run by departmental staff for Sixth Form students, arranges a variety of extra-curricular clubs. Students are encouraged to join the Wider Reading group; here students will be exposed to a vast array of reading, including texts in translation. Amongst others, we have looked at modern novels by the likes of JG Ballard, Cormac McCarthy and Martin Amis. Additionally, there will be interview practice for prospective Oxbridge candidates as well as preparation for the ELAT pre-interview examination at Oxford. We have had considerable success at Oxford and Cambridge, along with other Russell Group universities, in recent years. In 2010 five pupils received offers to read English at Oxford and Cambridge alone.

The department also organises academics and guest speakers to address the students: in 2009-10 we had Professor Jon Stallworthy and Dr Robert Douglas-Fairhurst from Oxford; Professor William Rowe from Birkbeck; contemporary poet Lee Harwood (picture above) and critic Ian Brinton; Dr Sean McEvoy and Henry Claridge from Kent University addressing the Society on set texts and issues in contemporary literature.  Also, members of the department will talk on literary/ linguistic subjects of particular interest to them as time allows during the academic year. There are also regular theatre trips: so far in 2010-11 we have been to see Ghost Stories, Educating Rita, House of Games, Lower Ninth and The Master Builder.

There is also ample opportunity to be involved in Debating. The department organises debating and has a great degree of success. In 2010 we had two teams through to the finals of the Oxford Union debating. We also compete in the Cambridge and other national debating competitions. There is a Film Club run at lunchtimes where classic films are watched and discussed.