📚
Year 7 • Key Stage 3Ages 11–12 (Year 7 UK)
Year 7 English Language & Literature Curriculum UK
Year 7 English bridges into secondary literary critique: studying a Shakespeare comedy (A Midsummer Night’s Dream or The Tempest), classical myths and legends, structured PEAL (Point, Evidence, Analysis, Link) analytical writing, and imaginative world-building.
Statutory Key Aims & Expected Attainment:
- Read critically across Shakespeare, 19th-century literature, and contemporary poetry
- Structure analytical essays deconstructing how writers use figurative language and structure to create effect
- Craft imaginative and descriptive writing with deliberate sensory atmosphere and varied syntax
🇬🇧 Crown Copyright • OGL v3.0 Free License100% Free & Open Source Educational Access
Curriculum Specification & Statutory Documents
Source: UK DfE Secondary National Curriculum (Key Stages 3 & 4) — Official Crown Copyright PDFNo login required • Free distribution under Open Government Licence
⚡
Essential Formulas, Key Rules & Frameworks for Year 7 English Language & Literature
PEAL Essay Framework: Point (clear claim answering prompt) → Evidence (embedded quote) → Analysis (word-level connotations and technique) → Link (connect back to thesis)
Iambic Pentameter: Five metric feet of unstressed followed by stressed syllables (da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM)
Term-by-Term Units of Study & Learning Outcomes
Term 1
Autumn Term: Myths, Legends & PEAL Essay Writing
Classical Mythology & Textual Analysis
Greek myths (Icarus, Pandora, Odyssey); structuring PEAL paragraphs analyzing hero archetypes.
Statutory Learning Outcomes:
- Write structured PEAL paragraphs analyzing authorial word choices and reader impact
#Archetype#PEAL paragraph#Connotation#Evidence
Term 2
Spring Term: Introduction to Shakespeare (Comedy/Romance)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream or The Tempest
Elizabethan stage conventions, prose vs verse (iambic pentameter), dramatic irony, and comedic chaos.
Statutory Learning Outcomes:
- Deconstruct how Shakespeare uses dialogue to characterize status and humor
#Iambic pentameter#Prose#Verse#Soliloquy#Dramatic irony
Term 3
Summer Term: Poetry of Place & Dystopian Creative Writing
Poetic Forms & Creative Dystopian Openings
Studying metaphors, similes, personification; writing atmospheric narrative openings.
Statutory Learning Outcomes:
- Apply varied sentence structures to build suspense in descriptive prose
#Simile#Metaphor#Personification#Sensory detail
📖
Free Open-Source Learning Resources & Video Masterclasses
Handpicked curriculum resources aligned with UK Department for Education standards.
Self-Assessment CheckInstant diagnostic questions
English Language & Literature Key Concept Drills
Q1.What poetic rhythm consists of ten syllables per line arranged in unstressed and stressed pairs?