English

Year 9 begins preparing directly for GCSE: analytical essay writing on set texts, poetry analysis (form, structure, language, and comparing poems), and analysis of non-fiction and media texts. Transactional writing (letters, articles, speeches written for a specific purpose and audience) is practised in the GCSE style.

By the end of Year 9, most schools have introduced the actual GCSE set texts or a very close equivalent, so this year genuinely sets the foundation for GCSE performance rather than being a separate, disconnected topic.