An immersive English experience at All Saints’ College, St Mary’s Campus

The English faculty at All Saints’ College, St Mary’s Campus aims to develop rigorous proficiency in literary awareness, creativity, functional literacy and language for life.

Students studying English at St Mary’s Campus develop an understanding of the purpose of English and learn  to engage, personally and critically,  with language.

Students are exposed to a range of texts from a variety of eras, genres, technologies and cultures, along with a rich diversity of English language skills and composition.

Catering for all skill levels

St Mary’s Campus offers a range of English courses for students including English Standard, Advanced English, English Extension and English Studies.

The English Standard course is designed to help students increase their expertise in English while also enhancing their personal, educational, social and vocational lives.

Students study and analyse a wide breadth and variety of English texts, enabling them to become confident and effective communicators.

Advanced English is designed for students who have a particular interest and ability in the subject and who desire  with challenging learning experiences.

Throughout the subject, students appreciate, analyse and respond imaginatively and critically to literary texts drawn from a range of personal, social, historical and cultural contexts. This includes literature from the past and present and from Australian and other cultures.

English Extension 1 is available for students who undertake Advanced English to allow them to extend their use of language and self-expression in creative and critical ways.

Engaging with increasingly complex concepts through a broad range of literature, students will refine their understanding and appreciation of the cultural roles and the significance of texts.

The English Studies course is designed to provide students with opportunities to become competent, confident and engaged communicators.

English Studies focuses on supporting students to refine their skills and knowledge in English and consolidate their literacy skills.

Extra-curricular opportunities

For students looking to expand their skills outside  the classroom, All Saints’ College, St Mary’s Campus, offers plenty of extra-curricular activities.

Students can participate in public speaking and debating competitions, attend Writing/Literary and Film festivals such as the Newcastle and Sydney Writers festivals and enter writing and film competitions such as the Sydney Morning Herald Young Writer of the Year competition.

To  improve further their literacy skills, St Mary’s Campus offers a variety of extra-curricular activities within the school. This include a book and film club, revision tutorials prior to major examinations and one-on-one teacher-student tutorials during the flexible learning day.

Students also have the chance to be a part of ‘A Writer in Residence’, where a visiting published author runs creative writing workshops. Students can also take advantage of ‘The Craft of Writing’, workshops run on the flexible learning day.

Incorporating technology

All Saints’ College, St Mary’s Campus, has brought a 21st century approach to its English faculty by incorporating technology into  teaching and learning.

The use of OneNote and Office 365 allows students to collaborate with one another and provides the opportunity for website-based teaching and learning. Such technology also gives students access to a 24/7 learning environment where they can receive instant feedback and allows for further independent study around topics that interest students.