THE ENGLISH CURRICULUM 

English underpins everything else a child goes on to do.
 
We take care to make sure every pupil learns to read fluently and write with clarity. That means getting the basics right;  grammar, spelling, structure. We see this in a piece of persuasive writing on something they care about, or in a story that takes an unexpected turn. We give them the tools, then give them space to use them.
 
Reading is part of the rhythm of the day. We encourage boys to read widely. It makes a difference, not just in how they read, but in how they think and speak. They start to see books in context, socially, historically and to make connections for themselves.  Shakespeare feels relevant and alive when boys can see echoes of ideas on the page in the world around them.
 
In lessons, they start to look more closely at language: why a writer has chosen one word over another, what effect that creates, what sits beneath the surface. Poetry tends to find its way in naturally. Boys enjoy it, often more than they expect to. Writing their own poems and reading them aloud, builds a kind of confidence that shows up elsewhere too. It helps them find a voice and trust it, a skill with real impact in real life.  
 
 
 
 

ENRICHMENT FOR ENGLISH 

Enrichment at Pilgrims’ brings learning to life through theatre trips, author visits and workshops that inspire creativity and insight into the writer’s craft.

Speaking and listening skills are developed through classroom discussion, debate and opportunities to speak in assemblies and services at Winchester Cathedral and Winchester College Chapel, with senior boys also gaining confidence through guiding visitors around the school.

ACCELERATED READER

Accelerated Reader (AR) is a system that helps monitor boys’ independent reading.  Pilgrims’ can pick a book at their own level and read it at their own pace.  When they have finished, they take a short quiz.  AR gives the boys and teachers feedback based to help with what they might want to read next. AR has over 30,000 books on record with quizzes for each, and more are being added every day.  

AR keeps a running total of all the words each boy has read.  Keeping track of this ‘Word Count’ is something that strongly motivates the boys – the goal is for a boy to become a ‘Word Millionaire’ during an academic year. 

BRIGGS LIBRARY

Reading is at the core of the Pilgrims’ way of life, so the library is always open. Boys use it in lessons, breaks, before and after the school or just as somewhere homely to sit quietly and read. Magazines and newspapers are available too with chess sets and comfy sofas. 

Our impressive collection of fiction includes the classics alongside the latest releases, while the reference section aims to support the curriculum and to provide material that reflects the boys’ hobbies and interests.  We also have the famous P & G Wells book shop just next door where many families enjoy visits from famous children’s authors and workshops.   

POETRY RECITAL AND SPEECH COMPETITION

Boys take part in our annual poetry recital, for which they learn a poem and recite it from memory.  Older boys also enter our annual speech competition, competing to engage and enthuse audiences, delivering speeches on a topic of their own choice that they have researched and written themselves. The finals of both competitions are judged by an external adjudicator and always well attended by parents.