English is an exciting yet rigorous subject at Princess Helena College, taught by passionate and highly qualified experts. We believe strongly in the power of literature to unlock the imagination, to encourage verbal dexterity and to help to create assured communicators who are keen to discuss their fictional experiences. With this in mind, literature is at the heart of much of what we do and we encourage our students to read beyond the curriculum as much as possible. Working closely with the school librarian, we ensure that books are promoted and made accessible, and our collaboration extends to a club that meets regularly each term for lively discussions.

Just as important in our eyes is the ability to use language accurately and precisely, and, to this end, we reinforce our lower-school language and literature lessons with regular sessions on spelling, punctuation and grammar skills. These are carefully integrated to complement pupils' creative work, another area we value strongly, especially amidst the diverse forms of writing covered in today's GCSE specifications.

We encourage those capable of it to pursue English at ‘A' level. We offer literature in the firm belief that this appeals most to the needs of our students, and that it plays to the considerable strengths and interests of our staff. Whilst we recognise that an ‘A' level in English is, and always has been, an invaluable qualification, our greatest desire is to spark critical acumen and to teach students the art of structuring coherent, erudite essays. Students are urged to evaluate critical material and to engage with the methodologies that have become so important in the last half-century of literary study. The range of texts we cover aims to give students a sense of historical perspective, particularly important for those continuing their studies at university.