English
Welcome to the English Faculty!
The English Faculty aims to provide students with opportunities to experience, reflect on and learn from the lives of others through the texts they read.
The English teachers at BWSC are committed to developing the cognitive, social and emotional needs of all students. For that reason, we are active in all areas of school life. While a significant aspect of teaching English is concerned with the development of skills in reading, writing, listening, viewing and speaking, we believe that it should also equip the young people in our care with the skills they need to articulate and reflect upon their concerns, their fears, their beliefs and their position in the world. The development of the individual student is of vital concern to us and it is with this in mind that we regularly collaborate with one another to design challenging programs for our students. Our focus on inclusivity and differentiation across all academic abilities and skill levels shape both our Stage 5 & Stage 6 teaching and learning programs.
Strategic resourcing of quality texts is fundamental to our programming as we endeavour to enrich the learning experiences of our students by providing them with a range of different circumstances, situations and characters in order to develop an educated perspective and understanding of other individuals, communities and cultures. Through the study of literature, students come to understand human behaviour in terms of the ideas people have about good and evil, and morality and immorality, therefore studying highly valued texts is imperative as they assist students in developing their own moral code.
Subjects
English
Drama (Elective)
Drama
English Studies
English Standard
English Advanced
English Extension 1
English Extension 2 (Year 12 only)
Drama is offered as an elective in Year 10, and as a HSC course in Years 11-12. BWSC has a fully functioning theatre space equipped with projector, lighting and sound system.
Drama is an exploration of human experiences and situations brought to life through enactment. In Drama, students learn about themselves and others by creating characters drawn from a variety of situations, they then collaboratively or independently share their understanding and talent creatively with an audience.
In Drama, students can investigate, shape and symbolically represent ideas, feelings, attitudes, beliefs and their consequences. Students acquire skills in interpretation, communication, performance and critical analysis and become aware of the technical processes and technologies that may be used to heighten dramatic presentation through the study of this major art form. In the critical study of drama and theatre, students can recognise the collaborative contribution of actors, directors, playwrights, designers and technicians to production. They also develop an understanding of the cultural traditions and social contexts of drama and theatre.
At BWSC, students are offered meaningful co-curricular activities to support their learning in Drama. In Year 10, students are provided with the opportunity to experiment with various styles of mime, clowning and circus. They experientially and theoretically practise the skills involved in various circus acts and the purpose of comedy in performance.
In all years, Drama students participate in a variety of challenging theatre experiences and workshops to support their understanding of Drama practice and practitioners. Our Drama Program ensures that students are provided opportunities to attend major dramatic performances in public theatres to develop their art and their passion for it.
Our Staff
Mariel Williamson, Head Teacher English
Katie Conroy, English Teacher
Luke Goodley, English Teacher and Year 10 Advisor
Natalie Hammond, English & Drama Teacher and Year 10 Advisor
Steve Hopley, English Teacher and Year 11 Advisor
Ayva Marshall, English Teacher
Amirah Range, English Teacher
Learning
Find out about our approach to learning and supporting students to progress.
Additional learning support
Discover how we ensure every student feels safe and ready to learn, including those with disabilities and additional learning needs.