About the programme

The Jordan Hill English Scholars Programme is a small group online enrichment programme designed to help Year 7 students thrive in secondary school English.

Running from October 2026 to June 2027, the programme provides academic enrichment and personalised support as students encounter the increased demands of reading, writing and thinking at secondary school.

Students develop their ability to analyse literary and nonfiction texts, explore writers’ methods, support interpretations with evidence and produce thoughtful, well structured analytical and creative writing.

Through stimulating discussion, guided independent work and positive peer learning, students grow into confident, perceptive and independent students of English.

Why this programme matters

Secondary school English requires students to read with greater insight, write with more control and think with greater precision.

Students are increasingly expected to:

1. Read and interpret more complex texts
2. Explain how writers use language and structure
3. Support ideas and interpretations with evidence
4. Organise analytical and creative writing effectively
5. Participate actively in lessons and discussions
6. Ask questions and seek clarification
7. Persevere when reading or writing becomes challenging
8. Take greater responsibility for their own understanding

Strong performance in primary school does not always mean that a student will adjust easily to these expectations. Some students need support moving beyond primary level responses, while others need greater challenge to develop their abilities fully.

The English Scholars Programme helps students build the reading, writing and reasoning habits that support achievement throughout secondary school and provide an early foundation for later GCSE study.

Independent thinking in the age of artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is becoming part of the learning environment young people are entering. The important question is whether students will have the confidence and judgement to use it well.

Students who are uncertain about their own reading, writing and thinking may become too quick to rely on artificial intelligence for answers, ideas and expression. Over time, this can weaken the intellectual habits they most need to develop.

The English Scholars Programme strengthens those habits by helping students:

1. Develop and express their own interpretations
2. Support their ideas with evidence
3. Make thoughtful language choices
4. Question the information they encounter
5. Write with greater confidence and independence

Use technology as a learning resource while retaining ownership of their thinking

Live teaching

Students participate in one hour of live small group teaching every Saturday through Google Meet.

The live lesson includes:

1. Direct teaching of reading and writing skills
2. Close reading and discussion of literary and nonfiction texts
3. Teacher modelling
4. Guided practice
5. Opportunities to ask questions
6. Collaborative discussion and peer learning
7. Immediate explanations and feedback

Guided activities

The live lesson is followed by one hour of guided activities completed through Google Classroom or Seesaw.

These activities allow students to:

1. Apply the skill taught during the live lesson
2. Complete reading and writing tasks independently
3. Review and consolidate their understanding
4. Submit work for feedback
5. Develop the habits of independent learning required in secondary school

Baseline assessment

Every student completes a baseline assessment before starting the programme.

The assessment identifies the student’s current level in:

1. Reading comprehension
2. Inference and interpretation
3. Analytical response
4. Creative writing
5. Sentence and paragraph organisation
6. Spelling, grammar and language use

The findings help ensure that teaching is informed, appropriate and responsive from the beginning of the programme.

Small group learning

The programme is taught in a small group because secondary school learning does not happen in isolation.

Students need opportunities to listen, contribute, ask questions and respond thoughtfully alongside others. A small group allows each student to be known individually while also benefiting from shared discussion, different interpretations and the healthy academic stretch that comes from learning with peers.

Each group has a maximum of ten students.