St John's English Podcast
This podcast covers English Literature topics for students in Key Stages 3 through 5. It is produced by St John's English Department and is intended for classroom support and independent learning. The content focuses on analysing texts, developing critical reading skills, and exploring literary themes and contexts.
Episodes
The Deliverer, by Tishani Doshi - Pupil Discussion
A trio of Year 12 pupils discuss this brutal, powerful poem from the Edexcel English Literature A Level anthology of modern poems.
Edexcel English Language Paper 1 - Transactional Writing
Miss T walks us through how to approach and succeed in Question 6/7 from Paper 1.
Music in A Streetcar Named Desire
An exploration of the importance of music in the text - the Varsouviana supplanted by the 'blue piano' - excerpts from popular music drifting through the bathroom door at opportune moments - Wien Wien and Paper Doll[s] - there's plenty to explore.
William Wordsworth's 'Ode: Intimations of Immortality'
Mr B walks us through Wordsworth's musings on how 'The Child is Father of the Man' in this impassioned poem.
Hope in Frankenstein and The Handmaid's Tale
A discussion with two of our Year 12 pupils on which novel may be considered the more hopeful. These texts are being studied as part of the Edexcel English A Level Literature course.
The Handmaid's Tale and Frankenstein - Who or What is the Most Monstrous?
Two Year 12 pupils discuss monstrosity across these texts, with characters and societies all under the microscope.
Frankenstein - Who is the Real Monster?
Two Year 12 pupils discuss whether Victor or the Creature should be considered the real monster of the text.
IGCSE Edexcel Anthology - Beyond the Sky and the Earth
In-depth analysis of this IGCSE English Language anthology piece by Jamie Zeppa. Highlighters at the ready!
Poems of the Decade - Edexcel Modern Poetry Episode 2
A quick whizz through the second half of the collection in preparation for Edexcel's A Level Literature, Paper 3
Poems of the Decade - Edexcel Modern Poetry Episode 1
A quick tour through the first 10 poems in the anthology, considering language, structure and form in each.Designed to give pupils a platform from which to work rather than an exhaustive array of insights.
The Endings - Dracula and The Little Stranger
Edexcel A Level Literature revision episode.
Percy Shelley - The Essentials (and much more)
A new podcast looking at Percy Shelley, with the Edexcel A Level Romantic Poetry anthology in mind.
William Blake - The Basics
A quick overview of Blake's context and each poem within the Edexcel A Level Literature Romantic Poets anthology.
Lord Byron - The 10-minute Wrap Up
Mrs Newton leads us through the three Byron poems from the Edexcel A Level English Literature anthology, taking into account key themes, context and stylistic features.
William Wordsworth - the 10-minute wrap up.
Mrs Williams lends her dulcet tones to the podcast for this fantastic review of Wordsworth and his three poems within the Edexcel Romantics anthology.
'Look We Have Coming to Dover' by Daljit Nagra
A Streetcar Named Desire: Mental Instability
A Streetcar Named Desire: Blanche
A Streetcar Named Desire: Symbols
Home Alone and the Monomyth
The Rest is Gatsby, Part 2
The Rest is Gatsby, Part 1
Dracula and The Little Stranger - Evil in Dracula vs Faraday
IGCSE Edexcel Non-Fiction Anthology - 10 texts in 25 minutes!
A run-through of all ten Edexcel IGCSE English Language Anthology texts, considering the core of each text, their form, purpose and audience.
'Ode to a Nightingale' - John Keats - EDEXCEL A-Level Romantic Poetry
This podcast analyses 'Ode to a Nightingale' by John Keats from the EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry anthology
An interview with Lady Macbeth...
Alice Bufton-Thorneycroft played the role of Lady Macbeth in Esher Theatre's sell-out run in October. Here, she kindly and brilliantly discusses her views on the role.
Macbeth: Act 4, scene 1 - EDEXCEL IGCSE English Literature
This podcast focuses on analysis of Act 4, scene 1 of Macbeth for the EDEXCEL IGCSE English Literature syllabus
John Keats - Bingham Lecture
Percy Shelley - Bingham Lecture
Lord Byron - Bingham Lecture
William Wordsworth - Bingham Lecture
William Blake - Bingham Lecture
Romantics Poetry Bingham Lecture Introduction
An overview of our collection of Romantic poets.
'Holy Thursday' (Innocence and Experience) - William Blake - EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry
This podcast analyses both 'Holy Thursday' poems by William Blake from the EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry anthology
'The Sick Rose' - William Blake - EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry
This poem analyses 'The Sick Rose' by William Blake from the EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry anthology
Wordsworth - Tintern Abbey
NJJ talks us through Wordsworth's poem in his inimitable style.
Wordsworth - Intimations of Immortality
NJJ talks us through this complex and soulful poem.
'Ode on Melancholy' - John Keats - EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry
This podcast analyses 'Ode on Melancholy' by John Keats from the EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry anthology
'Sonnet on the Sea' - John Keats - EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry
This podcast analyses 'Sonnet on the Sea' by John Keats from the EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry anthology
'Lines Written in Early Spring' - William Wordsworth - EDEXCEL English A-Level Romantic Poetry
This podcast is on 'Lines Written in Early Spring' by William Wordsworth from the EDEXCEL English A-Level Romantic Poetry anthology
'Ode on a Grecian Urn' - John Keats - EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry
This podcast analyses the poem 'Ode on a Grecian Urn' by John Keats from the EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry collection
'Disabled' by Wilfred Owen (second half)
This podcast analyses the second half of 'Disabled' by Wilfred Owen (from line 26 onwards) for IGCSE English Language
'The Question' - Percy Shelley - EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry
This podcast analyses 'The Question' by Percy Shelley from the EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry collection
'The Cold Earth Slept Below' - Percy Shelley - EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry
This podcast analyses 'The Cold Earth Slept Below' by Percy Shelley from the EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry collection
'Stanzas Written in Dejection, Near Naples' - Percy Shelley - EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry
This podcast analyses 'Stanzas Written in Dejection, Near Naples' by Percy Shelley from the EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry collection
Roots - by the St John's Poet Laureate 2023/24
The new St John's Poet Laureate, Tara Srihiran-Brown, reads her poem, 'Roots', and discusses her influences and the experience of writing this poem.
'A Passage to Africa' by George Alagiah - EDEXCEL IGCSE English Language Anthology
This podcast analyses the EDEXCEL IGCSE English Language anthology text 'A Passage to Africa'
'Explorers or Boys Messing About' - EDEXCEL IGCSE English Language anthology podcast
This podcast analyses the EDEXCEL IGCSE English Language anthology text 'Explorers or Boys Messing About'
'127 hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place' by Aron Ralson - EDEXCEL IGCSE English Language
This podcast is on the anthology text '127 hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place' by Aron Ralston from the EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry anthology
'The Explorer's Daughter' by Kari Herbert - EDEXCEL IGCSE English Language
This podcast is on the anthology text 'The Explorer's Daughter' by Kari Herbert from the EDEXCEL IGCSE English Language anthology
'The Danger of a Single Story' by Chimamanda Adichie - EDEXCEL IGCSE English Language
This podcast is on the anthology text 'The Danger of a Single Story' by Chimamanda Adichie from the EDEXCEL IGCSE English Language Anthology
'On This Day I complete my Thirty-Sixth Year' by Lord Byron - EDEXCEL English A-Level Romantic Poetry
This podcast is on the poem 'On This Day I Complete My Thirty-Sixth Year' by Lord Byron from the EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry anthology
'Lines Inscribed on a Cup Formed From a Skull' - Lord Byron - EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry
This podcast is on the poem 'Lines Inscribed on a Cup Formed From a Skull' by Lord Byron from the EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry anthology
'So We'll Go No More a Roving' - Lord Byron - EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry
This podcast is on the poem 'So We'll Go No More a Roving' by Lord Byron from the EDEXCEL A-Level English Romantic Poetry anthology
'Ode on a Grayson Perry Urn' - EDEXDEL A-Level English poetry
This podcast is on the poem 'Ode on a Grayson Perry Urn' from the EDEXCEL A-Level English anthology 'Poems of the Decade'
'History' - Edexcel A-Level English Poetry
This podcast is on the poem 'History' from the EDEXCEL A-Level English anthology 'Poems of the Decade'
'From the Journal of a Disappointed Man' - Edexcel A-Level English
This podcast is on the poem 'From the Journal of a Disappointed Man' from the EDEXCEL A-Level English anthology 'Poems of the Decade'
A Minor Role - Edexcel A-Level English
This podcast focuses on the poem 'A Minor Role' from the A-Level English 'Poems of the Decade' anthology
Of Mice and Men - George
In today's episode, we have three Year 11 pupils discussing the character of George in Of Mice and Men.
Of Mice and Men - Vulnerability
In this episode, two Year 11 pupils discuss the theme of vulnerability in the novella, considering what makes a character vulnerable and what effect such vulnerability has on their actions.
Of Mice and Men - Dreams
In this episode, we have two Year 11 pupils discussing the theme of dreams in the novella.
Of Mice and Men - Curley's Wife
Two Year 11 pupils discuss this important character in Of Mice and Men, and the tragic nature of both her existence and her death.
Of Mice and Men - Lennie
Two Year 11 pupils discuss the character of Lennie in Steinbeck's novella, covering some interesting critical angles as well as some of the context that can illuminate this central character.
Of Mice and Men - Crooks
A pair of Year 11 pupils discuss the character of Crooks within the novella, and consider some of the contextual factors that may have influenced Steinbeck in his creation of this character.
Of Mice and Men - Candy
A group of Year 11 pupils discuss the character of Candy in Steinbeck's novella, Of Mice and Men.
'Material' by Ros Barber
NJJ makes a critical reading of 'Material' by Ros Barber from the 'Poems of the Decade' anthology
A tribute to Cormac McCarthy
NJJ pays tribute to the greatest - and strangest - American novelist of his generation
A tribute to Martin Amis
NJJ pays tribute to the greatest - and funniest - English novelist of his generation
Genetics
A podcast on the EDEXCEL A-Level poem 'Genetics' by Sinead Morrissey from the 'Poems of the Decade' anthology
The Furthest Distances I've Travelled
A podcast on the EDEXCEL A-Level poem 'The Furthest Distances I've Travelled' by Leonita Flynn from the Poems of the Decade anthology
Of Mice and Men - Key Quotation 2 - 'Loneliest guys in the world.'
A review of why this line is so important in the novel, and the context that created such loneliness.
Of Mice and Men - Key Quotation 1 - An live off the fatta' the lan'
A short review of why this is such an important image within the novella, taking into account some of the views of other characters and some of the context behind the image.
The Gender Politics of Storytelling: Queer Theory
NJJ explains so-called Queer Theory and takes a Queer lens to Rossetti and Twelfth Night
The gender politics of storytelling
NJJ takes a feminist lens to the reading of Twelfth night. And bursts into song.
St John's Pupil Poet Laureate
Our wonderful and inaugural Pupil Poet Laureate, Claudia Hollington, reads her poem entitled 'Childhood', the text of which is below:
Childhood
Marvelling at the many silvery trails
Traced on the leaf-lined bottles and pails
That we collected and built with care
for a clientele of snails.
A summer uniform striped in white and blue,
The smell of sunscreen in hazy air
And the soft song as the pigeon
The politics of storytelling - part 7: Frankenstein
Monsters meet Marxism in NJJ's latest slice of political criticism of a Gothic classic
The politics of storytelling - part 6: Mrs Sisyphus
NJJ interrogates Carol Ann Duffy's 'Mrs Sisyphus' from a Marxist perspective. Roll up, roll up!
The politics of storytelling - part 5
What does a political reading of Carol Ann Duffy's Mrs Midas offer us? Pure gold!
The politics of storytelling - part 4
NJJ turns his political lens to Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber. Bloody brilliant!
The politics of storytelling - part 2
NJJ's crash course on instant AO5 takes a look at the politics of comedy in Twelfth Night.
