English across the four nations: A ‘home international’ comparison of secondary English curricula in the UK

Abstract Every child across the UK is expected to study English until the age of 16. The subject is understood to be a core and foundational element of pupils' curriculum entitlement across their school lives, and success in English is a key determinant for influencing individuals' future trajectories, and for impacting wider economic and social outcomes at the societal level. Despite the widely accepted significance of subject English and its universality for all young people in the UK, it remains a highly contested area of the curriculum. Since its formal inception as a curriculum subject English has always been a subject with a broad range of aims. Debates concerning its purpose and place within the curriculum persist both within and across the UK's four nations. Despite these tensions, there is currently very little research examining specifically how English is understood and framed within curriculum policy. This paper addressed that gap through a policy discourse analysis of 32 curriculum policy and policy‐related documents. Findings reveal that England diverges from other nations in its emphasis on British literary heritage and Standard English, while the other three nations increasingly foreground issues relating to plurilingualism, multimedia/online literacies and diversity. While all nations' curricula position English as central to civic participation, England appears to offer more directive pedagogy through its knowledge‐focused curriculum and fewer opportunities for engaging with linguistic and literary diversity. The article concluded with discussion of the developing landscape of subject English across the UK and argued for further comparative research in this space.