ABSTRACT
The present chapter focuses on English, as it has developed as a subject within England over the past 50 or so years. There are obvious limitations to such a focus but, at the same time, the development of the subject within England is an interesting case. The education system and the so-called National Curriculum in England are different from those in Wales and Northern Ireland, and even more so from those in Scotland. There are complexities and confusions around the terms English as a language, English as school subject, English as a university subject and England as a country. While it is not the function of this chapter to explore those distinctions, it is at least valuable to be aware of them.
