Oxford Smart Quest Student Book 2 is designed to motivate and inspire Year 8 English students by providing a relevant and diverse learning experience with high aspirations for all. This textbook has been carefully structured to build on what students have learned at KS2, while establishing a solid foundation of skills and knowledge for GCSE and beyond. Chapters based around 'big ideas' encourage debate, while introducing students to the core concepts central to the study of English language and literature.The textbook features high-quality texts from a diverse range of authors, including Mya-Rose Craig, Sam Selvon, Stephanie Meyer and HG Wells, that will reflect and broaden students' experiences, along with activities that encourage them to develop their own identities as readers, writers and speakers, and vocabulary activities that help to address the word gap. Each unit is carefully sequenced, beginning with tasks that activate students' prior knowledge, introducing students to engaging and challenging concepts in an accessible, supported way, before concluding with a summative activity to ensure that students can put their newfound knowledge into practice.Informed by educational research, Quest Student Book 2 will support independent learning, embed metacognitive strategies and inspire student curiosity. It is part of the Oxford Smart Curriculum Service, an evidence-informed curriculum bringing together educational research, data and insights, assessment and high-quality teaching resources.