English

Subject Leader - Mrs H. Brookes

English Overview

The English curriculum is delivered using the National Curriculum 2014 to ensure continuity and progression as part of a broad and balanced curriculum.

The intent and impact of English cannot be denied – it permeates through all subjects; is needed for all jobs and is a basic skill.

Speaking and Listening

The four strands of Spoken language: speaking, listening, group discussion and interaction, and drama permeate the whole curriculum. Interactive teaching strategies are used to engage all pupils in order to raise reading and writing standards. Children are encouraged to develop effective communication skills in readiness for later life.

Reading

The opportunities, organisation and provision for the teaching of reading:

Shared reading
Independent reading

Reading to an adult
Guided reading 
Whole class reading
Home reading

It is important that children enjoy reading and have the opportunity to experience a range of quality first texts and books from a variety of authors.

A range of intervention programmes are used to ensure that all children's needs are catered for including Phonics lessons.

Children also experience Reading for Pleasure sessions and Poetry Workshops throughout the academic year.

Resources

A book banded reading scheme operates across the school which comprises of a range of different schemes.

The School Library is continually well resourced with popular children’s authors.

Link to parents

In Early Years each child has a new reading diary every year. Within the diary there is a reading record which logs books they have read and comments about their reading. Parents and teaching staff write in this book. Children are encouraged to read at home on a daily basis.

In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 the child’s reading is recorded on an app called BoomReader. This is used to log the child’s reading in school by teachers and the child, and any home reading which is encouraged daily.

Writing

Each week includes opportunities for independent writing within English lessons. There are also frequent opportunities for independent writing throughout other curriculum areas. The children’s extended pieces are continually assessed and during each Assessment Week the children do an extended piece of writing which is then used for assessment purposes.

Within English lessons there is also a focus on structure, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary and style.

Handwriting

The school has adopted the Nelson Scheme for handwriting. The children have opportunities to practise their handwriting regularly during the week. When the children have a consistent, fluent and joined handwriting style they are licenced to write with a pen and receive a certificate to verifying this.

Spelling

We believe that spelling is an integral and essential part of children’s reading and writing development. For children to develop into effective and confident writers they need to develop and use a range of effective spelling strategies. Ensuring the correct spellings of words in independent writing is essential to support the children to communicate their understanding in all curriculum subjects by being confident to develop a rich choice of written vocabulary. By providing the children with an understanding of phonics and with a range of strategies for spelling patterns and spelling rules we equip them with the independence to attempt to spell words accurately. As children develop spelling competency, their confidence and independence in writing will increase.