English
English
‘A high-quality education in English will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature, especially, plays a key role in such development.’ National Curriculum 2014
Aims
- provide opportunities for children to peer and self-assess their own work enabling ownership over their work;
- provide a rich and stimulating language environment, where speaking and listening, reading and writing are integrated
- engage children with an understanding of a range of text types and genres;
- foster an enthusiasm for, and love of, reading for life;
- enable children to write in a variety of styles and forms showing awareness of audience and purpose;
- develop the powers of imagination, inventiveness and critical awareness in all areas of literacy;
- teach the children to use grammar and punctuation accurately;
- develop the understanding of correct spelling conventions;
- encourage the production of effective, well presented written work using fluent and legible handwriting;
- provide opportunities for pupils to communicate ideas through the use of ICT;
- provide opportunities for role-play and drama.
Our English curriculum is built around the Literacy Tree program. This uses quality children’s literature and proven creative teaching approaches to support and develop a high quality literacy curriculum and a whole school love of reading and writing. Pupils develop the skills and knowledge that will enable them to communicate creatively with the world at large through spoken and written language and encourage an appreciation of literature and its rich variety.
Expectations and requirements
By the time children leave our school, we expect them to communicate through speaking and listening, reading and writing, with confidence, fluency and understanding and in a range of situations. We will make every effort to foster an enjoyment of literature.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) children should be given the opportunity to:
speak and listen and represent ideas in their activities;
use communication, language and literacy in every part of the curriculum;
be surrounded by an environment language rich and with possibilities for communication.
At Key Stage One, children should learn to speak confidently and listen to what others have to say. They should begin to read and write independently and with enthusiasm. They should use language to explore their own experiences and imaginary worlds.
At Key Stage Two, children should learn to change the way they speak and write to suit different situations, purposes and audiences. They should read a range of texts and respond to different layers of meaning in them. They should explore the use of language in literary and non-literary texts and learn how the structure of language works.
Phonics
Children in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 will be taught synthetic phonics through Read Write Inc, a literacy program which includes both a phonics and reading focus. (RWI policy). Pupils in Year 1 take the national Phonics Screening.
Key Stage Two: R.W.I groups will take the form of an intervention during literacy sessions for those children with the greatest need in Year 3/4. In Year 5/6 the ‘Fresh Start’ Programme will be implemented as an intervention.
Grammar
Grammar is always taught in context with grammar opportunities identified in each Literacy Tree reading text and built into the half-termly sequence. The No-nonsense Grammar programme is used alongside to support teachers and help them make grammar come alive in the classroom and develop pupils’ awareness and understanding.
Handwriting
The ‘Letterjoin' scheme is used from reception through to Year 6 to assist children with their individual letters and to learn to join letters.
Spelling
In Year 1 children are expected to learn to spell the high frequency words and use these within their writing. Each week six words are taken home to learn to spell and are tested on a regular basis.
From Year 2 to Year 6 spelling rules and patterns are taught through the ‘Read writing Inc scheme as this allows phonic knowledge and understanding to continue throughout from Reception to year 6.