Aims

Through our teaching of English we aim to equip our pupils with the skills and knowledge to thrive throughout their lives. We aim to foster a life-long love of literature and an ability to communicate in speech and writing, allowing our pupils to capitalise on all the opportunities life presents to them.

We aim to use the English curriculum to challenge, develop and inspire resilient pupils who are capable of tackling challenging texts. Pupils who are inspired by notable authors from different eras and cultures, pupils who can read and write with empathy and pupils who can speak their mind articulately using evidence, justification and an ever expanding lexicon.

To develop our pupils as speakers and listeners we:

• Give them opportunities to express their ideas to a range of audiences
• Given them opportunities to take part in group discussion and drama activities
• Encourage them to listen and respond appropriately to others.
• Help them to understand the need to adapt their speech for different situations
• Give them opportunities to evaluate and reflect on their own speech
• Encourage them to use the vocabulary and grammar of Standard English

To develop our children as readers we:

• Place a high importance on the teaching of phonics as the foundation of learning to read.  In Reception and KS1 a discrete phonics lessons is taught daily following letters and sounds
• Teach phonics to KS2 children who still require the support
• Teach them to read accurately and fluently using a range of strategies both at school and at home
• Help them to understand and respond to what they read using inference and deduction where appropriate
• Encourage them to read a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books,  including classic fiction
• Encourage them to read independently and with enjoyment
• Teach them to seek information and learn from what they read
• Encourage them to use their reading skills as an integral part of their learning across the curriculum
• Read regularly to children so as to model good practice in reading

To develop our children as writers we:

• Teach them to write effectively for a range of purpose and readers, adapting their vocabulary
• Encourage them to write with interest, commitment and enjoyment
• Show them how to write in a variety of forms such as stories, poems, reports and letters through good quality teacher modelling
• Teach discrete grammar sessions, modelling the correct use of terminology
• Teach discrete spelling lessons concentrating on rules and patterns of words
• Show them how to evaluate and improve their own writing
• Teach children how to punctuate to make meaning clear to the reader
• Give them the knowledge and strategies to become confident and accurate spellers
• Teach them a fluent and legible style of handwriting, promoting an understanding of how to present work appropriately

Reading and Phonics

English is central to all learning, and indeed to life. Children need to develop the capacity to use the English language in all its forms.

Our school reading scheme from Reception to Year 6 is Collins Big Cat. EYFS & KS1 use Big Cat: Letters and Sounds, which allows children to use books that relate to the current sounds that the children are learning.. These are supplemented with a range of phonetically and other books to provide range and balance.

We use Supersonic Phonic Friends to teach daily phonics in EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2.

Use the link below for more information on our Phonic Scheme.  

Supersonic Phonic Friends

Promoting Writing in our School

Author Virtual Visit (September 2021) - Dara McAnulty

The whole school took part in a virtual author visit, with writer Dara McAnulty. Dara talked to us about the inspiration for his non-fiction book about the outdoors and nature, called "Wild Child", what it is like to be an author and how he goes about the process of writing. Thank you, Dara, for sharing your time with us!

Lockdown writing

Writing and Performing Poetry