Purpose of study
English is an integral part of education and society. A high-quality education in English which 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. At Arundale Primary school, we adopt a determined approach when it comes to reading and writing. We endeavour to ensure all pupils have fluency and automaticity in reading and writing so that they can meet the expected standard in all aspects of English. 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. Being immersed in good quality literature develops pupils’ acquisition of a wide vocabulary, thus addressing vocabulary gaps, and allows children to explore and appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage. Our English curriculum promotes the rich diversity of Britain, including an appreciation of our locality. We carefully choose the literature we expose the children to so that we can plan for purposeful opportunities to discuss important aspects of British values, mental health and well-being and citizenship, thus developing children’s cultural capital. We promote a love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. Primary English helps pupils to build knowledge and understanding of:
· reading · writing · grammar · spelling · speaking and listening.
Through reading & writing it also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society; pupils, therefore, who do not learn to speak, read and write fluently and confidently are effectively disenfranchised.
The overarching aim for English in the national curriculum is to promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written word, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils:
Intent
English, in many ways, is the most important subject because it unlocks pupils’ creativity and the whole of the rest of the curriculum. We aim to provide an English curriculum which enables pupils to read a wide variety of texts and gives them the power and enjoyment to continue reading and researching into the future. The base of the reading and spelling curriculum is systematic teaching of phonics. There are increasing chances for pupils to develop skills of reading comprehension as they progress through school once they are secure in decoding words. In most lessons speaking and listening are key facets of learning where pupils can rehearse what they are going to write and discuss in depth what they have read.
Reading Schemes in EYFS/KS1
In EYFS and KS1, we use the following schemes:
Phonics: Read, Write, Inc
Reading: Book Bag books in linking to the Read, Write, Inc using Oxford Owl up to level 19. Following on to various other schemes across all KS's building in complexity and extending exposure to quality texts.
Implementation
At Arundale Primary School we aim to:
Enable pupils to make judgments about the tone, style, format and vocabulary appropriate to the writing’s purpose, audience and genre.
Strategies for the Teaching of Writing
We follow the English National Curriculum 2014. Children are challenged and developed at their own rates and according to their own individual abilities, so that every pupil achieves the skills relevant and appropriate to his/her age and ability.
Writing is taught in specific meaningful and effective contexts. These include:
To support children in the acquisition of writing skills we:
In the Nursery and Reception, children are encouraged to attempt their own emergent writing and their efforts are valued and celebrated. As their phonic knowledge increases, so does their ability to write independently. At the same time, their knowledge of key words is supported through reading and writing activities, including shared reading and writing. Legible letter formation is explicitly taught and modelled frequently. A wide variety of opportunities are provided for children to engage in writing activities and independently apply their phonic skills through role play, creative activities, computing and the outdoor areas.
Composition
Effective composition involves forming, articulating and communicating ideas, and organising these coherently for a reader. This requires clarity, awareness of the audience, purpose and context, and an increasingly wide knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. Pupils are taught how to plan, revise and evaluate their writing. We aim to use quality texts and modelled writing to provide children with excellent examples to inform their own compositions.
Grammar and Punctuation
We value the importance of enabling children to become confident, literate individuals, who are able to deliberately select and use a wide range of grammatical forms. Pupils are taught the accurate use of Grammar and Punctuation in line with the English National Curriculum 2014.
We aim to:
Grammar and punctuation skills are taught through our English units of work, in the context of reading and writing activities to demonstrate how writers make choices to help them communicate clearly and effectively. Accuracy of grammar and punctuation is encouraged throughout the school in all subjects, according to the relevant National Curriculum year group expectations and ability of the child.
Impact
Pupils will enjoy writing across a range of genres.
Pupils of all abilities will be able to succeed in all English lessons because work will be appropriately scaffolded.
Pupils will have a wide vocabulary that they use within their writing.
Pupils will have a good knowledge of how to adapt their writing based on the context and audience.
Pupils will leave primary school being able to effectively apply spelling rules and patterns they have been taught.
Parents and carers will have a good understanding of how they can support spelling, grammar and composition and home, and contribute regularly to homework.
The % of pupils working at ARE within each year group will be at least in line with national averages.
The % of pupils working at Greater Depth within each year group will be at least in line with national averages The gaps in the progress of different groups of pupils will be narrowed (e.g. disadvantaged vs nondisadvantaged)