The English Curriculum at our school can be seen across three key strands of learning: Reading, Writing and Spoken Language.
Reading:
Throughout the phases of learning in our school, Reading is taught and consolidated throughout the week. In the EYFS children listen to daily stories as well as participating in 1:1 reading and guided reading in Reception. Providing opportunities for all children to access high quality whole class texts is essential not only in the EYFS, but across the school. Every narrative unit of work has a text focus and all classes in KS1 and 2 have a daily focused Guided Reading session where the teacher can target phonological development and spelling, punctuation and grammar and specific reading skills such as decoding, making inferences, predicting and deducing. . Across the school, Reading is incorporated into almost every area of the curriculum where a high quality text extracts can be used as the basis of learning (for example in history or R.E.) or level of understanding and interpretation can be assessed (for example using word problems in mathematics). Reading assessment is ongoing, with Teachers using Guided Reading sessions as an opportunity to make judgements, set targets and track progress. Pupils undertake half-termly Guided Reading assessment tasks based on specific learning focuses, skillfully designed to challenge the pupils' understanding of a shared text, as well as a Termly comprehension task based on an unfamiliar text.
Writing:
The teaching of Writing at our school begins with emergent writing in EYFS using a multi-sensory approach, moving quickly to improving letter formation and simple label and caption writing. As the children become more confident in the application of their phonics (through their study of the Read, Write inc Phonics scheme), they will begin to form simple sentences to describe their illustrations. As children move into KS1 they will be exposed to different genres of writing such as poetry, instructions, stories and information texts before planning, editing and improving their own writing with a friend and with the teacher. These essential skills will continue to develop in KS2 where children’s reading development will heavily impact on the quality of their writing. They will need to show they can consistently apply sophisticated punctuation and sentence structures to a variety of text-types, whilst developing a writing style which engages the reader. The skills of planning, editing and re-drafting will continue to be taught however the emphasis will be placed on children being able to do this more independently and whilst they write. Pupils are taught to recognise and understand key success criteria for writing using our St Mary's writing ladders. Pupils understand that quality writing comprises a range of key components such as quality vocabulary, varied sentence structure and accurate punctuation - no matter what they are writing, in any subject. Pupils produce at least three extended pieces of assessed writing over a Term - known as our 'Get Your Writing Right'. Teachers use these pieces of writing, along with everyday writing ability demonstrated in all subjects, to make ongoing accurate assessments.
Spoken Language:
The importance of ‘Spoken Language’ has been heightened greatly in the new Primary Curriculum and the expectation is that important features of Speaking and Listening should be incorporated into every subject we teach. Beginning in the EYFS, through the prime area of ‘Communication and Language’, Speaking and Listening is taught across the school though role play, debate, discussion, performance and recital, and continually assessed by the Class Teacher. In this way, we ensure that all children become confident, eloquent and informed speakers in front of a variety of audiences as well as being effective listeners armed with good questions when the role is reversed.
Reading:
Throughout the phases of learning in our school, Reading is taught and consolidated throughout the week. In the EYFS children listen to daily stories as well as participating in 1:1 reading and guided reading in Reception. Providing opportunities for all children to access high quality whole class texts is essential not only in the EYFS, but across the school. Every narrative unit of work has a text focus and all classes in KS1 and 2 have a daily focused Guided Reading session where the teacher can target phonological development and spelling, punctuation and grammar and specific reading skills such as decoding, making inferences, predicting and deducing. . Across the school, Reading is incorporated into almost every area of the curriculum where a high quality text extracts can be used as the basis of learning (for example in history or R.E.) or level of understanding and interpretation can be assessed (for example using word problems in mathematics). Reading assessment is ongoing, with Teachers using Guided Reading sessions as an opportunity to make judgements, set targets and track progress. Pupils undertake half-termly Guided Reading assessment tasks based on specific learning focuses, skillfully designed to challenge the pupils' understanding of a shared text, as well as a Termly comprehension task based on an unfamiliar text.
Writing:
The teaching of Writing at our school begins with emergent writing in EYFS using a multi-sensory approach, moving quickly to improving letter formation and simple label and caption writing. As the children become more confident in the application of their phonics (through their study of the Read, Write inc Phonics scheme), they will begin to form simple sentences to describe their illustrations. As children move into KS1 they will be exposed to different genres of writing such as poetry, instructions, stories and information texts before planning, editing and improving their own writing with a friend and with the teacher. These essential skills will continue to develop in KS2 where children’s reading development will heavily impact on the quality of their writing. They will need to show they can consistently apply sophisticated punctuation and sentence structures to a variety of text-types, whilst developing a writing style which engages the reader. The skills of planning, editing and re-drafting will continue to be taught however the emphasis will be placed on children being able to do this more independently and whilst they write. Pupils are taught to recognise and understand key success criteria for writing using our St Mary's writing ladders. Pupils understand that quality writing comprises a range of key components such as quality vocabulary, varied sentence structure and accurate punctuation - no matter what they are writing, in any subject. Pupils produce at least three extended pieces of assessed writing over a Term - known as our 'Get Your Writing Right'. Teachers use these pieces of writing, along with everyday writing ability demonstrated in all subjects, to make ongoing accurate assessments.
Spoken Language:
The importance of ‘Spoken Language’ has been heightened greatly in the new Primary Curriculum and the expectation is that important features of Speaking and Listening should be incorporated into every subject we teach. Beginning in the EYFS, through the prime area of ‘Communication and Language’, Speaking and Listening is taught across the school though role play, debate, discussion, performance and recital, and continually assessed by the Class Teacher. In this way, we ensure that all children become confident, eloquent and informed speakers in front of a variety of audiences as well as being effective listeners armed with good questions when the role is reversed.