English
English
Subject Leader: Mrs C Partridge
Teaching English and a developing a love of literature and writing is at the very heart of our curriculum. We know that sound literacy skills are key to children’s achievement in all areas of the curriculum and that learning to read effectively, efficiently and for enjoyment is an important life skill. We link our learning of English with other subjects across the curriculum, drawing on technical grammar, punctuation and spelling skills, as well as developing tools and styles that are useful when writing in a broad range of genres.
The overarching aim for the English curriculum is to promote high standards of literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the written and spoken word, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. At St Joseph’s we aim to ensure that all pupils:
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read easily, fluently and with good understanding
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develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
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acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
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write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
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use discussion to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas
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are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.
English long-term plan
Reading Intent Statement
At St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, it is our intention to provide pupils with a high-quality education in reading, which will feed imagination and curiosity; develop knowledge of the world and instil the skills and love of reading necessary to succeed in school and later on in life.
Teaching in EYFS will concentrate on language development, developing phonological awareness and the teaching of phonics. Key stage 1 will build upon the work from the EYFS, introducing new GPC as well as working towards recognising words on sight in order to build fluency. Alongside this, comprehension is broken down into small steps and develops throughout KS1and KS2.
At St. Joseph’s, we value discussion and make time for it in our whole class guided reading (WCGR) lessons, recognising that it is essential in promoting the acquisition of vocabulary and grammar knowledge, as well as knowledge and understanding of the world. Through our curriculum and using VIPERS, children will learn the skills necessary to read, discuss and understand a range of texts, as well have opportunities to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually.
Reading sessions are planned and often linked to current topics or the text being covered in English sessions, and are flexible enough to allow for following the children’s interests and giving opportunities to explore exciting new horizons. We want children to be confident readers, able to tackle a range of unfamiliar and increasingly demanding texts. Most of all, we want to inspire a love for reading that will stay with children long after they have left primary school.
We use reading VIPERS in class; these are the key reading skills we teach for children to be able to read and comprehend a wide range of literary texts.
Skills-Progression-English-Reading
Writing Intent Statement
At St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, it is our intention to provide pupils with a high-quality education in literacy, which will provide them with the necessary skills to prepare them for life beyond primary school.
In the EYFS teaching focusses heavily on building speaking and listening skills, acknowledging the children’s starting points and providing a firm foundation in which to start building the literacy skills that follow. In Reception the children begin to recall sounds and use them to write words and simple phrases, during their daily phonics lessons. Key stage one builds upon the work from the EYFS, introducing the children to new GPCs. As children move through the rest of key stage one and key stage two, the children hone their skills with composition, spelling, punctuation and grammar across a range of text types. We have high expectations of the children’s writing in all subjects, not just literacy, and we are proud that the children rise to the challenge.
At St. Joseph’s, we acknowledge the importance of vocabulary and make time for exploring meaning and acquiring new and ambitious vocabulary. We encourage the children to take ownership of their writing and actively promote editing and redrafting of their work, instilling independence and resilience that we hope will that will stay with children long after they have left primary school.
Skills-Progression-English-Writing
Handwriting Intent Statement
At St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, it is our intention that all children take care pride in their handwriting and presentation of their work. We aim that by the end of key stage 2 children will have developed fluent, legible, cursive handwriting, alongside printed and capital letters and for children to understand that each style has a purpose. We want handwriting to be an automatic process that it does not interfere with thinking or creativity and we want children to see handwriting as a lifelong skill that will serve them in their future education and beyond.
Spellings
Learning to spell is a challenging but essential skill for children. The link below provides guidance for the spelling requirements for each class. Teachers use the guidance to help plan and teach the sequence of spelling rules across the year. National Curriculum Spellings
Handwriting:
In school we use Penpals scheme of work, please find below useful resources.
Penpals Information for Parents 2021
How to hold a pencil by Penpals
English OVERVIEW
Primary National Curriculum – English
Writing and Grammar Assessment
The following documents are used by teachers to assess the children against age related expectations in writing and grammar.
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6
Click on the links below which will direct you to Bags of Books and BooksTrust website’s for recommended reading for your child.
https://www.bagsofbooklists.com/
Mrs Partridge’s Reading Book Recommendations
