At our school, we want every child to develop a love of language, a passion for reading and the confidence to express themselves through speaking and writing. We believe that English is at the heart of learning, helping children to communicate their ideas, explore their imaginations and make sense of the world around them.
We are incredibly proud of our children and the progress they make as readers, writers and communicators. Our English curriculum provides opportunities for children to develop essential skills, build confidence and discover the joy of language through engaging, purposeful and exciting learning experiences.
Our English curriculum is designed to build skills and knowledge over time. Teachers use ongoing assessment, classroom discussion, children’s written work and targeted assessment activities to identify strengths and next steps.
Proverbs 18:15 – “The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.”
Learning to Speak and Listen
Oracy is an important part of our English curriculum. We want our children to become confident communicators who can express their ideas clearly, listen carefully to others and use language effectively.
At the beginning of each English unit, we start with an Oracy and Vocabulary lesson. These lessons give children opportunities to explore new vocabulary, discuss ideas, share their thoughts and develop the language they will need for their upcoming learning.
Developing a Love of Books
We want every child to become a confident, fluent reader who enjoys books and understands the power of reading.
We use Collins Big Cat reading books to support the development of children’s reading skills. The series offers a wide range of engaging texts, carefully matched to children’s developing reading abilities. These provide opportunities to practise decoding, develop fluency, build vocabulary and deepen comprehension.
As children progress, we encourage them to develop their understanding of what they read, make predictions, discuss characters and events, retrieve information and explore the meaning behind a text.
Reading is valued throughout our school, and we encourage children to read regularly at home as well as in the classroom.
Developing a Love of Reading
We want reading to be an enjoyable and valued part of every child’s school experience. Through regular reading opportunities, dedicated time to enjoy books and encouragement to explore different texts, we aim to nurture a genuine love of reading.
We encourage families to read regularly at home, share stories and talk about books together. These experiences help children practise their developing skills, build vocabulary and discover the pleasure that reading can bring.
Learning to Read and Write
We use Supersonic Phonic Friends to support our teaching of early reading and writing. This systematic synthetic phonics programme provides a structured, progressive approach to learning how sounds and letters work together.
For more information on this area, please see ‘Early Reading and Phonics’ .
Alongside our phonics teaching, children take part in guided reading sessions that help them develop fluency, comprehension and a deeper understanding of what they read.
We use high-quality texts to inspire curiosity, introduce rich vocabulary and expose children to a wide range of authors, characters, settings and ideas. Through shared reading, discussion and carefully planned questions, children learn to look beyond the words on the page, make connections and develop their understanding.
Our weekly reading sessions encourage children to think carefully, explain their ideas, retrieve information and explore what an author might be suggesting. These skills help children become thoughtful, reflective readers who can understand and enjoy a wide variety of texts.
ERIC – Explain, Retrieve, Infer and Choice
We use ERIC to support children’s reading comprehension and help them develop the skills needed to understand texts more deeply.
ERIC stands for:
- E – Explain: Children explain their understanding of words, phrases, events and ideas, using evidence from the text where appropriate.
- R – Retrieve: Children find and retrieve information directly from the text, learning to locate important details accurately.
- I – Infer: Children use clues from the text and illustrations, alongside their own knowledge, to work out information that is suggested rather than directly stated.
- C – Choice: Children explore an author’s choice of words, phrases and other features, considering why they may have been used and the effect they have on the reader.
Inspiring Young Writers
We want our children to see themselves as writers: able to communicate their ideas, express their creativity and write for a range of purposes and audiences.
We use Plazoom to support our English planning. Its teaching resources provide structured learning sequences, engaging texts and opportunities to develop the skills children need to become successful writers.
Our writing units are carefully planned to build knowledge and skills progressively. Children explore high-quality model texts, develop their vocabulary, learn about grammar and punctuation, and investigate the features of different text types. They then apply these skills in their own writing, learning how to plan, compose, edit and improve their work.
However, we know that great teaching is about much more than following a scheme. Our teachers know their children well and use their professional knowledge and creativity to bring each unit to life. We adapt lessons, introduce practical activities, use drama and discussion, and create exciting opportunities for children to engage with their learning.
Whether children are writing to persuade, inform, entertain or explain, we want them to understand that writing has a purpose and that their words matter. We provide appropriate support and challenge so that every child can develop their skills, experience success and take pride in their achievements.
We are proud of the imagination, effort and individuality our children bring to their writing.
Reading – 77% achieved expected or greater depth standard
Writing – 83% achieved expected or greater depth standard
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling – 78% achieved expected or greater depth standard
