Our English Vision
Igniting a passion for literature and developing writers for the real world.
Our Principles of English Teaching
We know that great English happens in our school when:
- Children are writing for real audiences and purposes.
- Children are motivated to write and strive to achieve their best through editing and redrafting.
- Children present their ideas in a variety of ways and do so with pride.
- Children enjoy reading a variety of genres written by a variety of authors.
- Children complete varied tasks of achievable but challenging difficulty.
In Key Stage 1, we follow 'Read Write Inc' as our Phonics programme and pupils are grouped for these sessions according to need. Phonics is taught daily for 30 minutes, covering all phases within the programme and including elements of SPAG (spelling, punctuation and grammar).
What is Read Write Inc?
Read Write Inc is phonics programme that allows children to gain the knowledge and tools to become fluent and confident readers. It sets out a detailed and systematic programme for the teaching of phonics skills for children starting in reception, with the aim of them becoming fluent readers by the end of Key Stage 1.
Within the programme children learn the English alphabetic code: first they learn one way to read the 40+ sounds and blend these sounds into words, then learn to read the same sounds with alternative graphemes.
They experience success from the very beginning. Lively phonic books are closely matched to their increasing knowledge of phonics and 'tricky' words and, as children re-read the stories, their fluency increases. Along with a thought-provoking introduction, prompts for thinking out loud and discussion, children are helped to read with a storyteller's voice.
Further information can be found at : https://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/find-out-more/parents/
Reading in Key Stage 1
The Key Stage One Reading Scheme is closely linked with the children's phonics knowledge. We provide the children with reading books that are linked to the sounds they are learning. This ensures that children are set up for success and become confident with their own reading ability from day one. Each child is assessed every 4-6 weeks to ensure they are succeeding as well as being challenged appropriately.
Reading in Key Stage 2
Once the children have completed the Read Write Inc reading scheme, they move onto the Accelerated Reader system. In order to foster a love of reading and to ensure that children meet a range of text styles, the reading scheme is vast. Publishers/schemes include: PEARSON, Oxford Reading Tree, Collins Big Cat, PM Benchmark, Project X and a mix of individually levelled books.
If you'd like to check whether a book you have at home is on the Accelerated Reader system, use the link below. The "reading expectations" document below also explains which level children should be reading in each year group.
http://www.arbookfind.co.uk/UserType.aspx
Spelling
Throughout the school we teach spelling during discrete SPaG (spelling, punctuation and grammar) sessions. Children explore spelling rules and patterns and apply this understanding in their written work. The "spelling patterns" document below details all of the spellings to be learnt within each year group.
