Intent
What is taught?
At Toft Hill Primary School we believe that a quality English curriculum should develop children’s love of reading, writing, speaking and listening. Through a book-led curriculum, we want to inspire an appreciation of our rich and varied literary heritage and a habit of reading widely and often. We aim to provide texts that broaden horizons and help children learn about the world around them. We want pupils to read literature that focuses upon positive moral values, role models, developing empathy and showing diversity.
We follow the national curriculum for English, which aims to ensure that children:
- should be taught to speak clearly and convey ideas confidently using Standard English. They should learn to justify ideas with reasons; ask questions to check understanding; develop vocabulary and build knowledge; negotiate; evaluate and build on the ideas of others; and select the appropriate register for effective communication.
- should develop reading and writing in all subjects to support their acquisition of knowledge. They should be taught to read fluently, understand extended prose (both fiction and non-fiction) and be encouraged to read for pleasure.
- Should have the acquisition and command of vocabulary as the key to their learning and progress across the whole curriculum. Children should develop vocabulary actively, building systematically on their current knowledge.
- We recognise the importance of a culture where children take pride in their writing. We want to ensure pupils can write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of fiction and nonfiction purposes. We aim to inspire children to be confident in the art of speaking and listening and who can use discussion in order to communicate and learn.
- We believe that children need to develop a secure set of Literacy skills, which follows a clear progression as they move through the primary curriculum. We believe that this is crucial to a high-quality education because confidence in basic language skills helps children to prepare for their future journey through education and towards participating fully as a members of society.
Implementation
How is English taught?
Our aim at Toft Hill Primary, is that through book-led curriculum, children will become increasingly more confident and fluent in their understanding of each of the three strands of the English National Curriculum – ‘Reading’, ‘Writing’ and ‘Speaking and Listening’
Reading
The programmes of study for reading at key stages 1 and 2 consist of two dimensions:
1. word reading
2. comprehension (both listening and reading).
How word reading is taught is outlined in the ‘Reading and Phonics’ of the website: https://www.tofthill.northeastschools.co.uk/our-curriculum/reading-and-phonics/
Comprehension is taught on a daily basis explicitly in all classes using the principals of Scarborough’s reading rope to inform lessons.
Writing
Writing is taught as part of a cycle of learning:
1. Immersion – This will involve reading model texts and identifying features. Drama should be used to, for instance, explore characterisation. In a non-fiction unit, research may take place. Children should be given ‘Have A Go’ writing opportunities. These are not scaffolded by success criteria and may include a range of text types other than the main.
2. Shorter writing opportunities – By this phase of a unit, children should be familiar with any core texts and with the given text type. The writing they produce at this stage should be leading up to the final outcome, e.g. sentences about a setting to be used in their story.
3. Final written outcome – Children should be guided through the planning, drafting, editing and revising process to write their own piece of extended writing
based on the focus text type. Success criteria may be used, with colour-coding to ensure accuracy. Children’s editing should be in green pen.
Throughout the writing cycle, through using shared and guided writing approaches, the children will be supported in producing a high-quality written outcome based on their new and prior learning.
Speaking and Listening
Pupils are be taught to speak clearly and convey ideas confidently using Standard English in every subject in every class.
Through teacher modelling, paired work, group work, presentations, debates and drama pupils are taught to and practise:
Impact
Why is English taught in this way?
The English curriculum is taught this way at Toft Hill to ensure children have the time and opportunity to explore, develop and demonstrate speaking, listening, reading and writing skills, while enriching their learning experience and deepening understanding. Our focus for teaching English this way is that by the end of KS2 pupils are able to:
- Speak clearly and convey ideas confidently using Standard English
- read fluently
- use reading to support their acquisition of knowledge about themselves and the wider world.
- can write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of fiction and nonfiction purposes.
- use writing to support their acquisition of knowledge
We believe that an English concept or skill has only been mastered once a child can show it in multiple contexts. A pupil must be able to write for a range of purposes and audiences in both non-fiction and fiction contexts; be able to read a range of fiction and non-fiction texts and speak confidently in a range of scenarios.