English
L Squire
Writing Lead
C Trunkfield
Reading Lead
Intent
Our aim at Chapel End is to ensure that children can fluently read, write, speak and listen so that they are creative and confident learners in all areas of the curriculum. We nurture children’s interests in lessons and we encourage all to read, write, speak and listen well; we challenge children with high-quality reading and writing lessons and texts; and, we inspire children with the topics and range of texts chosen.
Our English curriculum promotes a respect for and understanding of different faiths, cultures and lifestyles through the range of written and spoken texts that are on offer. We understand clearly our responsibility in preparing children for their next stage of education and for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life, laying the foundations so that they can take their place successfully in modern British society.
Aims
Our English curriculum aims to ensure that all children are able to:
- Develop phonological awareness to encode and decode
- Read fluently and with good understanding
- Write accurately and enjoy the writing process
- Develop the habit of reading for pleasure
- Adapt writing style for the purpose and audience of the text
- Speak articulately in front of others
- Express emotions and opinions in written and spoken form
- Acquire and embed new vocabulary regularly
- Develop spiritual, cultural, emotional, moral and social understanding through reading a range of texts.
Implementation
The Writing Cycle
Our writing cycle is based on Pie Corbett’s ‘Talk for Writing’. We teach children to imitate and innovate writing before becoming independent writers with their own writing style.
Reading VIPERS
Teachers model how to read for understanding using the VIPERS. This is taught explicitly with time for children to practise with partners and independently. We encourage ‘book talk’ around key texts.
Reading spine
Every class has a high-quality text that is selected from a list of recommended texts (our ‘reading spine’). These texts form the basis of reading lessons and class reading time which promotes enjoyment for reading.
Phonics
We teach phonics through Little Wandle.
SPAG
Spelling is taught through a spelling progression system. Weekly checks ensure that children are practising spellings. Grammar is taught through our writing lessons and key terminology is used.
Accelerated Reader
We use Accelerated Reader to encourage children to read regularly at home. Teachers track the books that children are reading and ensure they have understood by encouraging children to take quizzes once they have read a book. Children take regular STAR reader tests to ensure that they are reading books at the correct level.
Cross Curricular
Reading and writing is taught across the curriculum ensuring that skills taught in these lessons are applied in other subjects.
Reading for Pleasure
Once a day, children have OTTER time (our time to enjoy reading). During this time, class teachers may read to their classes or listen to children read their own books. Each class has a time to visit our school library to choose books that interest them.
Whole school events
We celebrate National Poetry Day, Roald Dahl Day and World Book Day. We also plan whole school competitions such as ‘Been caught reading’ and ‘sponsored reads’. These bring the whole school together to concentrate on one theme. We run regular book fairs to encourage children to read more and to purchase books of their own choosing.
Impact
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PUPIL VOICE Through discussion and feedback, children talk enthusiastically about reading and writing and understand the importance of this subject. They can also talk about books and authors that they have enjoyed and can make reading recommendations. EVIDENCE IN KNOWLEDGE Pupils can make links between texts and the different themes and genres within them. They can recognise similarities and differences. Children understand the reading and writing process. EVIDENCE IN SKILLS Children are taught reading and writing progressively and at a pace appropriate to each individual child. Teachers subject knowledge ensure that skills taught are matched to National Curriculum objectives. OUTCOMES At the end of each year we expect the children to have achieved Age Related Expectations (EXS) for their year group. Some children will have progressed further and achieved greater depth (GD). Children who have gaps in their knowledge receive appropriate support and intervention.
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