English
We shine brightly in English when we passionately cultivate a love for both reading and writing in our children, spanning from Nursery to Year 4. We have designed our own bespoke English curriculum, based on our very own book spine, to take our children on an educational journey which encompasses not only the introduction of children to a diverse array of books and genres, but also focuses on honing their essential reading and writing skills for life. Our curriculum aims to:
- instil a love of reading with both fluency and expression, starting with our phonics scheme which is designed to get them reading quickly
- spark their imagination and develop a reading habit through our well-chosen book spines, which extend beyond the English curriculum exposing the children to a range of authors as well fiction and non fiction texts
- expand vocabulary so they use a range of language appropriately in spoken and written form
- encourage children to share their ideas and articulate themselves clearly in a range of contexts from contributing in class debates, to performing in front of an audience in class assemblies
- develop a deep understanding of grammatical terminology and understand how to apply this appropriately in range of writing
- experience writing creatively with purpose in a range of text types and text form
Our English curriculum is delivered through five daily English lessons per week, which includes four lessons building to a piece of writing and one lesson focused on reading comprehension using Complete Comprehension. Not only that, but our children receive up to five additional, shorter English sessions. In Reception and Year 1, this is used to deliver the ELS phonics programme, in Year 2 the children follow the ELS spelling programme and in Years 3 and 4 the children have four GPS (Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling) lesson.
‘If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that. If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. Read a lot, write a lot is the great commandment.’ By Stephen King
To explore our English Curriculum please click on the tabs below.
| Well - nurtured |
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| Well - rounded | Our well-designed English curriculum embodies our vision for a diverse and inclusive learning environment. Through a rich selection of high-quality literature from a range of authors, we provide students with a unique reading experience, fostering discussions on narratives that showcase strong female protagonists, stories from diverse cultures, and inclusive themes like same-sex families. Our writing curriculum encompasses a range of narrative styles, non-fiction text types and poetry. It is delivered with real sense of purpose and audience in mind so the children understand why and how to write in a range of genres. | |
| Well - equipped | Our classrooms are well resourced to ensure that every child has the resources required to learn to read well. This is supported by a wide range of completely decodable texts covering both fiction and non-fiction and are exciting and engaging for all our pupils. Our children are encouraged to be avid readers allotting time in the curriculum for this every week in addition to their English lesson. We also equip our children with comprehension skills through our dedicated weekly comprehension lesson. In our lessons, children are encouraged to communicate effectively, sharing ideas and speaking publicly. We want them to think critically and creatively to equip them with a versatile skill set for future challenges. | |
| Well - read | Reading is at the heart of everything that we do. Reading is a central part of every pupil’s life at our school. We instil a love of reading from the very beginning of their education, every child at our school is a reader and so are their teachers. We believe all children can become confident readers during their time in primary education. Children’s love for reading is evident through their continuous engagement, desire to read for pleasure and their understanding of a range of texts, authors and illustrators and this is further developed throughout our reading curriculum. Our curriculum connects children to a variety of books, laying a strong foundation for their ongoing academic journey. | |
| Well - connected | Every year group explores a text from a different culture or country connecting our children to the world around them. Many of our stories also incorporate wider themes such as diversity and climate change. Our approach nurtures a love for learning that lasts a lifetime, ensuring that children are not only well-read but also well-connected to the world of literature and the world around them. |