English
Intent:
At London Meed, we understand the importance of reading and writing within English, to prepare children for the wider world and their future education. We want pupils to be confident and articulate in their use of spoken English, be able to give opinions and views in a confident and articulate way and get their point across to a range of audiences.
Our aim is for every child, to reach their full potential by:
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Allowing our children to develop the necessary skills needed in order to communicate effectively in their spoken and written language. We aim to teach these skills by providing experiences in speaking and writing opportunities which engage and excite our children to communicate both verbally and in the written form, whilst also opening them up to experience and value different cultures and history, and ignite curiosity in the world around them.
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Reading a wide range of rich and diverse texts. Each term, each year group focuses on a range of rich and diverse texts in order to create opportunities for cultivating a rich vocabulary and both technical and compositional skills in writing.
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Writing clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences.
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Using discussion in order to learn; enabling them to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas.
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Becoming competent in the arts of speaking and listening, presenting and demonstrating to others and participating in debate.
This aim for our pupils is supported by the links between the English curriculum and the wider curriculum on offer at London Meed.
In English, we incorporate our core values (Bravery, Community, Curiosity, Resilience and Respect) to ensure that our children develop as life-long learners and responsible citizens. Through Quality First Teaching and having high expectations, we ensure all children (including disadvantaged and SEND) are accessing the curriculum by constantly reviewing and adapting teaching.
Implementation:
We have a coherent and sequenced curriculum, which builds on the progression of knowledge and skills for each year group. Our teachers deliver well-structured and exciting opportunities through rich and diverse texts enabling our children to learn, revisit and progressively develop their knowledge and skills in English at an age-appropriate level.
Teachers and other adults working in EYFS and KS1 are fully trained in supporting early literacy development and helping our youngest learners to acquire the early skills needed to become confident, creative readers and writers. This is achieved through practical and engaging activities that help support gross and fine motor skill development to ensure a good start to letter formation and handwriting and spelling. This is supported by our Lettejoin Scheme. Handwriting begins in EYFS where children practice and develop their fine motor skills to hold a pencil and begin their letter formation. This develops further in KS1 through the quality first teaching of adults modelling good handwriting and children practising throughout the week. In KS2, children are supported to join their handwriting and develop their own cursive script again through quality modelling and support. We follow a Bug Club Phonics scheme in EYFs and Key Stage 1 and children move to a No Nonsense Spelling Scheme to ensure progression of skills.
Alongside this, we design activities that support the development of communication and language of all children in EYFS and KS1 to begin to be able to ask questions and express their thoughts and opinions. Children in EYFS can access activities, alongside adults or independently with peers, to practice their literacy skills. In Years 1-6, English lessons are planned following a small-step approach to acquiring English skills. Our teachers promote and encourage children to work collaboratively, as well as independently, and provide excellent modelling of all spoken and written processes and concepts as part of everyday teaching. When planning English lessons, teachers use high quality text linked to the Power of Reading and Vipers schemes. This link between reading and writing ensures engagements, enjoyment and a love of writing. Where appropriate cross curricular links provide further context for learning. Teaching blocks focus on fiction, non-fiction or poetry, in line with the National Curriculum and comprehension, grammar and writing are embedded in lessons. Lesson sequences themselves build progressively towards an extended piece of writing.
Impact:
Through evaluation of work in children’s books at London Meed, it is clear to see the high quality of English throughout the school. Children are able to confidently talk about their work in English lessons and can apply age-appropriate skills and knowledge in their work. They are willing to take risks and learn from their mistakes, showing both perseverance and resilience in their English learning.
We use Target Tracker as a system for recording ongoing progress using the steps and statements for English. In Key Stage 2, we use NFER tests in reading, writing, grammar, punctuation and spelling termly to support our ongoing judgements as well as internal and locality moderation. All of these feed into our termly pupil progress meetings with senior leaders and then into our class action plans for the lowest 20% and disadvantaged children.
Reading:
The development of reading begins with use of a systematic phonics approach; building a knowledge of phonemes and graphemes, as well as an increasing recognition of sight words.
Alongside word reading, fluency and comprehension skills will be developed through high quality discussion and questioning during individual, guided and whole class reading.
Children will be exposed to a wide range of high quality genres and authors to feed their imagination. Their reading diet will be developed through daily whole class reading, teachers sharing stories daily and all children being expected to read at least four times a week. Fluency and comprehension will be developed through the use of colour banded books and phonics bug books. In addition, children’s love of reading will be addressed through regular access to the school library and discussions/recommendations by the class teacher and peers.
Writing:
The children follow a creative curriculum, where each year group has a yearly overview of the writing genres, both narrative and non-fiction, that they will teach. These have been planned to ensure correct coverage of the key genres as well as building on skills from year to year. Writing is taught through the use of high quality texts which exposes the children to inference, high-level vocabulary, a range of punctuation and characterisation. Each text is purposefully selected in order to promote a love of reading, engagement and high quality writing from each child. They will be inspired to be curious and have the confidence to be brave and challenge themselves.
The development of writing begins with the understanding and application of phonic knowledge learnt, in order to write words as they sound and then building on this, through the teaching of spelling. This will allow children to become curious about, and confident and accurate with the morphology and etymology of words. Spellings are taught according to the rules and words contained in Appendix 1 of the English National Curriculum. Children will receive daily phonic sessions using letters and sounds. From Year 3, the No Nonsense Spelling scheme will be used to teach children rules, patterns and key words.
Children will develop their oracy skills through immersion and drama and will use this to build a rich vocabulary and imaginative ideas. They will then apply these skills to plan, compose and edit, which will in turn, allow children to work collaboratively with their peers as well as taking responsibility for their own learning.
Alongside composition, children will be taught: spelling, punctuation, grammar and handwriting skills both discreetly and within units of work. Weekly spellings will be sent home and children will be supported in class by working walls and vocabulary displays, and other resources.
Phonics
At London Meed we intend to:
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Make an early start to the teaching of phonics in EYFS and teach this a part of our daily timetable.
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Follow a systematic approach to the teaching of phonics by rigorously following the ‘Phonics Bug’ programme. Develop a curiosity about phonics and word morphology by using the matched phonics reading books to consolidate children’s learning.
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Run effective interventions to help children embed their knowledge of phonics.
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Equip children with the skills they need to become resilient and curious in their quest to become fluent readers.
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Through the explicit teaching of phonics, we develop a community of learners that will challenge themselves and each other to develop their love of reading.