English Curriculum

Children receive daily English lessons where they are taught to write fluently so they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others. Teachers deliver specific skills in daily English lessons and writing is both discrete and transdisciplinary.  Our children see writing as a journey where they learn to recognise the features of a particular genre. 

Children are taught spellings weekly and are given  opportunities to consolidate the rules throughout the week. Children develop their understanding of a range of genres and styles including fiction, non-fiction, poetry and plays. Grammar, spelling, punctuation are taught rigorously across the school, beginning with teaching synthetic phonics and fine motor skills to develop mark making in the Foundation Stage, to enable children to have the skills and confidence to write effectively for a variety of purposes. In order to develop a strong knowledge of different genres, we have developed a progression of writing genres. The purpose of this is to ensure that children experience different types of writing in each year group.

English skills may be taught individually but play a key role in the achievement of the learning. The application of said skills will be evident in extended pieces of writing.

High expectations of quality and quantity of work in every English lesson are set in order to guide children to achieve their potential. This ensures work is demanding and matches the aims of the curriculum.

High quality teaching responds to the needs of children. Formative and summative assessment with teachers actively marking work.

The impact of our writing curriculum means that children can write structured pieces across a range of genres.  Teachers follow a clear marking policy and children are set appropriate targets to ensure they are making progress. Our marking policy allows children to independently edit and improve their writing.  Children’s writing achievements  are recognised  when they publish their work which is then  displayed in the corridor throughout the school; this also demonstrates clear progression. 

They enjoy writing and can plan well-structured pieces. They understand the features of different genres and develop specific and technical vocabulary for both fiction and non-fiction texts. Children will use their experience of reading and apply this knowledge in their own writing.

• Children are confident to use English skills within their work across the curriculum.
• Children of all abilities and backgrounds achieve well in English, reflected in outstanding progress that reveals a clear learning journey. Children talk enthusiastically about their learning.· 
• Through wider reading in English, children will develop a love for reading, expanding their minds and curiosity of the world in which we live. 
• Children will develop excellent phonic knowledge and skills.
• Children will develop fluency and accuracy in reading across a wide range of contexts throughout the curriculum.
• Children will develop an extensive and rich vocabulary.
• Children will learn the skills to gain an excellent comprehension of texts.
• Children will develop a love of reading and the motivation to read for both study and for pleasure. 
• Children will develop an extensive knowledge through having read a rich and varied range of texts.
• Children will gain the ability to write fluently and with interesting detail on a number of topics throughout the curriculum.
• Children will develop a vivid imagination which makes readers engage with and enjoy their writing.
• Children will grow a highly developed vocabulary and an excellent knowledge of writing techniques to extend details or description.
• Children will present well-organised and structured writing, which includes a variety of sentence structures.
• Children will work hard towards gaining excellent transcription skills that ensure their writing is presented neatly to the best of their ability.
• A love of writing will grow within our children and an appreciation of its educational, cultural and entertainment values.
• Children will speak clearly so that they can be easily understood by a range of audiences

Spelling lessons are taught weekly and practised in each year group. The teaching of spelling is intrinsically woven into all areas of the curriculum. All pupils at KS1 have daily phonics lessons.

As a natural progression from phonics, The ‘No Nonsense Spelling Programme’ alongside a variety of spelling strategies, is followed in Years Two to Six and is a comprehensive yet accessible progression in the teaching of spelling. Guidance, rather than prescription, is provided on how to teach the strategies, knowledge and skills pupils need to learn. The focus of the programme is on the teaching of spelling, which embraces knowledge of spelling conventions – patterns and rules; but, integral to the teaching is the opportunity to promote the learning of spellings, including statutory words, common exceptions, and personal spellings.

Teachers follow the National Curriculum for the teaching of punctuation and grammar.

This provides a clear progression through the year groups. All of these areas are incorporated into the teaching sequence.

Progress in English  is tracked using a range of evidence, including:

• Teacher observations
• Evidence in writing books
• Reading records
• Statutory tests (SATS) in Year 2 and Year 6
• English lead moderation
• External moderation led by Leigh Academies Trust

Children receive support and challenges  through intervention groups during basic skills time at the start of each day.

Children receive feedback on their work and are set targets to scaffold learning further or further deepen their understanding.

The English National Curriculum underpins the planning of reading and this ensures a broad and balanced curriculum that is progressive throughout the key stages. 

Across the school children have access to a wide range of high quality texts to develop learning in all curriculum areas. In line with our PYP curriculum, where possible reading materials are linked to current lines of inquiry themes. Reading good quality texts to the children is a priority in all year groups.

Early Reading

At Leigh Stationers’ Primary Academy, the development of early reading by putting reading at the heart of our curriculum. Using robust and systematic teaching of phonics, we provide an effective transition into independent reading, which subsequently encourages our older pupils to read widely and often. Phonics is an essential tool, but we are aware that, whilst phonic knowledge enables pupils to decode words, it does not teach them to understand meaning. We achieve this by providing opportunities for our pupils to sing, hear and engage with stories and rhymes, to gain an understanding of what words mean through early, verbal comprehension. These solid and secure foundations are then built upon to enable the children of Leigh Stationers’ Primary Academy to be fluent, confident readers, fostering a love for reading.

Phonics

Phonics is an essential ingredient in learning to read. Children begin phonics lessons on entry to the Early Years Foundation Stage.

We use the DFE recommended ‘Phonics International’ teaching programme to support the teaching of synthetic systematic phonics

Reading sessions– EYFS and Year 1

Reading  encompasses 1:1 reading and regular opportunities for group reading. Reading skills are also introduced and covered during phonics sessions. We strive to move from the ‘what’ to the ‘why’ through discussions about texts the children are reading. Purposeful discussions are embedded  and thread throughout the entire curriculum to allow for regular opportunities for rich conversations and development of early comprehension skills.

Reading sessions – Year 2

Reading is taught through Phonics and through explicit Reading sessions. Reading skills are embedded throughout the curriculum. Children read 1:1 with an adult at least once every fortnight and more frequently if interventions are in place. 

Reading sessions – Years Three to Six

Children are taught higher order reading skills  explicitly within lessons. In KS2 teachers use VIPERS (Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explanation, Retrieval and Summarising), as well a variety of other reading strategies, to ensure the National Curriculum skills are taught.

Additionally, we have kept cultural diversity at the forefront of our decision making when selecting books.  Our children read regularly to an adult and are read to by an adult on a regular basis.  We encourage our children to take part in half term and  summer reading challenges.  Parents support their children’s reading daily at home. Once our children have grasped the mechanics of reading our priority shifts towards reading skills and comprehension and children take part in regular  reading sessions. Reading for pleasure is a high priority – our library has recently been refurbished and every classroom has its own reading area from which children are encouraged to borrow books to take home.  We celebrate ‘World Book Day’ annually where children celebrate books through a variety of different activities.

What do we do if our pupils aren’t on track?

Children’s reading is tracked and monitored through reading records kept by teachers.  Children who are not on track receive additional support and opportunities to develop their reading skills. They receive daily 1:1 support by reading with an adult. Children who require extra phonics support work in a small group to pick up any sounds they don’t know  or to develop blending skills. 

Home Reading

In Year 1, children take books home matched to their phonetic ability. When ready, children begin to use Oxford Reading Tree texts and Treetops. These books are changed regularly. Children are supported as well as challenged where applicable. 

From Y2 to Y6, every child takes a reading book home weekly and we expect parents and carers to complete a home reading diary to record when they have read at home, ideally daily. This can be changed when children are ready for a new book and when ready, we encourage children to do this independently. For those developing their phonic skills, they will take a book matched to their current phonic ability. Children are set reading activities/comments on google classroom, which are linked to the National Curriculum objectives and also reflect the PYP learner attributes.

The impact of the reading at Leigh Stationers’ Primary Academy is informed through both formative and summative assessment to track children’ progress. We aim to ensure we are enabling our children to become confident and successful readers.

By fostering reading for pleasure, this means our children can fluently read a range of texts and build stamina to be able to read for sustained periods. They develop curiosity through questioning and predicting what will come next. They will infer what an author is suggesting through texts, pictures and songs. They will learn how to summarise and paraphrase texts they have read both in reading but also in a cross curricular way. Children will develop good reading and comprehension skills and have a wide understanding of a topic due to a good grasp of vocabulary. They will be able to discuss and recommend books they have read to their peers and adults.

Our reading curriculum  expects all children to reach age related expectations at the end of the year and provides the necessary support and intervention  for those children who don’t.

Speaking and listening is embedded through all aspects of the curriculum.  Approaches to teaching and learning encourage pupils to voice their opinions and ideas both in small groups and whole class discussions, since we recognise that sharing and explaining concepts with peers enhances learning.

Staff  model the use of higher level vocabulary to expand children’s vocabulary. Subject specific vocabulary is also embedded across the curriculum through teacher modelling. Contextual learning helps children understand new words and supports them to include them in their work.

Reading sessions encourage pupils to explore unfamiliar vocabulary and expand their knowledge of words. Reading aloud enhances opportunities to develop fluency and expression.as well as developing listening skills and providing opportunities for discussion and debate.

• Children are given the opportunity in writing to orally rehearse ideas.
• Drama is used  to explore and engage children in their learning .
• In maths children are encouraged to discuss and explore mathematical concepts and reasoning.
• PYP Inquiry learning prompts discussion and allows pupils to generate inquiry questions important to them regarding the units of inquiry.
• Science Investigations allow children opportunities to make predictions, ask questions, draw conclusions and learn scientific concepts.

In a safe and encouraging environment, children develop into confident communicators who see the goodness in each other by listening, speaking with kindness and empathy and explaining with clarity and confidence. Children recognise that speaking and listening can lie at the heart of conveying character , and that through speaking and listening effectively, misunderstandings can be addressed and relationships.