Curriculum: English

 

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Our aim is to ensure that children are able to use English confidently, appropriately and accurately to the best of their ability.

We promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written word and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment.

We encourage and aim to ensure that all pupils:

• read and write with confidence, fluency and good understanding;
• develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information;
• be able to orchestrate a full range of reading cues (phonic, graphic, syntactic, contextual) to monitor their reading and correct their own mistakes;
• acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language;
• understand the sound and spelling system and use this to read and spell accurately;
• have fluent and legible handwriting;
• write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences;
• have an interest in words and their meanings and a growing vocabulary;
• appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage;
• know, understand and be able to write in a range of genres in fiction and poetry, and understand and be familiar with some of the ways in which narratives are structured through basic literacy ideas of setting, character and plot;
• understand, use and be able to write a range of non-fiction texts;
• plan, draft, revise and edit their own writing;
• have a suitable technical vocabulary through which to understand and discuss their reading and writing;
• be interested in books, read with enjoyment and evaluate and justify their preferences;
• through reading and writing, develop their powers of imagination, inventiveness and critical awareness;
• use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas;
• are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

The National Curriculum for English includes the requirement that English should take place within the contexts of Speaking and Listening, Reading and Writing.

Spoken language

Good oral work enhances pupils’ understanding of language in both oral and written forms and of the way language can be used to communicate. It is also an important part of the process through which pupils read and compose texts.  We stress the importance of speaking and listening through every area of the curriculum.

Spoken language underpins the development of reading and writing. Pupils are expected to develop a capacity to explain their understanding of books and other reading and to prepare their ideas before they write.

We encourage children to share ideas, to put forward reasoned arguments and to listen to other people’s viewpoints.  They take part in assemblies, performances, express and justify opinions and preferences and respond to each other thoughtfully.  If English is not a child’s first language, extra support is given by our EAL ('English as an Additional Language') provision.

Reading

Children have reading activities every day; it has a high priority within Winterbourne Boys’ Academy.  Each class has access to a range of high quality fiction, poetry, drama and non-fiction texts, which children are encouraged to use, enjoy and evaluate.  Parents/carers are invited to work in partnership with the school in developing their child’s ability to read.

Children are able to borrow books regularly to read at home and parents are expected to sign their child’s reading record regularly.

The programme of study consists of two parts:

• Word reading
• Comprehension (both listening and reading)

Writing

Our children are taught writing throughout their Key Stage 2 studies through cross-curricular work. This involves the children learning the basics of grammar, punctuation, spelling and handwriting whilst writing for different purposes and audiences.  We want our children to develop into fully independent writers able to use all the various styles and conventions of writing.  They are provided with opportunities to evaluate and improve their work through editing, proof-reading and re-drafting.

The programme of study also consists of two parts:

• Transcription (spelling and handwriting)
• Composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing)

Read, Write, Inc.

Children who are working below the expected level of progress (low prior attainment at the end of Year 2) are also taught using a phonics programme called Read, Write, Inc. This programme is often used in KS1 so is a continuation of what the children have experienced before joining our academy.

It is proven to develop:

• fluent, enthusiastic readers
• deep comprehension of texts
• confident speakers
• keen writers

Children are taught to:

• learn to read and write letter-sound correspondences quickly
• decode effortlessly, spell and handwrite easily
• comprehend what they read
• read with fluency and expression
• write confidently using oral rehearsal
• work effectively with a partner to articulate their learning at every step

Children learn to decode through:

• learning 44 sounds and matching letters
• learning to blend sounds to read words
• reading lots of specially written books

Children learn to comprehend through:

• Talking a lot about what they have read to show they understand
• Listening to and discussing other ideas to deepen understanding