English

Reading

We actively encourage children to read for pleasure as this is an essential part of education. Reading for pleasure provides wide and significant educational advantages across the curriculum.

Accelerated Reader is used in our school to raise the expectations, progress and attainment in reading. Regular STAR reading tests are taken to closely monitor the children's progress and to make sure their ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) level is accurate. This level gives the children a range in which to choose their reading books, empowering them to know what will be a challenge for them or what will be the correct level for them. We encourage children to read for pleasure by providing a wide range of texts for all ages. The children regularly change their reading books and are guided by their ZPD level. We have a well-stocked library- full of both fiction and non-fiction- which children can access for a wide range of reading experiences.

The Teaching of Reading

We deliver the teaching of reading through the CUSP curriculum. This allows daily teaching of reading skills based on rich and engaging texts. As with every area of our curriculum, vocabulary is a vital part of this, as is the regular revisiting of skills to make sure they are embedded.

Phonics

The Read Write Inc. phonics scheme teaches children the sounds in English, the letters that represent them, and how to form the letters when writing. It includes reading books written using only the letters they have learnt at each level (and a small number of separately taught tricky words). The children quickly feel confident and go on to become successful readers.

Writing

We deliver writing through the CUSP curriculum. Children are taught to develop both stamina and skills in writing as they progress through the school. They are taught to write at length with a heavy emphasis on vocabulary, grammar, punctuation and imagination! We weave these skills into many different genres (such as autobiographies, newspaper reports, balanced arguments) which we then revisit later in the year to make sure those skills are embedded. Please see the Box folder below for our coverage of writing genres throughout the school.