English
Curriculum Intent
Reading
By the end of primary school, our children will not only read fluently and with understanding but will carry with them the confidence, imagination, and motivation to continue reading throughout their lives.
We aim to:
- Develop strong foundational skills in phonics, decoding, and comprehension so that all children can access a wide range of texts with confidence.
- Foster a love of reading by exposing pupils to diverse, high-quality literature that reflects different cultures, perspectives, and experiences.
- Encourage curiosity and critical thinking through discussion, questioning, and exploration of texts across fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
- Promote reading for pleasure and purpose, enabling children to read independently, share recommendations, and use reading as a tool for learning in all subjects.
- Ensure equity of access so that every child, regardless of background or starting point, has the opportunity to thrive as a reader.
Our writing curriculum aims to inspire every child to become a confident, creative, and purposeful writer. We believe writing is both a tool for communication and a means of self-expression, empowering pupils to share their ideas, tell their stories, and influence the world around them.
We intend children to:
- Develop a rich vocabulary and a secure grasp of grammar, punctuation, and spelling, enabling them to write with clarity and precision.
- Understand and apply the features of a wide range of text types, adapting style and tone for different audiences and purposes.
- Build stamina, resilience, and pride in their written work through regular opportunities to plan, draft, edit, and publish.
- Draw inspiration from high-quality literature, real-life experiences, and cross-curricular learning to fuel creativity and deepen understanding.
- See themselves as authors, valuing their own voice while respecting and learning from the voices of others.
Curriculum
Phonics and Spelling
Reading is taught using the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised phonics programme. We start teaching phonics in reception and the children build on their growing knowledge of the alphabetic code, mastering phonics to read and spell as they move through the school. Phonics is taught daily in Reception and Year 1, and any gaps in knowledge are addressed as they move into Year 2 and beyond.
The children also have reading practice sessions three times a week in small groups. These focus on the three key skills of decoding, prosody and comprehension.
We continue teaching reading in this way for any children who need it beyond Year 1.
Reading for pleasure books go home for parents to share and read to their children.
Parents can access information and resources here:
For parents | Letters and Sounds (littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk)
As children progress through the school and move beyond Phonics, they access their spelling learning through the Spelling Shed.
