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English

Overview

We want all children to have the skills necessary to be excellent writers. Attention is paid to developing grammar, spelling and punctuation through the delivery of well-planned, rigorously monitored lessons. These always incorporate both modelled and shared writing to demonstrate to the children the thought processes and skills necessary to be an effective writer. End of unit independent writing, meeting varying genres, allows children the chance to refine their editing skills. Children often self and peer assess and help each other to re-draft and improve their work.

Reading is so developmentally important and we believe reading is key to unlocking all potential in English. We believe good writers are keen readers because reading helps develop an ideas bank on which they can draw upon when writing. Whole class reading takes place every week to develop children’s comprehension skills. Every class utilises their class readers to promote enjoyment of reading, vocabulary and to explore themes within books.

For those children who need extra support with their reading, we follow Project X Code. Project X CODE is an innovative reading intervention programme, which combines systematic synthetic phonics, comprehension development, motivational 3D design and gripping stories to accelerate struggling readers’ progress so that children reach expected literacy levels as soon as possible. For those children who need additional phonics support, we follow the Twinkl programme, which is validated by the DfE and is a Systematic, Synthetic Phonics programme.

We want our pupils to become articulate and confident young people and therefore we present children with frequent opportunities to develop these skills through talking partner work, class discussions, sharing work and active listening.