English
Reading
Intent
It is our intent that our reading curriculum will develop a personal love of reading for all children. Children will become fluent and confident readers whilst engaging with stimulating range of texts from a variety of genres in both fiction and non-fiction. The children are presented with many opportunities to read for knowledge across the curriculum. Children will develop and nurture the essential skills of word reading and comprehension.
Implementation
At Kirkdale St Lawrence we are creative in our approach to implementing a high quality English curriculum. Our implementation is developed through a secure understanding of the curriculum and subject area.
Quality Text Based Approach
We use a quality text based approach to teach English and it has themes that are carefully woven throughout the wider curriculum. The texts have been carefully chosen to ensure a balance of contemporary and classic texts. Links are made to prior learning across year groups and to demonstrate the diverse cultures that we have at our school. We foster a love of books and reading, whilst also supporting our aim of developing children's vocabulary across the school.
How we teach reading
During shared reading, guided reading and individual reading sessions, teachers and learning support assistants use a wide range of strategies to try to enhance the teaching of reading. They are aimed at encouraging the children to discuss and debate their opinions about books.
Teachers model what it is to be a good reader demonstrating reading skills and strategies and discussions help children to a deeper understanding of the text. Children access a text which may be challenging to them individually but through carefully planned activities they gain new vocabulary and understanding. Focused comprehension skills are taught and discussions around the text are supported by differentiated questions.
Impact
The impact of our reading curriculum on our children's learning is evident in the progress they make. The children will be confident in their phonic knowledge , learn to love reading through fun but challenging reading activities and be able to transfer reading skills to other curriculum subjects. Children at our school will have fostered a love of reading for pleasure.
Home Reading
All children take home reading books. Children in Reception and Key Stage 1 take home phonics books. These books are at a phonetically decodable level accessible to the children. In addition to phonic books, children in EYFS and KS1 can take home a picture book to share with adults and carers at home. This is a book that aims to develop language acquisition and comprehension whilst continuing to develop a love of reading.
All children that are reading at a phonic level in KS2 take home a phonic book. Free readers in KS2 have access to a variety of high quality texts they can choose to read.
All children have access to phonically decodable books on e-readers. This is linked to our chosen synthetic, systematic phonics scheme.
Writing
Intent
It is our intent to inspire our children's writing through the use of high quality texts, both fiction and non-fiction, by a variety of authors. These text choices provide many opportunities for children to develop skills and knowledge across the wider curriculum.
Implementation
We use a quality text based approach to teach writing across our school. We provide our children with many opportunities to write for a variety of audiences and purposes. We support our children in exploring the meaning of challenging vocabulary and encouraging the use of this vocabulary not only within their writing but also in their daily life.
Impact
The children produce pieces of independent writing regularly that builds a narrative of progress over time, which teachers can use formatively to inform planning.
Spelling
Confidence in spelling allows children to write freely and imaginatively using patterns and making connections to words they know. We know it is really important that children enjoy their spelling tasks and games so we try lots of different activities to keep our lessons fun and interesting.
Handwriting
Children are encouraged to take pride in their work and present it to the best of their ability. Handwriting is taught daily and KS1 and three times a week in KS2. Children in EYFS have daily fine motor activities and Reception children are taught handwriting when the child is ready and has an efficient pencil grip. Teachers model and teach correct letter formation using a print style in EYFS and Year 1 working towards a pre-cursive style in Year 2. Only when all letters are formed correctly in size and orientation are children introduced to pre-cursive.