Up to one hour each day is devoted to English activities throughout the school.  The children are taught to use speech to express their thoughts clearly and accurately and are encouraged to learn to value the ability to listen carefully and attentively. 

EYFS Phonics

All pupils within the Early Years Foundation Stage receive phonics teaching using a Government accredited systematic synthetic programme called Monster Phonics. Our letter to parents introducing Monster Phonics can be found here.

From Reception onwards, pupils receive a daily phonics lesson, targeted at their current level of attainment, and are encouraged to apply this learning in their reading and writing. Pupils continue to receive daily phonics teaching using the Monster Phonics programme and applying the skills taught. Pupils who are making slow progress are identified through formative assessment during lessons and intervention is immediately put into place, alongside the usual phonics teaching. Children are sent home with reading books which are fully decodable. Supplementary readers, which are 90% decodable are also sent home to reinforce the sounds.

KS1 (Year 1 and Year 2) Phonics  

In KS1 phonics is taught in groups according to age and/or ability with an increasing focus on spelling and spelling rules using a Government accredited systematic synthetic programme called Monster Phonics. Children are also taught to read and spell the appropriate High Frequency Word (HFW) lists from Monster Phonics. Phonics and English are taught daily in KS1.

English is taught using the Hamilton Trust Scheme, which uses a variety of genre units which are covered over a sequence of weeks. These units cover fiction, non-fiction and poetry texts as outlined in the National Curriculum. The units develop reading skills, sentence formation focusing on grammar and punctuation and writing and re-drafting skills. The meaning of vocabulary is explored and glossaries are developed from reading material.

KS2 (Years 3-6) Continuity and Progression in Phonics and Spelling teaching

The key resource used to support children’s spelling learning in KS2 is The Spelling Shed. Daily spelling practice and rule teaching takes place in KS2. A weekly spelling test takes place in each class.

Across Years 3-6 Monster Phonics interventions and other materials may be used, when appropriate, to support children’s learning.

Approaches to Reading

Monster Phonics is used to deliver discrete daily phonics lessons in EYFS and KS1 enabling children to decode efficiently. Reading strategies are modelled daily by teachers and TAs and children have the opportunity across ‘5 a Day’ reading experiences to develop these and discuss texts in detail. In addition, a range of decodable books support early readers. The colour band scheme supports the transition in to KS2. The class teacher in EYFS/KS1 reads a quality text daily to the class as part of the ‘5 a Day’ experience. 

In EYFS and KS1, children have the opportunity to participate in guided reading with an adult at least once per week. Interventions are in place for children who read less often at home, or who may need additional support to reach national curriculum expectations. Children’s reading progress is reviewed in EYFS/KS1 by the class teachers and more formally, with all staff present including the SENCO, half-termly at a whole school progress review staff meeting.

As children move through the school, or become more able readers, opportunities for sustained independent or group reading are provided. Initially, colour band books are used covering both fiction and non-fiction. Every child in the school takes a reading book home and parents record home reading in a Reading Record book. Once children are ready to become independent readers the class teacher directs the children to particular authors or titles to scaffold their choices to ensure quality texts are accessed. Class 3 have a range of books bought specifically because they have been prize winners, or highly recommended by publishers, or the children, to ensure reading is pleasurable and worthwhile.

Each class teacher in KS2 reads a quality text regularly to their class which may be connected to topics studied each term.

Parents are also asked to read with their children from a book provided by a class library shelf in Class 1 and 2. In Class 3, the parents of children, who are not reading at the age-expected level, are asked to read a provided paperback so that their child can access age-appropriate language and story type.

During the course of a year, reading enrichment activities take place such as older pupils paired with a younger reading partner for a period of time, World Book Day Events and visiting authors.

Developing Comprehension of Reading

In EYFS/KS1 this is part of the ‘5 a Day’ experience of children. It references a range of genres including poetry and choosing books for pleasure. The children experience a range of reading comprehension activities. In non-core subjects, quality texts are also used wherever possible to research information.

In KS2, quality texts are also used to support non-core topic work wherever possible. All KS2 children experience a range of reading comprehension activities. The school and class libraries also support ‘Reading for Pleasure’ opportunities.

Approaches to Writing

Our aim is to develop children’s ability to produce well-structured writing with appropriate detail and good vocabulary choices. Our approach is to instil the importance of transcription and composition as required in the National Curriculum, via the Hamilton Trust scheme.

Handwriting

Across the school, we use the Letter-join handwriting scheme to help children develop fluent, clear and legible handwriting.

We believe that handwriting is a developmental process with its own distinctive stages of progression from readiness for handwriting, through to letter joins, practising speed and fluency and higher presentation skills. A flexible fluent and legible handwriting style empowers children to write with confidence and creativity.

Approaches to Grammar and Punctuation

Grammar follows the National Curriculum statutory requirements. It is either taught in discrete lessons within English units, or wherever possible incorporated in to sentence work linked to a particular genre. A document describing the progression of grammar skills taught is used by class teachers.

Approaches to Speaking and Listening

Speaking and Listening are fundamental to good communication for us all. We recognise the importance of building on the skills children have already acquired to build on this foundation. From entry in EYFS, children are given opportunities to develop and learn new skills in formal and informal settings, both in and outside the classroom.