English

Speaking, listening, reading and writing are vital skills for communication and provide opportunities in and beyond school.  We recognise the pivotal role of literacy to access the full curriculum and wider world. These skills are not only the key to success but also exciting and fun skills to be fostered and embedded in daily life.

 

Intent

At Northgate Primary School we develop fluent readers with a passion for books and knowledge. Children take meaning from what they have read, show understanding and make connections between texts and facts. We ensure children have the ability to write effectively to convey meaning in any context, presenting their ideas clearly and neatly.  Pupils listen carefully and they are empowered to speak about and question things with confidence and insight. 

 

Our children will develop:

  • a sense of belonging by asking considered questions and articulating their own ideas about the world.  Selecting, reading and discussing a diverse and wide range of texts that reflect the children, their interests and their backgrounds helps them make sense of the world and their place in it. Children learn to value Reading and Writing as a form of expression and an outlet to explore creativity and imagination. 

 

  • confidence in communicating through writing and talking with accuracy and fluency. The children will respectfully and appropriately articulate their ideas considering the needs of their audience. Children are exposed to a rich vocabulary to foster an interest in words and their meanings so they can communicate clearly, specifically while using ambitious language. 

 

  • a resilient attitude through Oracy, expressing their thoughts and building on the ideas of others. By identifying and understanding a range of text types and genres, children will have the knowledge to adapt and write in a variety of styles for specific purposes. Children are motivated to have high aspirations in regards to their English skills and abilities. They are equipped with the skills to be independent learners, able to analyse, critique, edit and improve their work and the work of others.

 

Implementation 

 

We are ambitious for all children and follow the Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS) scheme with fidelity to ensure children make a strong start and learn to read quickly. 

 

We quickly establish links with home and expect engagement with home reading. Our regular Phonics and Reading cafes are well attended and enjoyed by parents and children. 

 

Decoding and comprehension skills are taught separately. Comprehension skills are taught explicitly by domain and then revisited and built on in context. This approach gives children the support they need to acquire skills and the opportunity to master the skills independently. 

 

Our children are exposed to a broad, balanced and rich diet of books; some texts are studied and analysed and others are read for enjoyment alone.  Our reading spine is a mix of contemporary and classic texts, designed to reflect our community and school values while engaging and challenging the children.

 

Reading for pleasure is prioritised and celebrated in a number of ways:

  • All classes have a weekly library slot to talk about and select book to share at home 
  • Daily Everyone Reading in Class (ERIC) sessions in KS2
  • Weekly story assembly for KS1
  • Every year Pyjamarama Day is held focusing on bedtime stories 
  • World Book Day celebrated annually 
  • Children are read to every day by an adult 

 

All children read 1:1 with an adult, in a group and individually. They also perform learnt poems and texts alone, in groups and as a class to various audiences. 

 

We follow a ‘Writing for Purpose’ approach which is designed to cultivate a deep understanding of writing, by encouraging children to consider their audience, recognise different genres, and apply their knowledge of grammar, punctuation, and spelling in varied contexts. 

 

The children are introduced to high-quality texts that serve as both a hook to engage them and as model texts to emulate. These texts are rich in varied vocabulary and exemplify the features of the genre being studied. Key text features and vocabulary are explicitly taught and displayed in the classroom. These are referred to and expanded upon throughout the unit, reinforcing learning and providing ongoing reference points for students.

Before writing, children rehearse their ideas orally and learn to organise them effectively. This planning stage provides opportunity for the children to rehearse and embed the features and skills they have been taught. Children are taught to continuously edit and refine their work, fostering a drive for excellence. 

In collaboration with their teachers, our children create success criteria for their final piece/s of writing for each unit. This involvement empowers them to take ownership of their learning and understand what constitutes high-quality writing.

When a writing unit has come to an end, adults in class and the child will check their work against the success criteria and celebrate what they have achieved. High quality pieces of writing are displayed in the classroom, shared with other staff members and rewarded in assemblies - providing a platform for recognition and encouraging a sense of pride. Termly, students' final pieces are written in blue writing journals. These journals serve as a record of their best work, showcasing their progress and achievements over time.

Following on from the ELS Phonics program, we use the ELS spelling program from Y2 upwards. Weekly spellings are then set based on the rules and patterns taught, these are practised in school and sent home. 

Handwriting is taught discreetly, starting with gross motor skills work in Nursery and progressing to joining handwriting in KS2. 

 

Grammar is taught explicitly and in context with further opportunities planned in order that children can apply and practise their learning across the curriculum so that they deepen their conceptual understanding.



Impact 

Our children understand and learn the relationship between letters and sounds quickly and apply this knowledge when reading and writing. They show resilience and determination when working through the alternative pronunciations and spelling patterns they know. 

The children are motivated to read and do so with pace and accuracy, taking meaning from what they have read and had read to them. They are insightful and reflective about characters and stories making connections between their lives and experiences, known texts and new material. 

Books inform and shape the children’s understanding of the world around them. The children enjoy book talk and articulate their preferences and views clearly. Our children express themselves, their beliefs, views and challenge others through written and spoken communication.

By following the 'Writing for Purpose' approach, students develop a robust understanding of writing that extends beyond basic literacy skills. They become adept at making authorial choices and use language creatively and effectively, tailored to various audiences and purposes.

Our children are clear about what they want to convey and how they will structure their writing. Communications are cohesive and sequenced. 

The children are confident and proud to talk about their writing and justify grammatical devices, structures and features they have used.  They revisit work to reflect on its effectiveness and edit and make improvements because they are driven and ambitious. 

As all aspects of English are an integral part of the curriculum, cross curricular writing standards are high because skills taught in the English lessons are transferred into other subjects; this shows consolidation of skills, progression and a deeper understanding of how and when to use specific grammar, punctuation and grammar objectives.  

 

WRITING SKILLS PROGRESSION