English

Vision and Rationale

We believe that reading is at the centre of learning.

We aim to support and challenge every pupil in order to prepare him or her for the wider world.

Through irresistible learning opportunities, we prepare our pupils to grow into responsible, respectable, independent citizens:

•  Every child a thinker
•  Every child a reader
• Every child a writer 

What is the rationale behind the English curriculum in the school? 

 At Risley, we use the Power of Reading texts and approach to guide our English planning. This underpins the teaching of English with quality literature and offers opportunities for writing across all subjects.  This tried and tested approach provides ideas, inspiration and structure for our literacy curriculum, raises literacy standards and develops a love of reading and writing across all key stages.

Literacy

At Risley Primary we believe that language and literacy are fundamental elements to the overall development of every child.

Literacy underpins the school curriculum by developing students’ abilities to speak, listen, read and write for a wide range of purposes, using language to learn and communicate, to think, explore and organise. Helping students to express themselves clearly orally and in writing, enhances and enriches teaching and learning in all subjects.

As a school, we aim to deliver quality teaching of basic and higher order reading, writing and listening skills; which will enable children to become confident and successful learners, achieving their full potential. 

Planning English lessons

We use the Power of Reading project which is in line with the national curriculum to guide our English planning. This is a school development project which enhances children’s pleasure in reading and raises attainment in both reading and writing. The project focuses on using creative teaching approaches when exploring books; creating a teaching sequence where children are immersed in the world of the book by using reading aloud, drama, art, music and dance. This leads to increased enjoyment as a result of their knowledge of and involvement with the book. We have adapted these lessons to allow our students to have longer to spend on writing outcomes and to enable them to have a greater understanding of the features of different genres of writing. 

Speaking and listening 

Talk is our main means of communication in everyday life and is fundamental to the development of understanding. We want our students to develop increasing confidence and competence in speaking and listening so that they are able to: 

• Clarify and express their ideas and explain their thinking; 

• Adapt their speech to a widening range of circumstances, including paired and group Discussions and speaking to a larger audience;
• Use varied and specialised vocabulary; 

• Speak for a range of purposes e.g. to narrate, to analyse, to explain, to reflect and evaluate; 

• Listen with understanding and respond sensitively and appropriately. 

Reading

We want our students to enjoy reading, to be able to use their reading to help them learn and to develop increasing confidence and competence in reading, so that they are able to:

• Read fluently, accurately and with understanding; 

• Become independent and critical readers and make informed and appropriate choices; 

• Select information from a wide range of texts and sources including print, media and ICT and to evaluate those sources;
• Apply techniques such as skimming, scanning, and text-marking effectively in order to research and appraise texts. 

 Writing

Many lessons include and depend on written communication. We want our students to develop increasing confidence and competence in writing, so that they are able to:  

• Write in a widening variety of forms for different purposes e.g. to interpret, evaluate, explain, analyse and explore;
• Develop ideas and communicate meaning to a reader using wide-ranging and technical vocabulary and an effective style, organising and structuring sentences grammatically and whole texts coherently;
• Present their writing clearly using accurate punctuation, correct spelling and legible handwriting; 

• Apply word processing conventions and understand the principles of authoring multi-media text. 

Speaking and listening

In our teaching we should provide planned opportunities across the curriculum for students to engage in purposeful talk, both formally and informally.

In planning for talk we should consider pace and timing so that purposeful talk is maintained. We should plan for opportunities for children to gather ideas with their peers and then feed these back to the class. 

Whilst teacher exposition is essential we should take account of demands on concentration to ensure that students are required to listen for realistic lengths of time.

We should give students regular opportunities to speak and listen in the following contexts: 

• In pairs with a working partner; 

• In small groups with opportunities to take on the roles of chair or scribe; 

• with the teacher or another adult; 

• In whole class discussions; 

• Presentations to a wider audience, in class, assemblies; 

• Working in focussed groups 

 Spelling

Spelling is a tool which aids freedom in writing and can have a profound impact on a writer’s self image. Being able to spell correctly is an important skill which all children should be taught in a systematic and effective manner within the context of meaningful writing. Accurate spelling implies consideration for the reader and also recognises the deeply embedded notions about correctness which we hold as a society about spelling.

Handwriting

Handwriting is a skill which, like reading and spelling, affects written communication across the curriculum. It should be taught directly by demonstration, explanation and practice. We follow the Nelson scheme for handwriting. It is practised daily in Keystage 1 and then continued weekly in Keystage 2. 

English Overview