English
Subject leads:
Writing: Miss Boult & Mrs Daniel
Reading & Phonics: Mrs Buttery & Miss Allenden
Vision
Our vision is to ensure that all pupils are confident in reading, writing, spelling and oracy; including developing the use of subject specific and broad vocabulary. Pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding of English are all consistently being developed; this is core to our curriculum. We aim to ensure that all pupils become confident in the fundamentals of English, read fluently, often, widely and for pleasure; write for a range of purposes confidently, applying their knowledge and skills of spelling and grammar appropriately and consistently; write legibly in a pre-cursive or cursive style and communicate confidently using a broad vocabulary developed by immersion in our Whitby Heath Way curriculum. Our vision is to ensure that high standards are achieved, that English is taught well and that pupils make at least good progress at every stage of their journey through our school.
Intent
- To promote and develop children’s enjoyment and enthusiasm for Reading, Writing, Spelling and Oracy through exciting, practical, first-hand learning and opportunities to apply their skills and knowledge across the curriculum and make connections in their learning.
- To ensure that the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum for English are taught well and applied across all areas of the curriculum.
- Knowledge of key skills in phonics, reading, spelling, handwriting, grammar, punctuation and oracy; including developing the use of subject specific and broad vocabulary, are embedded and built on sequentially across the school.
- Monitoring schedule and Flick and Fix monitoring used to ensure consistency in planning, books and assessment which is securely good and increasingly outstanding when triangulated.
- To develop pupils’ confidence and skills in phonics, reading, spelling, handwriting, grammar, punctuation and oracy including developing the use of subject specific and broad vocabulary, to underpin their access to the Whitby Heath Way and make connections in their learning.
- All children to have Target Time sessions focused on grammar, punctuation, spelling and handwriting skills which further improves their level of engagement and achievement in English.
- Daily Phonics T&L to be well matched to all children’s current learning (EYFS – Y2 and KS2 target children as required).
- Whole class and group guided reading sessions to be well matched to all children’s current learning.
- All children to have half termly Teacher Conferences to reflect on their achievements in writing and agree targets for their next steps in writing.
- To ensure that from on entry to our school and onwards, pupils are confident in their understanding and application of their basic skills in phonics, reading, spelling, handwriting, grammar, punctuation and oracy; including developing the use of subject specific and broad vocabulary and that they build upon their prior learning at every stage.
- To ensure that all the T&L of phonics, reading, writing, spelling, handwriting, oracy and the use of Target Time are thorough, systematic and progressive for all pupils and this is consistent across school and by all staff.
- To help pupils to become fluent and confident readers, writers and speakers by developing their reading, writing and oracy skills so that they can apply their independent thinking and questioning across the curriculum.
- To encourage children to use their increasing knowledge, skills and understanding of English to go deeper in their learning across the curriculum.
Implementation
- All teachers and TAs involved in the teaching of writing have a secure understanding of the progression in key skills from EYFS to Y6.
- All pupils receive a daily English lesson and target time so that teachers recognise and swiftly address gaps in learning through well targeted use of Target Time and additional adult support to ensure all learners, particularly those most vulnerable identified from initial and ongoing assessments and SENd, PP learners and are well equipped to accelerate rates of progress across the curriculum.
- Further develop and embed a positive reading and writing culture in school, where both are promoted, enjoyed and considered ‘a pleasure’ for all pupils.
- Further develop a mastery approach for all in writing – evident in planning and use of marking strategies to move on learning.
- Assessment is used accurately and consistently across EYFS, KS1 and LKS2.
- All teaching of English is designed to promote ‘sticky’ learning, with regular opportunities for reinforcement built in and links made in other curriculum areas.
- All staff to demonstrate high expectations of children’s achievement irrespective of their starting point, including SEND, boys and disadvantaged children.
- Displays of writing to encourage pride in work, give a purpose and audience and to show that work is valued.
- To encourage and promote enjoyment in reading and writing events take place often throughout the year. These include: writing workshops, handwriting awards, World Book Day, library visits, visitors to assemblies, author/poet visits, Book Fairs and clubs.
- All teaching of English is good and better as evidenced by monitoring over time.
Impact
- There is evidence of a clear teaching sequence in books.
- Assessment outcomes in writing show that all pupils from EYFS to the end of KS1 and across KS2 are making good and better progress, given their starting points, as seen in progress tracking, achievement in lessons and their work over time.
- Marking and feedback is consistently shown to provide regular opportunities for children to further embed their writing skills.
- All pupils demonstrate resilience and resourcefulness in their writing work through the application of independent learning behaviours.