English includes Speaking and Listening, Reading and Writing. Key skills in English are an integral part of the whole school curriculum.
Speaking and listening
Talking is fundamental to a child’s learning. Pupils are encouraged and given opportunities in which they talk clearly, confidently and with expression. They are also taught the skills of listening and responding appropriately to others. Speaking and listening skills are developed in all areas of the curriculum.
Reading and Phonics
The ability to read and enjoy reading is a wonderful gift. We believe that reading should be an enjoyable activity and our approach to reading is based on this.
In the Early Years and Key Stage One there is a great emphasis on developing the building blocks of reading: phonic knowledge. As soon as the children start their journey at All Saints’ in the Early Years Reception Year, the Letters and Sounds programme is followed using Phonics Bug (from Pearson Education) to support teaching. This programme focuses on high quality phonics using segmentation and blending. This is in place to improve children’s Communication, Language and Literacy Development and provides children with basic skills in reading and spelling. The programme is split into six phases; Phase One designed to develop speaking and listening skills, up to Phase Six where children begin ‘reading to learn’ rather than learning to read. Phonics teaching continues in Year One and at the end of this year, the Phonics Screening Test (introduced by Department for Education in 2011) takes place to assess achievement in Phonics. In Year Two, phonics teaching continues as necessary and, where there is a need, children in Key Stage Two may also take part in phonics teaching and learning.
At Key Stage Two reading is extended and the skills of inference, deduction and evaluation are developed. Children need to be able to read with understanding, for pleasure and for information. In Key Stage One children are helped and guided towards suitable reading material using the Oxford Reading Tree scheme and a range of additional guided reading materials. As pupils become more independent readers, they are given responsibility for their own choice in reading. All classrooms have their own reading areas and we are lucky enough to have a school library. Many classes also visit the village library throughout the year. We aim for children to develop a love of reading and encourage children to read a range of books and share their reading with their family.
Writing
Children are helped to develop the skills to express their thoughts and ideas through the written word. Children are taught the basic skills of punctuation, spelling, grammar and correct letter formation, along with an understanding of language and organisational features of different genres of writing. Children experience a wide range of styles and forms of writing and are provided with a host of opportunities to write in context for a range of real audiences.
For further information, please view our English Policy
