English

English Intent

It is intended that every child in our school develops a love for reading and writing that will last a lifetime. A high-quality education in English teaches pupils to speak and write fluently so they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through reading and listening, others can communicate with them. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature, plays a key role in such development. Reading also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society; pupils who do not learn to speak, read and write fluently are at a disadvantage. The overarching aim for English is to promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written word, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. 

The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils:

• read easily, fluently and with good understanding
• develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
• acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
• appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage
• write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
• use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas
• are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

English Implementation

At Garfield Primary, we use the Storytelling Schools approach, incorporating core class texts and high quality literature. We use challenging vocabulary and encourage critical thinking across our lessons. Children are encouraged to read for pleasure, and are welcome every week in our school library.

In EYFS, our children are: 

•  1) taught to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write using Read, Write inc Phonics
•  2) given access to a wide range of reading materials e.g books and poems, to ignite their interest
•  3) helped to use books and stories to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment
• 4) taught to express themselves effectively, showing awareness of listeners’ needs. They use past, present and future forms accurately when talking about events 

In KS1 and KS2, our children are taught to:

• 1) speak fluently and confidently 
• 2) make inferences about texts or characters
• 3) use evidence to support their opinions or the opinions of others. 
• 4) use appropriate punctuation for their age
• 5) link sentences and paragraphs together using cohesive devices
• 6) develop their own individual author's voice
• 7) reflect on and edit their work independently 
• 8) write increasingly complex stories, poems and other text types, building on their knowledge of features each year.

Children in KS1 and KS2 have daily exposure to Reading, Writing and Spoken Language in English lessons. We use ‘Get Spelling’ (from Read, Write inc) to teach spelling patterns from Year 2 to Year 6. Spelling activities are practised daily instead of a weekly spelling test. Grammar and punctuation is taught within writing lessons that adopt the Storytelling Schools approach from EYFS to Year 6. Handwriting is also taught from EYFS to Year 6 using Letter-join, an online programme parents and children can access at home. We teach editing techniques in writing in class and focus on reflecting on our work. We develop children's vocabulary with rich and engaging texts. We encourage reading for pleasure at home and understand parental support goes hand in hand with fostering a love of reading. 

Reading

Reading is a fundamental part of everything we do at Garfield. Our Curriculum Maps have stories at the centre, driving the curriculum, putting rich chosen texts and their vocabulary at the heart of learning. Our strong culture of reading is enhanced by our beautiful, well stocked Library that all children access within the curriculum as well as in their own time. Fluency is prioritised across the curriculum and is a focus throughout KS1 and KS2. Reading for pleasure is a cornerstone of our approach - we aim to foster a love of books and reading, and to grow children who are inspired to write and full of words to use. 

Phonics

We teach Phonics and early reading from Nursery through to KS1 using Read Write Inc. (RWI) Phonics, providing a structured and systematic approach. Rigorous staff training and coaching means group leaders have expert knowledge and ownership of the programme. Children read storybooks and non-fiction books closely matched to their developing phonic knowledge and take these home to share with parents. Regular assessment, tracking and one to one tutoring is used to monitor and accelerate every child's progress. Our aim is that by Christmas in Year 2, our children are accurate, fluent and speedy readers ready to move off the programme and on to Guided Reading, though many achieve this much earlier. Children in Year 1 sit the Phonics Screening Check in the summer term. Children who are in Year 2 to Year 4 and need ‘catch up’ sessions are supported with 1-1 or small group intervention. Children in UKS2 are supported with RWI Fresh Start phonics. With RWI, the aim is to move off the programme as quickly as possible and our mixed year groupings facilitate this process. Children are never held back, moving on as soon as they are ready. 

Group Guided Reading and Whole Class Reading

Reading is taught using two complementary Guided Reading strategies; whole class reading and mixed ability group reading. Having a whole school approach means we use consistent language for talking about and investigating texts. The aim is for our children to successfully participate in enriched discussion and tasks that embed key reading strategies. With whole class reading, core texts from writing lessons are routinely used as a reading stimulus, joining up learning from across the curriculum. Children use the VIPERS domains to explore vocabulary, inference, prediction, explanation, retrieval and sequencing/summarising skills. The understanding of vocabulary in a text is fundamental and is supported by our whole school vocabulary focus. 

Storytelling Schools at Garfield

We are a Storytelling School. Our children learn to tell stories and make verbal presentations from memory. In this way, they develop good oral communication skills, while mastering the language and ideas they need for subsequent writing. Some of our children enter Nursery with poor language skills, so by focusing on oracy and promoting ambitious vocabulary we aim to address social disadvantage and help our children grow into fluent, confident communicators. We give every child a voice.

Storytelling Schools writing

Writing is taught through a Storytelling approach. Storytelling provides a natural way of developing rich and active story language for children to recycle in their own story making and writing. We teach six core stories a year in each year group, linked to curriculums. We promote fluent language use, enabling children to gain confidence by using their voice in an improvised way across a range of contexts in fiction and non-fiction. Through creative deepening activities, this oracy translates into engaged and empowered writers. At all stages teachers model the writing process and demonstrate the high standards expected of all. Children take ownership of their writing through a rigorous editing process. As a result of these consistent and effective methods, our children produce exciting and imaginative texts. 

Handwriting with Letter-join

We use Letter-join’s online handwriting resource and Lesson Planners as the basis for our Handwriting & Presentation policy. This covers all the requirements of the National Curriculum.
Handwriting is a basic skill that influences the quality of work throughout the curriculum. By the end of Key Stage 2 all pupils should have the ability to produce fluent, legible and eventually, speedy joined-up handwriting, and to understand the different forms of handwriting used for different purposes. Our intention is to make handwriting an automatic process that does not interfere with creative thinking.

Aims:
● To develop a neat, legible, speedy handwriting style using continuous cursive letters, which leads to producing letters and words automatically in independent writing
● To establish and maintain high expectations for the presentation of written work
● For pupils to understand, by the end of Year 6, the importance of neat presentation and the need for different letterforms (cursive, printed or capital letters) to help communicate meaning clearly

Key Stage Teaching

Early Years

 For our youngest pupils we teach short handwriting lessons on a daily basis, which include:
● enhancing gross motor skills such as air-writing, pattern-making and physical activities
● developing fine motor skills with mark-making on paper, whiteboards, sensory trays, iPads etc

• becoming familiar with letter shapes, their sounds, formation and vocabulary
• correct sitting position and pencil grip for handwriting

Key Stage 1: Years 1 and 2

Handwriting is taught in three longer lessons per week:
● continuing with gross and fine motor skills exercises
● strengthening handwriting, learning and practice
● numerals, capitals and printed letters; where and when to use, learning and practice
● KS1 SATs SPaG exercises

Lower Key Stage 2: Years 3 and 4

Handwriting lessons will continue at least twice a week in Lower Key Stage 2.

Upper Key Stage 2: Years 5 and 6

More advanced handwriting techniques will be taught during at least two weekly lessons:

●  reinforcing cursive handwriting across the curriculum
●  dictation exercises promoting quick note-taking and speedy handwriting writing skills
●  KS2 SATs SPaG practice

Spelling with RWI Get Spelling

From Years 2 to 6 children follow the RWI Get Spelling programme. This follows seamlessly on from the RWI Phonics programme, which children use to learn early reading from Nursery through to Key Stage 1. Get Spelling builds on the phonics knowledge acquired in those years by cumulatively and systematically adding the spelling words and rules required by the National Curriculum for each year group with regular practice in short, fun lessons where children work actively in groups and pairs.

English Impact

We want children to become confident and successful writers, with an understanding of what English will bring to their lives and the English links within their local and wider community.  It is intended that every child in our school develops a love for reading and writing that will last a lifetime. Throughout English lessons, formative assessment takes place and feedback is given orally and through marking to ensure pupils are meeting learning objectives. Teachers use assessment to aid planning and ensure lessons support each child to progress. Children from Year 1 and above complete termly NTS standardised reading assessments to demonstrate their understanding of the topics covered. 

By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the skills and processes in their programme of study. Age related expectations are reported to parents at the end of Reception. In KS1 and KS2, assessment takes place throughout the year and at the ends of topics. Teachers record progress against National Curriculum expectations for each year group. AP Literacy assessment criteria enable us to assess children as they move through each stage of their learning journey.  We assess and moderate children’s learning every term against agreed standards. Regular learning walks and book monitoring measures the impact and assesses the implementation of our curriculum. Further information is gathered through pupil voice activities, highlighting strengths and achievements and any recommendations for improvements, knowledge and skills that need to be embedded. Each part of the English curriculum is reviewed termly by the subject leader.