English
Intent:
At Loxwood, we understand the importance of reading and writing within English, to prepare children for the wider world and their future education. We want pupils to be confident and articulate in their use of spoken English, be able to give opinions and views in a confident and articulate way and get their point across to a range of audiences.
Our aim is for every child, to reach their full potential by:
- Allowing our children develop the necessary skills needed in order to communicate effectively in their spoken and written language. We aim to teach these skills by providing experiences in speaking and writing opportunities which engage and excite our children to communicate both verbally and in the written form, whilst also opening them up to experience and value different cultures and history, and ignite curiosity in the world around them.
- Reading a wide range of rich and diverse texts. Each term, each year group focuses on a range of rich and diverse texts in order to create opportunities for cultivating a rich vocabulary and both technical and compositional skills in writing.
- Writing clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences.
- Using discussion in order to learn; enabling them to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas.
- Becoming competent in the arts of speaking and listening, presenting and demonstrating to others and participating in debate.
This aim for our pupils is supported by the links between the English curriculum and the wider curriculum on offer at Loxwood Primary School.
In English, we incorporate our core values (Resilience, Collaboration, Curiosity, Creativity and Kindness) to ensure that our children develop as life-long learners and responsible citizens. Through Quality First Teaching and having high expectations, we ensure all children (including disadvantaged and SEND) are accessing the curriculum by constantly reviewing and adapting teaching.
Implementation:
We have a coherent and sequenced curriculum, which builds on the progression of knowledge and skills for each year group. Our teachers deliver well-structured and exciting opportunities through rich and diverse texts enabling our children to learn, revisit and progressively develop their knowledge and skills in English at an age-appropriate level.
Teachers and other adults working in EYFS are fully trained in supporting early literacy development and helping our youngest learners to acquire the early skills needed to become confident and creative writers. This is achieved through practical and engaging activities that help support gross and fine motor skill development to ensure a good start to letter formation and handwriting. Alongside this, activities that support the development of communication and language will all children in EYFS to begin KS1 able to ask questions and begin express their thoughts and opinions. Children in EYFS can access activities, alongside adults or independently with peers, to practice their literacy skills. In Years 1-6, English lessons are planned following a small-step approach to acquiring English skills. Our teachers promote and encourage children to work collaboratively, as well as independently, and provide excellent modelling of all spoken and written processes and concepts as part of everyday teaching. Handwriting begins in EYFS where children practice and develop their fine motor skills to hold a pencil and begin their letter formation. This develops further in KS1 through the quality first teaching of adults modelling good handwriting and children practising throughout the day. In KS2, children are supported to join their handwriting and develop their own cursive script again through quality modelling and support.
When planning English lessons, teachers make links to other areas of the curriculum to ensure that cross curricular links provide further context for learning. Teaching blocks focus on fiction, non-fiction or poetry, in line with the National Curriculum and comprehension, grammar and writing are embedded in lessons. Lesson sequences themselves build progressively towards an extended piece of writing.
Impact:
At Loxwood, all pupils make excellent progress in English. This starts with a firm foundation in EYFS which continues in to KS1. This strong start means that pupils have a firm foundation on which to build further knowledge in KS2. The majority of our older pupils are equipped with the English skills they need to succeed at secondary school when they leave us.
Through evaluation of work in children’s books at Loxwood, it is clear to see the high quality of English throughout the school. Children are able to confidently talk about their work in English lessons and can apply age-appropriate skills and knowledge in their work. They are willing to take risks and learn from their mistakes, showing both perseverance and resilience in their English learning.
We use Target Tracker as a system for recording ongoing progress using the steps and statements for English. In Key Stage 2, we use NFER tests in reading, writing, grammar, punctuation and spelling termly to support our ongoing judgements as well as internal and locality moderation. All of these feed into our termly pupil progress meetings with senior leaders and then into our class action plans for the lowest 20% and disadvantaged children.
