English at Stockton Heath Primary School
Subject Leader: Mrs Robinson
Sound English skills are essential for progress across the curriculum and to prepare pupils effectively for tasks of adult life.
At Stockton Heath Primary School, we recognise the effect that a confident, fluent and coherent understanding of English will have on a pupil’s progress, both inside and outside of the school environment. We understand how a strong grounding in English will impact the future learning and development of a pupil in all aspects of their life and, therefore, we provide a balanced and broad curriculum which encompasses writing practice, including handwriting, spelling, widening vocabulary, and writing for different styles, purposes, and audiences, as well as focussing on spoken English, reading, grammar and pronunciation.
SUBJECT-SPECIFIC INFORMATION
Please find below the Subject on a Page documents for English.
Progression in English
Please find below our progression documents for both reading and writing.
Reading
Reading
Reading is an essential life-skill. At Stockton Heath Primary School, we place the highest importance on learning to read, reading fluency, reading for understanding and reading for pleasure.
Our children are taught to read using the ‘Little Wandle’ phonics scheme, which progresses into the Little Wandle books to practise fluency. At KS2, the teaching of reading skills is structured so that the children experience a range of texts during guided sessions with their teacher, and also have reading skills modelled during whole class sessions.
Reading for pleasure is encouraged through use of the school libraries, class libraries, class reads, a half-termly ‘Reading for Pleasure’ newsletter and participation in various reading events such as book fairs and World Book Day.
Writing
Pathways to Write follows a Mastery-Learning model. Key skills are taught and repeated; there are multiple opportunities throughout each unit to use and apply the skills until they can be mastered fully. Within each sequence, there are many opportunities for incidental short- burst writing with an extended written outcome built up to by the end of each unit. The ideas and work are pitched at ARE, but there are suggested activities for greater depth pupils in most lessons and for every final writing outcome.
Spelling
Pathways to Spell is a programme designed to deliver the statutory content of the Primary National Curriculum for spelling in key stages 1 and 2. Through weekly teaching of spelling objectives and development of a whole school approach to word transcription, vocabulary development and proof-reading, the programme aims to:
• Ensure that pupils become confident and competent spellers
• Enthuse and fascinate pupils about words and language
• Develop pupils spoken language skills
• Promote collaborative learning in the classroom
• Develop an engaging spelling environment across school
• Effectively reduce teacher workload with a highly detailed, progressive and engaging planning for the delivery of spelling teaching