English Curriculum Statement 2019

Clifton-upon-Dunsmore Primary School Pupil English Curriculum Statement “Changing worlds through words”

English Curriculum Statement At Clifton Primary School, we believe that a secure basis in literacy skills is crucial to a high quality education and will give our children the tools they need to participate fully as a member of society. Our English curriculum aims to teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others, and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. “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 and confidently are effectively disenfranchised.” (Department for Education, 2013) Our belief is that an effective English curriculum should develop children’s love of reading, writing and discussion. We aim to inspire an appreciation of our rich and varied literary heritage and a habit of reading widely and often. We recognise the importance of nurturing a culture where children take pride in their writing, can write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of contexts. We want to develop children who are confident in the art of speaking and listening and who can use discussion to communicate and further their learning. Our English curriculum consists of the following key aspects:  3/4 one-hour weekly English lessons based on CLPE’s Power of Reading programme  Weekly SPAG lessons for Year 1 – Year 6  Daily Phonics lessons in Early Years and Year 1 based on Letters and Sounds and Jolly Phonics programmes  Weekly spelling lessons with spellings investigated daily  Weekly whole-class reading lessons for Year 1 - Year 6  Daily whole class reading for pleasure  3/4 times weekly independent reading for Accelerated Reader for KS2  Weekly handwriting lessons

How does our school’s English curriculum enable our pupils to achieve? Reading for pleasure Our pupils enjoy reading because:  The Power of Reading programme introduces them to new authors and books that they might not have come across otherwise.  Each year group's long term English curriculum plan has a wide coverage of genres, such as traditional tales, poetry and tales from other cultures to name a few so that pupils are able to develop their love of literature.  The KS2 Accelerated Reader scheme ensures they are reading within a comfortable Zone of Proximal Development, without having to read only books which are written specifically for a scheme.  We listen to their reading tastes and provide them with reading material they request.  They are never discouraged from reading the books they want to read, but will be supported by their teachers to choose additional books that are age, ability and interest appropriate.  Our school’s book stock is constantly updated and they have easy access to a wide range of high-quality texts.  They are read to every day.  They are given opportunities to read independently within the school day.  We support parents with encouraging and developing their child’s reading at home. Decoding Our pupils are able to read fluently because:  Phonics is taught systematically.  They have daily Phonic sessions in EY and Y1 which are practical and engaging.  They can apply their phonics to find meaning in a text. Comprehension Our pupils understand what they are reading because:  Reading skills are explicitly taught.  Book talk is highly valued.  Vocabulary is prioritised.  They are regularly monitored and supported to choose books within their Zone of Proximal Development in order to achieve optimal growth in their reading.  They read with a critical eye.  They make connections between what they know and what they have read.  They can ask and answer questions about what they have read.

How does our school’s English curriculum enable our pupils to achieve? Composition Our pupils are excited to get writing because:  The Power of Reading programme provides them with an engaging stimulus and their teachers choose high-quality texts based around pupils’ interests.  They write for real purposes.  Their work is published for real audiences.  They borrow ideas from what they have read to structure their own writing, demonstrating the “reader in the writer.”  They are encouraged to use their imagination.  They have had the chance to develop their ideas and vocabulary for writing through discussion and drama.  They know how to use vocabulary, grammar and literary techniques for specific effects.  They have time to practise, edit and develop their writing. Drafting and editing Our pupils are real writers because:  Our feedback policy provides them with opportunities to edit and improve Capitalise specific aspects of their writing in order to show the best of their abilities. Usage Punctuation  They are aware of what good writing entails and they apply this knowledge to improve their own writing. Spelling  They are pro-active in improving their writing, recognising errors and Add correcting these accordingly. Remove  They recognise their strengths and weaknesses in their writing, and set Move themselves goals to further improve. Substitute Handwriting Our pupils have pride in writing because: cursive handwriting  They have legible and fluent handwriting.  Opportunities to learn and practise letter formation and joining take place every week.  Time is given to present their work neatly for publication when appropriate.

How does our school’s English curriculum enable our pupils to achieve? Spelling Our children are competent spellers because:  They are systematically taught the patterns, rules and words they need to know.  They are able to apply the phonics they have learnt when they are writing.  They use a range of taught spelling strategies and resources such as dictionaries.  Spelling is a fundamental aspect of our feedback policy, with misconceptions used as a teaching point.  They recognise and correct misspelt words in their own writing. Talk Our pupils have a command of the spoken word because:  Talk is a highly valued aspect of the learning process.  Drama and role play are used frequently as a tool to understand reading and enhance writing.  They participate in debates and oral presentations.