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What is the Intent of the English curriculum?

At Hadlow Primary School, we intend to foster fascination into English literature and language through inspiring and purposeful opportunities. We aim to cultivate our children’s cultural capital through real life experiences and stimulating texts; breaking down social barriers, enhancing language acquisition and offering children an exciting escape. We intend to develop competent and confident communicators, through spoken and written language. We hope to develop a vocabulary rich culture, where the English language is explored, celebrated and applied with passion and pride. We intend to develop learners that read widely and enthusiastically, for information and for pleasure. We hope that all children at Hadlow Primary School understand the vital importance of English development, for their own personal happiness, progress and success: today and every day moving forwards.

How is the English curriculum implemented?

The English programme of study is broken into four main areas:

• Spoken language
• Reading
• Writing
• Spelling, grammar and punctuation

By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study. The National curriculum 2014, gives detailed guidance of what should be taught at each Key stage under the following headings, which all teachers will follow.

• Spoken language
• Reading ‐ word reading and comprehension
• Writing – transcription: spelling, handwriting, composition, vocabulary, grammar and punctuation.

Within each strand of the English curriculum, Hadlow Primary School have our own routines and expectation, which are outlined below:

Spoken Language 

Spoken Language opportunities are weaved into all aspects of the school curriculum. Pupils are supported and encouraged to communicate effectively; developing their speaking, listening and attention skills, at an age appropriate level. Teachers model high quality spoken language to the pupils and inspire a love of the spoken word, which creates a vocabulary rich culture. Pupils have guided and independent opportunities to listen, question, articulate, justify, describe, explain, and express through their spoken language. Pupils are expected to use Standard English, and inconsistencies are modelled back kindly. Pupils have opportunities for drama, presentations and role-play, within all subjects, to further develop their confidence and performance quality. Interventions target pupils with delayed spoken language skills; these are identified at the earliest possible opportunity, with appropriate support put in place. This included, but is not limited to; speech link, story clubs, speech bubbles intervention, colourful semantics.

Our non-negotiables in each class, for spoken language, include:

• Consistent modelling of  standard English, high level language and effective listening by all staff
• Rephrasing and paraphrasing sentences which are not grammatically correct and insisting on standard English when communicating with all children
• Talk partners to be used across the curriculum with effective speaking and listening celebrated
• Opportunities for paired and group work across the curriculum
• Problem solving activities  embedded into the curriculum, where children are leaders in their own learning
• High level language acknowledge, explored and celebrated
• Drama and role play used to enhance learning experiences
• Talk for Writing strategies are used to develop writing
• Daily reading where comprehension and vocabulary is discussed
• In depth analysis of a text through weekly focused reading in Guided Reading
• Weekly PSHE lessons where speaking and listening is the fundamental means of communication
• Child initiated activities (play and learn time)  in EYFS and Y1

Reading

As well as teaching pupils to decode through synthetic, systematic Phonics; we are equally committed to developing reading for information and pleasure.

Pupils in EYFS and Y1 follow the SFA shared reader sessions, which are aligned to the Phonics programme, to ensure that pupils have books matched to the GPCs that they have already learned. During these sessions, pupils read with growing accuracy and their comprehension skills are further developed.  This is for an additional 30 minutes, daily.

Pupils in Year 2 and beyond have access to daily 30-minute guided reading sessions. During the session, pupils develop their word reading and comprehension, as well as a love for English literature and language. Sessions typically run on a carousel with the following activities:

• Focused group read with CT
• Reading for pleasure
• Vocabulary development- book based
• Comprehension tasks- book based
• Additional word reading activities/ Phonics interventions

When adults are listening to readers, we encourage the following:

• Allow the child ownership of the book (have another copy if possible)
• Pre-teach any subject specific or tricky vocabulary, to allow for greater fluency
• Give specific praise
• Allow the child to make mistakes, with the opportunity to self-correct
• Ask the children ‘does it look right?, does it sound right?, does it make sense?’ to support self-correction
• Model high quality reading back to the child
• Ask meaningful questions to develop retrieval, prediction, inference, sequencing and  summarising skills
• Explore author’s vocabulary choices, with reference to impact on the reader
• Discuss text type and common features

Story time is non-negotiable and happens daily, in all classes. Teachers read carefully selected, high quality books, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry. This is a great opportunity to model reading with fluency and expression, as well as leading meaningful book talk. Each class has a text map, which is updated annually, to reflect pupil needs, interests and modern literature.

Pupils get additional time to read for enjoyment throughout the week. All classrooms have an inviting, comfortable book area, which further promotes a love of reading.  Pupils have access to the school library and external library visits are encouraged, to develop intrigue and fascination with text.

Pupils that do not have reading support at home read with an adult at school regularly. Reading interventions take place in every class, for pupils with poor decoding and comprehension skills. Interventions are used to target pupils falling into the poor word reading or comprehension quadrants of the simple view of reading tool. The interventions tried and tested at Hadlow Primary school are Lightning Squad (Phonics), Better Reading Stamina Programme (word reading strategies, understanding), Lexia (word reading and comprehension), Story club (comprehension, vocabulary development)

Reading underpins all aspects of the Primary Curriculum and it is therefore embedded into all curriculum areas. Book hooks are used to inspire learners in all subjects, and reading for information is a key component for research and understanding.

Writing

In EYFS and Y1, pupils follow the FFT Success for All Phonics scheme, which has daily opportunities for writing application. Pupils are supported with the writing process by spelling phonetically, building up their bank of high frequency spellings and developing their understanding of sentence components. These writing opportunities are then built into the continuous classroom provision in EYFS, with opportunities to explore writing further during play and learn time. In Year One, pupils have an additional English lesson, which is focused around composition, spelling, grammar and punctuation. These sessions are short to begin with and extend as the children build up their learning stamina.

“My favourite part of writing is all of it!” EYFS Pupil

 “I like to do stories!” EYFS Pupil 

“I love writing more than playing!” Year 1 Pupil 

In Year 2 and beyond, all children have a daily English lesson, which builds meaningful links between reading and writing. We expect a supportive journey towards a writing end-point, with relevant scaffolding, support and development throughout the week.

A typical sequence of lessons:

Monday: Writing hook/ engagement into writing

Tuesday: Skill specific learning- grammar, vocabulary or punctuation

Wednesday: Planning/ Drafting

Thursday: Writing at length

Friday: Finishing, editing and improving (beautiful work)

“Sometimes they leave feedback in my book and I use it. Mistakes are a part of learning- green pen is good!” Year 3 Pupil 

“I have been improved since last year. I now use more emotive language, metaphors and personification.” Year 5 Pupil

Throughout the writing journey, we expect adults in the classroom to teach explicit writing skills through: modelled writing, shared writing, guided writing and independent writing opportunities. Pupils with early writing skills, including those with SEN, may benefit from scaffolded writing support. This strategy helps pupils to break the sentence into single word units, isolating skills so that the writing process does not become overwhelming. This enables the pupil to focus on each word at a time, using their spelling strategies to write.

“It was hard but I am getting better and better and now it’s easier, I just keep trying. I sometimes recognise when I get the letters wrong and change them.” Year 2 Pupil 

Writing is a key element across all curriculum areas. Pupils are expected to communicate through written word in all subjects, with a focus on non-fiction forms within foundation subjects. Meaningful links are made between English and all other subjects, with explicit writing elements and expectations reinforced.  

“I am inspired to write!" Year 4 Pupil 

Additional daily lessons take place for handwriting and spelling (see policies below), with active GPS (Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling) games used for retrieval regularly throughout the week.  

“I love writing! I practice all the time to make it cursive… I get to spend lots of time writing.” Year 2 Pupil 

What is the impact of the English curriculum?

Data shows...

EYFS statutory assessment outcomes are above Kent and National average. 

Phonics outcomes in Year 1 are in line with pupils locally and nationally, and above for Year 2 retakes.

By the end of KS2, pupils achieve a combined score (R,W,M) above pupils locally and nationally. 

Reading results are fantastic; above those loacally and nationally. 

Pupils achieving greater depth in writing are above pupils nationally. 

GPS results (grammar, punctuation, spelling) are above pupils locally and nationally. 

Lessons show...

- English policy and progression embedded consistently across all classes. 

- Discreet teaching speaking and listenings, reading and writing skills, with meaningful links and application opportunities. 

- Creative and inspiring approaches to teaching English. 

- High quality texts enjoyed and celebrated. 

- A positive reading and writing culture. 

- Opportunities to read and write for practice, purpose and pleasure. 

- Adaptive teaching methods to ensure that all pupils make progress. 

- High expectations for all learners, in all aspects of the English curriculum. 

Books show...

- Growing presentational pride. 

- Progression in knowledge and skills. 

- A weekly journey of learning. 

- Acquisition of high quality language over time. 

- Scaffolds and prompts to support pupils with SEND. 

- Embedded use of Colourful Semantics for less able speakers and writers. 

- Creative opportunities for subject immersion. 

- Impactful support, follow up and/or feedback to move learning forward.