How We Learn English

How we learn English at Earith Primary School Intent, Implementation and Impact Intent The following statements are mostly extracts from the National Curriculum English Programme of Study that staff at Earith Primary School are passionate for our young people to be able to achieve:   

To speak and write fluently so they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others.

To be able to listen effectively and read so that others can communicate with them.

To develop a children’s love of literature through widespread reading for pleasure.

We endeavour to achieve our intent through fulfilling the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum programme of study for English and by achieving the overall aims of the National Curriculum.

The overarching aim for English in the National Curriculum 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, both for pleasure and information.

Acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language.

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 will be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas.

Implementation How we plan English   

From Year R to Year 6, we use carefully selected, quality texts as a starting point for each English Unit.

Writing to inform, to persuade, to entertain and to discuss are our over-arching themes of writing.

Spelling is taught alongside each English unit, using the Spelling Shed scheme of work.

Reading, writing, spelling and speaking opportunities are carefully planned within English units. The school also seeks to develop these skills further by implementing the following: 

Phonics and early reading. Please read the school’s approach to this crucial area of English in the school’s Phonics and Early Reading document.

Wider Reading Implementation  

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Taught reading sessions take place across school which focus on the reading domains, skills from the National Curriculum and the Reading Framework (2021). Teachers use a range of whole texts and extracts to support reading instruction.

We have a well-stocked library which children are actively encouraged to visit and take books home to read. In line with our homework expectations, children are expected to read daily. A recommended reading list, is available for parents to support the reading process at home.

Children are rewarded for reading at home through celebrations in assembly and within the classroom.

Classes are invited to visit the school library to form their own class collection which stays in their class so they can easily locate the book they have chosen. Books related to subjects or themes are also included to support children’s access and engagement across the curriculum.

Daily story time is a key feature of our reading commitment.

Engagement in reading is raised through parental involvement and whole-school events such as World Book Day, Author Visits, peer reading links and dedicated reading events.

School-based strategies to support reading implementation        

Quality planning ensuring appropriate coverage and differentiation across mixed-age classes by teachers and monitoring these plans, providing feedback and advice.

Separating phonic decodable books by the sounds in order to target provision for school and home.

Focussed provision for individuals or small groups as appropriate (reviewed each term) to support progress in reading.

Reading increasingly longer and more complex texts in order to develop reading stamina.

Clear understanding of reading research and best practice in the teaching of reading – CPD from English Lead.

Professional Development delivered for staff.

Auditing provision in the school library to ensure diversity and genres.

In EYFS, word labels with accompanying images feature on many resources in order to build affinity with the written word.

Writing Implementation

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Children in EYFS have daily opportunities for mark making, developing their pre-writing skills as well as the importance of drawing and the crucial role this plays in emergent writing.

Children have daily opportunities to write and planned opportunities to write in a range of styles, for different audiences and for different purposes.

In English lessons, these are typically linked to the quality text that the children are reading in class.

Children have further opportunities to write across all foundation subjects.

Staff have high expectations on the standard children can achieve in writing, building their stamina for writing, encouraging them to reflect, review and edit their writing accordingly.

School-based strategies to support writing implementation    

Carefully selected texts are used to create engagement and therefore a catalyst for writing.

Writing is modelled by teachers and commentary is offered to model teachers’ thought processes.

WAGOLLS are used to expose children to appropriate written examples across genres.

Professional development delivered for staff. This includes CPD and support from the Trust CPD, English Lead and moderation.

Spelling Implementation   

The Spelling Shed programme is used across classes to plan and teach spelling in accordance with the National Curriculum.

In addition, teachers may use further resources to embed key spellings.

Homework focuses on spelling, using Spelling Shed.

School-based strategies to support spelling implementation     

Identification, monitoring and subsequent provision for those that need additional support in spellings.

Use of segmentation and blending (employing phonic knowledge).

Contextualisation: writing sentences containing the spelling.

Access to spelling prompts within the classroom.

The school uses the Virtual Learning Offer and its related software offer (Spelling Shed) as an engagement tool in providing the children with additional spelling opportunities outside of school.

Handwriting implementation 

In Year R (academic year 2020-2021), in response to current educational research supporting best practice, children will be taught to use the ‘print’ handwriting style with lead-out lines in order to start joining, when they are able.

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Developing children’s gross and fine motor skills is given high priority- especially in EYFS where there are multiple opportunities throughout the provision, both indoors and outdoors, through a multi-sensory approach, during the school day. This supports children’s ability to develop their handwriting and especially their letter formation where, again, there are daily opportunities to practise.

Within year 2, children will begin to learn some of the horizontal and diagonal strokes to join letters.

School-based strategies to support handwriting implementation   

Adults clearly model handwriting themselves to reinforce the standard.

Use of rewards based on handwriting and presentation of work to support.

Pens are awarded to children who demonstrate an ability to demonstrate the expected handwriting skills and similarly, may be revoked temporarily for children who cannot maintain consistency.

Oracy implementation  

Please see the school’s separate Progression in Oracy document. This details common approaches and opportunities across classes for pupils to develop their spoken ability.

Opportunities for children to interact, discuss, debate and reflect is a key, planned component of lessons to promote oracy across the school.

Impact At Earith Primary School, we measure the impact of our curriculum in several ways:    

Ongoing formative assessment. Teachers respond to the day-to-day emergent needs of pupils in whichever lesson they are teaching, providing support and feedback during the lesson. This will inform next steps for subsequent lessons in order to proactively respond to these gaps in learning.

Summative assessment using the school’s assessment cycle, Pupils are tested in reading, maths and GPS. Along with formative assessment, these test scores determine progress and achievement. This data, using QLAs (question level analysis) is then used to inform future planning.

Knowledge assessment – using the school’s knowledge assessment cycle, pupils take part in cyclical quizzes at multiple points throughout the year in order to prove an opportunity to recall knowledge over time. In line with educational research, this aids retention of key knowledge.

Pupil Progress Meetings. These are held shortly after assessment weeks – at least 3 times a year. Teachers meet with SLT in order to support and challenge, with a clear focus on the individual and their emergent needs and therefore, the necessary steps to move forward.

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Subject leadership. Subject leaders monitor progress and achievement in their subjects across the school as well as ensuring appropriate coverage of skills and knowledge.

Pupil Voice. SLT and subject leaders seek pupil voice in order to triangulate what is working well and what needs further development in their subject.

Lesson drop-ins and learning walks. These are used to support and challenge in their subject areas.

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The English Subject Leader uses this data as a vehicle to pursue any of the following therefore improve outcomes for our young reading and writers:          

To challenge and support generally.

Signpost additional resources.

Advise of current educational ‘best practice’ in line with current research.

Deploy CPD (internally and/or externally) Carry out lesson drop-ins.

Work scrutinises Monitor curriculum planning Conduct pupil interviews Monitor enrichment experiences/visitors and visits Monitor provision as described in Implementation section of this document

Most important – The impact on our pupils (with reference to our Intent)    

Children will be able to explain the elements of English they love the most. They will read and write for pleasure in their own time.

They will be able to communicate effectively with others through their spoken and written word.

Children will work with increasing independence, competence and confidence.

Children can apply the skills they have learnt in English across other curriculum areas.

There is a shared belief and understanding amongst staff at Earith Primary School that each of these approaches is conducted with one aim in mind: to improve outcomes for our young people. It is therefore an expectation that leaders at all levels will be able to articulate what they have identified or supported, what they did next, and what the impact was for our young people.