ENGLISH

Teaching, using the Talk for Writing process, has been our main focus within English this year. We have really tried to encourage our children to become immersed in the model stories and texts they have learned, looking at vocabulary, grammar and punctuation to try to really understand the genre of writing they are studying. We have also been using our Words of the Week and to enhance our vocabulary focus. This has allowed children to engage in the rich language associated with the topics that they are studying across the curriculum. We have continued to raise the profile of reading this year with the children getting to read hard-copy books from school and use Reading Planet online to explore more genres at home. Each class has also been equipped with their very own library with some fantastic new stories have been added throughout the year.

Our writing themes this year have been linked to our enquiry topics, which has really helped to enhance the children’s engagement with their topics. In the Autumn Term Year One based their writing on Our Wonderful World, followed in the Spring Term by celebrating fairy tales and learning about stories that begin with ‘Once upon a time…’. Year 2s created some excellent pieces of written work on The Enchanted Garden and some non-fiction writing on Food! Year 3 explored our world this year when they created awesome writing about Africa and Ancient Egypt. Year 4 looked Into the Deep in the Autumn Term and followed this up by looking at Becoming a Warrior throughout their writing in the Spring Term. Year 5 also investigated the past and created some terrific non-chronological reports on famous people from the ancient world. Year 6 did something similar, except they focused on Unsolved Mysteries, incorporating some multi-media features with their writing. The writing our children have produced this year across the school has been of an exceptional standard and we are so proud of them for all their hard work!

Our KS1 and EYFS children, whilst also developing through continuous provision, have worked amazingly hard this year to develop their phonics, using Read Write Inc. This gives them the platform to help blend sounds together and helps develop their ability to read and write fluently. The children have worked really well to break down words using their newfound knowledge of different sounds.

On Thursday 3rd March we celebrated Books at the Oscars as part of our celebrations for World Book Week. We loved seeing the children come into school dressed as if they were invited to the Oscars. They walked down the red carpet when they entered school, with some paparazzi waiting for their entrance. Following this the children were given the opportunity to watch the film version of the book they had been learning about that week! Our Pre-School children came dressed up in their beach outfits to celebrate A Day at the Beach.

Our Book Week stories and books were: Pre-School: Snail and the Whale Reception: The Gruffalo Year 1: Aladdin Year 2: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Year 3: The Lorax Year 4: How to Train Your Dragon Year 5: The Lorax Year 6: The Borrowers

It has been a truly spectacular year for English here in Sherborne Qatar Prep School and we really look forward to even better writing being produced next year!

Christopher McSteen Head of English