English Curriculum Intent

Reading and Phonics

At Sacred Heart we intend that pupils will:

✓ become enthusiastic and motivated readers, enjoying reading in a range of contexts.
✓ develop confidence in reading a wide variety of genres and text types
✓ have the skills to decode words quickly in order to be able to read fluently with understanding of what they have read.
✓ acquire a wide vocabulary embedded and connected with their wider learning, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
✓ develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
✓ use reading to provoke discussion.

English Curriculum Implementation

Reading forms the core of our curriculum, including encouraging pupils to read for pleasure. All children read and are read to daily. The teaching of reading varies across Key Stages to ensure that pupils are immersed in literature at an age-appropriate level and to maximise engagement.

In EYFS and Year One, early reading is taught through the rapid teaching of phonics using the Read Write Inc. programme; delivered in discrete small group sessions.
Within daily phonic sessions, children have the opportunity to revisit previous sounds, learn new skills, practise and apply new skills. Intervention is planned for those who are struggling to keep up with the rapid teaching of phonics.
Pupils are given reading books which closely match the phase of phonics that they are currently working within.
In EYFS and Year One, we use a poetry basket to access quality poetry which is learnt by heart on a weekly basis. In addition, pupils are exposed to five quality texts which are shared repeatedly over a half term.
In Year Two, the pupils are grouped for guided reading sessions where teachers/teaching assistants work on focused reading skills modelling and embedding the decoding and blending taught in KS1. This is done through a mixture of whole class teaching and small grouped teaching.
In KS2, pupils experience reading through a combination of English lessons and additional whole-class comprehension sessions which focus on the teaching of specific skills.
Comprehension skills and reading at home is encouraged through our use of the Accelerated Reader programme. This accurately matches their ability level to book choice ensuring that children have a choice of challenging and enriching texts which they can access.
All children have daily opportunities to read a variety of material in school whether independently or as a class, including regularly with an adult.
The promotion and use of an accurate and rich cross-curricular vocabulary throughout school is planned in all subjects.

English Curriculum Impact

Pupils will:

show a love of reading by being able to talk enthusiastically about the books they have read.
be enthusiastic readers who enjoy showcasing their skills and developing knowledge.
have the skills to decode words in order to be able to read fluently with a secure understanding of what they have read.
enjoy reading in other subjects as well as discretely within the English lessons.
be confident to refer to, discuss and have opinions about what they have read.
use their reading skills as a key tool in helping them to learn, and as a result, know more, remember more and understand more.
have the fluency and comprehension skills required to tackle the KS3 curriculum.

Writing and SPaG

At Sacred Heart, it is our intention that when teaching the writing curriculum, we develop enjoyment,
opportunities, and creativity. We strive to help our children develop into articulate and imaginative
communicators, who are well-equipped with the basic skills they need to become life-long learners; English learning is key in this. We aim to ensure all our pupils can confidently communicate their knowledge, ideas and emotions through their writing. Careful links are made across the curriculum to ensure that children’s English learning is relevant and meaningful with opportunities to apply their skills in a variety of relevant contexts.
It is intended that pupils will:

✓ acquire a wide vocabulary embedded and connected with their wider learning, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language.
✓ quickly develop skills in order to be able to write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences appropriate to their age and in keeping with national curriculum expectation.
✓ be able to spell new words by effectively applying spelling patterns and rules they learn throughout their time at primary school.
✓ take ownership of their writing by editing and refining their work over-time.

English Curriculum Implementation

The English curriculum is delivered via discrete literacy lessons in years 1 to 6, linked with and embedded through carefully planned links with the wider curriculum.

In EYFS, writing is delivered through the daily phonics session and the classroom provision areas with opportunities for daily practice and adult led focused teaching. The development of oracy is encouraged using ‘helicopter stories’ and simple story planning is introduced. Story planning tools are used orally initially before rapidly moving into the written form. These are available all the time and enhance the provision areas. In Year One, the story writing methodologies are further developed using Talk for Writing techniques.
Writing is taught through a PICC approach to genres (Predict, Interrogate, Capture and Create). This enables learners to be imaginative and encounter a range of genres whilst progressing through Sacred Heart. They are often repeated to consolidate and extend learning previously taken place.
We use a wide variety of texts and resources to motivate and inspire the children, paying attention to the needs and interests of the children.
Each year group have a yearly overview of the writing genres, narrative, non-fiction and poetry, that they will teach. These have been planned to ensure coverage of the key genres as well as build on skills from year to year. Units will take between two and four weeks to complete, and the outcome of each unit will be an Extended Write which will be used to assess the pupil’s skills against the age-related expectations.
All writing units are taught by using WAGOLLs to ensure that pupils understand what success looks like in that particular genre.
In KS2, grammar and punctuation is taught through Grammar Hammer low stakes testing and the daily English lesson. Within a writing unit, stand alone grammar and punctuation lessons are used to develop, embed and consolidate understanding. From Year Two to Year Six, spellings are taught through RWI spelling programme and this is timetabled each week from Y2 - Y6.
We provide a wealth of enrichment including celebrating national events, running competitions and inviting authors/poets into school.

English Curriculum Impact

Pupils will

be enthusiastic writers who enjoy showcasing their skills and developing knowledge.
be able to discuss their ideas and edit their own work, understanding that this is a valuable part of the writing process.
enjoy writing in other subjects as well as discretely within the English lessons and be able to use their skills in the wider context.

English Book Overview

English Genre Overview