English
English at Belmont Church of England Primary School is the cornerstone of the entire curriculum and is embedded within all our lessons. Through the use of high-quality texts, the provision of vocabulary rich learning environments and a commitment to ensuring that curriculum expectations and the progression of skills are met, our pupils will be exposed to a creative and continuous English curriculum which will not only enable them to become literate but will also develop a love of reading, creative writing and purposeful speaking and listening. Our vision is for creativity to drive our English curriculum and for pupils to learn new skills in a fun and engaging way.
We will strive to ensure that all of our pupils develop a love of reading, as we believe this to be not only the cornerstone of their education in school, but also a sound bedrock on which to build their lifelong learning. Here at Belmont all pupils will read to every day as we believe it is one of the best activities to stimulate language and cognitive skills and also builds motivation, curiosity, and memory. It has also been shown to reduce stress and promote mental well-being.
Teachers plan and teach personalised English lessons which focus on the particular needs of each child in each class. We recognise that each child has their own starting point upon entry to every year group and progress is measured in line with these starting points to ensure every child can celebrate success.
Curriculum Rationale
Reading
The teacher will read regularly to the class, modelling fluency. This helps pupils to develop positive associations with books and reading as well as helping pupils practise listening skills, exposing them to story and print knowledge as well as rare words and ideas not often found in day-to-day conversations or screen time. It allows the teacher to model behaviours of a fluent reader, i.e. the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and proper expression. However, we also believe that fluent readers should also be given the opportunity to listen to texts which broaden their experience, develop their understanding of new vocabulary and which the teacher can bring alive for them.
Guided reading:
This session will begin with a whole class text- this may either be the text the class are studying in English, the class novel, the class poem or a text linked to a curriculum area to give the pupils opportunity to focus on non-fiction. Pupils will be introduced to the idea of exploring the text through VIPERS. They will explore new vocabulary, draw their own inferences as to different shades of meaning, make predictions, explain events and characters in their own words, retrieve information and sequence events. Pupils will then work on a range of activities including:
- reading with a smaller group developing their fluency and comprehension skills using carefully differentiated texts.
- Independent reading activities
- Comprehension or VIPERS activity (to be recorded in journals),
- KS1 Phonics based activities
- Reading interventions (e.g. Lexia)
- In Reception all children read individually to a trained adult weekly.
- Pupils who experience difficulties with reading are quickly identified and supported by a range of interventions including individual reading with a trained adult, Precision Monitoring and Lexia.
With a structured timetable of learning tasks throughout the week, pupils are not only learning comprehension skills but also independence, a love of wider reading and exposure to rich vocabulary, which is absolute key in all sessions for all learners.
In addition to structured sessions pupils are given time to read for pleasure in attractive, comfortable and well-resourced areas. Reading areas include fiction, non-fiction, dictionaries, poetry (including class poems selected by the children) plus writing and drawing materials. Displays feature well known authors and their work, plus books selected and reviewed by pupils and the teacher. We aim to develop a strong partnership with parents. We hold reading workshops and encourage parents to read with their children and offer incentives such as our reading reward scheme. For individual and home reading we use a wide range of books which are colour banded. This includes both fiction and non-fiction. Resources are constantly being reviewed, to ensure provision is suitably challenging for all pupils.
Classes also regularly visit the local library to listen to stories and borrow books.
Reading is not only celebrated in classrooms at Belmont, around school you will find displays which celebrate authors, pupils’ favourite books and reading reward schemes. Our older pupils hold lunchtime book clubs, run library sessions and delight in being ‘Reading Buddies’ to our younger children. Whole school reading competitions and class challenges inspire the children to read at home as well as in school. In addition, throughout the school year the importance of reading is enhanced through a range of special events, including World Book Day, Bedtime Story Day, book fairs, author and poet visits, parent reading workshops and a range of trips and visits which enrich and complement pupils’ learning.
Phonics
In EYFS/KS1 a discrete phonics lesson is taught daily. The Letters and Sounds programme underpins planning for sessions based on interactive activities which develop pupils’ phonological skills, visual memory and capacity to utilise spelling patterns. Pupils needing extra support are taught in small groups to allow the T/TA to tailor planning to their specific needs.
Writing:
At Belmont C of E Primary we ensure that the teaching of writing is purposeful, robust and shows clear progression for all pupils. Writing is taught through the use of a quality text, which exposes the pupils to inference, high-level vocabulary, a range of punctuation and characterisation. Each text is purposefully selected in order to promote a love of reading, engagement and high quality writing from each child.
In line with the National Curriculum, we ensure that each year group is teaching the explicit grammar, punctuation and spelling objectives required for that age group. As well as teaching the objectives, teachers are able to embed the skills throughout the year in cross-curricular writing opportunities to ensure pupils are achieving the objectives at the expected level and that some pupils can achieve at a greater depth standard. We believe that all pupils are able to write to their full potential when they are encouraged to be resilient learners who hold themselves and their work in high esteem. We strive to achieve this by ensuring that:
- Pupils develop a ‘can do’ mind set, focusing on celebrating both individual and class success in writing. This includes thoughtful attention to display so that pupils feel their work is valued.
- Pupils have regular opportunities to share their views though pupil voice groups and our English ambassadors.
- Pupils are given ‘live’ feedback throughout writing sessions, which can be either verbal or written.
- Writing is modelled and interactive.
- Lessons are varied and include outdoor sessions based on our ‘Forest Schools’ ethos.
- Lessons include drama and lots of imaginative opportunities to inspire writing, including carefully chosen trips, drama, visiting author workshops.
- Self and peer assessment is carefully taught.
- Pupils have the opportunity to initiate and collaborate.
- Displays support, inform and celebrate pupils’ writing.
- Grammar and punctuation is taught in the context of the class text.
- A structured spelling programme ensures pupils learn and revise spelling patterns.
- Handwriting is taught systematically from Reception through KS2, including a presentation contract.
- Pupils experiencing difficulties will have access to a range of interventions to support their development so that they are able to access the curriculum.
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