English

 

At Studlands Rise we want children to be able to speak and write fluently in order to convey their ideas and emotions with others. We want them to develop a love of the written word.  Pupils will be encouraged and supported to read a wide range of texts to develop their own ideas. Through their reading experiences they will develop their skills as a writer, expressing themselves confidently for a range of genres and audiences.

 

Intent  

At Studlands Rise First School we believe that a quality Literacy curriculum should develop children’s love of reading, writing and discussion. One of our priorities is helping children read and develop their all-important comprehension skills. We recognise the importance of nurturing a culture where children take pride in their writing, can write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of contexts. We want to inspire children to be confident in the art of speaking and listening and who can use discussion to communicate and further their learning. We believe that children need to develop a secure knowledge-base in Literacy, which follows a clear pathway of progression as they advance through the primary curriculum. We believe that a secure basis in literacy skills is crucial to a high quality education and will give our children the tools they need to participate fully as a member of society.

 

Implementation 

We have a rigorous and well organised Literacy curriculum that provides many purposeful opportunities for reading, writing and discussion. We use a wide variety of quality texts and resources to motivate and inspire our children. Teachers also ensure that cross curricular links with concurrent topic work are woven into the programme of study.

 

The national curriculum for Literacy aims to ensure that all pupils:

● read easily, fluently and with good understanding

● develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information

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

● appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage

● 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 should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas

● are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

 

Early reading (Phonics) is supported through the Little Wandle scheme. All children follow a consistent approach delivered by experienced teachers and specialist teaching assistants. We teach children to read fluently, clearly and with expression to ensure they have a solid understanding.

Our children begin their reading journey in Nursery through the teaching of Phase 1 phonic skills.  As children move into Reception they are taught phase 2 and 3, before continuing their learning in Year 1 with phases 4 and 5.

Every child from Reception to Year 2, and those children in Key Stage Two who require them, are given a phonetically decoable reading book levelled using the Little Wandle assessments, alongside a book to share. Once children are fluent readers and throughout Key Stage 2, children are given an appropriate book from the colour band matched to their reading ability.

More information about the Little Wandle scheme can be found here: https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/

 

When planning Literacy lessons, teachers make links to other areas of the curriculum to ensure that cross curricular links provide further context for learning. Teaching blocks focus on fiction, non-fiction or poetry, in line with the 2014 National Curriculum, and comprehension, grammar and writing are embedded in lessons. Lessons sequences themselves build progressively towards an extended piece of writing. Handwriting is also taught within Literacy lessons, and outcomes in KS2 are recorded in Literacy books to promote a high level of pride and presentation across all written outcomes.

 

At Studlands Rise First School we use Herts for Learning exemplified planning units as the backbone of our Literacy curriculum. These units are based on quality texts that are inclusive for all, which are mapped out in our key text list. Our lessons include reading, learning grammar, spelling and punctuation skills (as set out in the National Curriculum) and applying these in independent writing. Teachers adapt the units to suit the needs of the children in their class and year group. Children are encouraged to edit and proofread their writing. We place a strong emphasis on speaking and listening skills such as oral rehearsal, vocabulary development and drama. Children think about the audience and purpose for their writing and consider its effectiveness and impact on the reader. Children have frequent opportunities to work in pairs to discuss, plan and uplevel their writing. Teachers plan writing opportunities in subjects across the curriculum and we have the same high expectations of accurate spelling and punctuation for these lessons as we do in Literacy lessons. Teachers meet regularly in year group teams, with support of the Writing Leads, to assess the effectiveness of their teaching and to plan next steps to move on children's learning.

 

 

Assessment for Learning is embedded in Literacy lessons and children are active in reviewing the successes in their work and identifying, with support from their teacher, target areas for development to ensure a continuous and individualised approach to improving their work.

 

Click here to download our writing progression of skills

 

Click here to download our poetry progression of skills

 

At Studlands Rise, we are Readers

 

We have:

Excellent phonic knowledge and skills.

Fluency and accuracy in reading across a wide range of contexts throughout the curriculum.

Knowledge of an extensive and rich vocabulary.

An excellent comprehension of texts.

The motivation to read for both study and for pleasure.

Extensive knowledge through having read a rich and varied range of texts.

 

At Studlands Rise, we are Writers

 

We have:

The ability to write fluently and with interesting detail on a number of topics throughout the curriculum.

A vivid imagination which makes readers engage with and enjoy their writing.

A highly developed vocabulary and an excellent knowledge of writing techniques to extend details or description.

Well-organised and structured writing, which includes a variety of sentence structures.

Excellent transcription skills that ensure their writing is well presented and punctuated, spelled correctly and neat.

A love of writing and an appreciation of its educational, cultural and entertainment values.
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