English
Intent
To develop a curriculum which
- Encourages children to speak clearly and listen actively.
- Builds a love of English literature and language.
- Provides sequence of the progression of Knowledge and skills to enable children to build on prior learning.
- Encourages a rich vocabulary.
Allows children to be creative in their writing.
Implementation
- Drama is used regularly to develop speaking and listening skills.
- Listening skills are highly valued and the children learn to listen to each other and respect the views of others.
- The teaching sequence for writing is followed where children work through different stages to build up to a piece of writing.
- The stages move from immersion to skills to writing and evaluation.
- Children are encouraged to orally rehearse sentences before writing them.
- Handwriting is taught regularly using the rhymes from the Little Wandle scheme.
- High quality modelling takes place in all writing lessons.
- Children use word/ GPC/ topic mats to scaffold their writing.
- They refer to ‘Grow the Code’ posters when spelling new words.
- Tricky words from the phonics plans are sent home to practise with parents.
- Formative assessment is used constantly to address misconceptions and to challenge children appropriately.
- Writing is marked against the WALT and WILF displayed at the top of a piece of work.
- A smiley face is used for a strength and an arrow for next steps.
All efforts are praised and effort is rewarded.
Impact
- Speaking and listening skills across school are excellent.
- Children use phonics and key word knowledge to write words correctly.
- All children develop a love of writing and use their skills for a range of purposes.
Most importantly..
All children develop a love of writing and use their skills for a range of purposes.
Writing involves transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech, before writing them down.) Pupils need sufficient capacity in their working memory to plan, compose and review effectively. This requires transcription skills to be secure. As a result, fluent transcription skills should be a critical focus for the early years and key stage 1. By the beginning of Year 1, ‘not all pupils will have the spelling and handwriting skills they need to write down everything that they can compose out loud’. The national curriculum suggests using dictated sentences in Year 1 to apply and practise spelling.
Ofsted, July 2022