English
English at Lindley Juniors combines reading, writing, spelling and grammar in a structured way that builds pupils’ confidence and enjoyment through quality texts and purposeful writing.Our English Curriculum
Encouraging creativity, imagination and self-expression through artistic exploration
At Lindley, we believe English is an essential part of learning: it is an integral part of all learning and the cornerstone of the whole curriculum. We want our pupils to become confident, independent writers who constantly seek to improve their work and draw on a wide range of sources for inspiration.
Subject Statement
Intent
What do we aim to do?- Provide a curriculum which is both engaging and exciting in order to inspire pupils’ writing and provide them with the necessary skills to become confident, independent writers who constantly seek to im-prove their work and draw on a wide range of sources for inspiration.
- Furnish pupils with the essential skills in grammar, punctuation and spelling so they can use them, effectively, within their writing and transfer the skills to all areas of the curriculum.
- Use high quality texts in comprehension lessons, Language through Literature and class story books: to develop pupils’ imagination and expand their vocabulary in order to inspire and improve their own writing.
- Support pupils to be able to express themselves, clearly and articulately, in verbal and written form so that, by the end of KS2, most pupils will achieve at the age-related expectations or above. All pupils will make good progress from their own starting points.
- Employ a rigorous writing process using challenging, high quality model texts; carefully structured discussion; planning which is modelled—both shared and independent; effective modelling by staff; writing for purpose using a range of approaches (independent, shared, peer-pair, supported), careful editing (modelled, shared, peer and independent) and proof-reading.
Implementation
How do we achieve our goals?Consistent & Systematic Approach
At Lindley, Junior School, daily English lessons, complemented by regular Basic Skills sessions, teach, practise and develop the different components of English—spelling, grammar, reading fluency, reading comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, writing oracy and presentation: lessons are planned, and taught, in three-week blocks. Each block focuses on writing in different genres for a range of pur-poses and audiences follows a systematic approach which allows pupils to develop these skills, and their knowledge, through discussion of quality texts and their understanding of register, degrees of formality, authorial intent and choices. The acquisition of new Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary is a consistent thread, throughout all lessons, and pupils use Writer’s Notebooks to ’magpie’ words and phrases. High quality modelling, by teachers, alongside Whole Class Feedback is a key aspect of the writing process before pupils embark on independent writing tasks.
High Quality Texts
Through the use of high quality texts, pupils are immersed in a vocabulary-rich learning environment ensuring the curriculum expectations and progression of skills are met. In Year 3, units are, primarily, planned around a range of quality story books, picture books and non-fiction texts. By the end of Year 3, and in Years 4-6, quality texts are taken from a range of sources, including some online subscriptions (e.g. Crammarsaurus) and from longer novels; they are carefully chosen to model effective writing—narrative, non-narrative and poetry - which is cohesive. They are also chosen to showcase different text and sentence constructs as well as varied language choices in order to inspire pupils’ learning and their own writing. This happens across the curriculum..
Vocabulary Development
Vocabulary is continually explored, questioned and modelled across all classes. In Lower Key Stage 2, pupils are, to begin with, guided in their collection of vocabulary from texts read. All year groups have Writer’s Notebook and they are encouraged to ’magpie’ vocabulary from shared texts in order to use it in their own writing Pupils are taught to identify Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary, to use dictionaries and thesauruses and to investigate vocabulary in a range of ways to help provide them with options; to promote discussion around suitability to context, and become another strand towards writing cohesively.
Effective Grammar Teaching
All year groups begin the year focusing on the ‘building blocks’ of grammar (basic sen-tence construction and punctuation) using the Place Value of Punctuation and Grammar (Grammarsaurus). Subsequent grammar skills and vocabulary are taught as an integral part of our three-weekly plans: to ensure pupils understand, can identify and can use the terminology within the context of writing. Prior year groups’ learning is revisited and re-vised, in order to embed knowledge. In Year 6, stand-alone lessons are taught, if required, to ensure pupils have a secure knowledge of all the KS2 SPaG requirements
Established Writing Processes
The teaching of writing is purposeful and ensures that each year group teaches the explicit grammar and punctuation objectives required for each age group. Pupils are taught effective composition skills through a range of strategies: use of high quality texts which expose pupils to model sentence structure and punctuation and contain aspirational vo-cabulary choices.; carefully structured discussion to develop pupils’ inference and knowledge of grammatical structures, authorial intent and Tier 2 vocabulary. Prior Knowledge Activation also help pupils build a more in-depth knowledge of purpose whilst also extending pupils’ vocabulary. Modelled planning, drafting, writing, editing and whole-class feedback by teachers helps to develop and embed pupils’ skills in these areas alongside planning and writing through a range of approaches, particular-ly shared, peer-pairs, supported and independent. All of these skills are further practised and enhanced during cross-curricular writing opportunities.: including the use of assistive technology
Writing for a Range of Purposes & Across the Curriculum
Pupils write for a range of purposes—to entertain, to describe, to inform, to persuade, to discuss, to explain. These purposes are revisited, across the key stage in order to strengthen their understanding of different text types and to enhance skills in grammar, sentence construction and punctuation. Opportunities for cross-curricular writing are also planned into the curriculum, particularly in history, geography, science and Language Through Literature.
Quality Proof-Reading and Editing
In Lower Key Stage 2, pupils are taught how to make simple edits and additions to their writing so that they can begin to do this more independently. In upper key stage 2, editing and proof-reading skills continue to be taught with the expectation that pupils become increasingly independent when doing so. Finished work is often presented in creative ways in order to appeal to the reader and to suit different writing outcomes.
Poetry
Pupils are exposed to a range of poetry forms and styles, every term., including kennings, performance poetry, free verse, classic poets and narrative poems. Pupils also write their own poems, taking inspiration from the ones they have read and discussed.
Spelling & Handwriting
are taught spelling using the Jane Considine approach. Initially, Year 3 work to consolidate the areas of KS1 spelling which require further teaching, particularly long vowels and commonly used affixes (-ing,-ed,-ly,-ful). Aspects of the Jane Considine approach are introduced (dotting and dashing, collecting examples from texts being read and displaying them around the room) to familiarise pupils with the programme. A small number of pupils follow bespoke spelling lessons which address their particular needs and spelling difficulties. Cursive handwriting is taught, and practised, in lower key stage 2. In upper KS2, it is reinforced through modelling and taught through small group intervention, if it is required.
Impact
How will we know we have achieved our aims?- Pupils’ independent writing is a reflection of their engagement and the skills they have acquired. By the end of KS2, pupils writing showcases their ideas, ever-growing vocabulary and grammati-cal knowledge alongside a keen awareness of their audience.
- Pupils have developed their writing skills, from their starting points, which will enable them to access the whole curriculum as well as transitioning to high school confidently.
- Pupils writing demonstrates imagination and the consistent use of ambitious vocabulary and figurative language. They take a pride in their work and seek to improve their choices and presentation.
- Pupils will be able to communicate confidently and articulately, in a range of situations, with adults and peers. These communication skills will also transfer to their written work. Statutory assessments results will have at least 90% of pupils meeting, or exceeding end of KS2 expectations.
- Writing will be high quality: it will be cohesive and demonstrate control of vocabulary, punctuation and grammar.
