English

English - Intent, Implementation & Impact Statement

“Let us remember: one book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.”

Malala Yousafzei

Intent
At Orchard Primary School, we offer pupils a text rich learning environment which promotes high standards of language and literacy.

Through our English curriculum, we help pupils develop the skills and knowledge that will enable them to communicate effectively and creatively through spoken and written language and equip them with the skills they need to become lifelong learners.

We place children’s love of reading and writing at the heart of our teaching and learning. It is our aim to do this by immersing children in an engaging and well-planned curriculum that meets the needs of each individual in our community, responsive to the different speeds at which children learn and sensitive to the challenges that all children face on their learning journey.

We support pupils to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment, as well as through our rich text approach to writing (Talk for Writing).

It is our intent that our curriculum for English ensures that all pupils:

• read 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
• 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 art of speaking and listening in order to make formal presentations, use discussion to communicate and further their learning in all areas of the curriculum, demonstrate to others and participate in debate

Policy
Please follow the link below to view our English Policy.
 https://www.orchardprimary.org/policy/literacy-policy

Long-Term Planning
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.

Our carefully sequenced, broad and balanced curriculum, underpinned by inclusive practice, aims to provide our children with the opportunity to build on their experiences in order to achieve their goals. Please follow the links below to view the Long-Term Plans in English for each phase.
 English EYFS Long Term Plan (LTP).pdf
 English KS1 Long Term Plan (LTP).pdf
 English LKS2 Long Term Plan (LTP).pdf
 English UKS2 Long Term Plan (LTP).pdf
 English Progression Map.pdf 
 English Characteristics Grid (Reader).pdf
 English Characteristics Grid (Writer).pdf
 English Talk for Writing Progression Grid.pdf
 English Progression in Writing Genres.pdf

Implementation
We believe that choosing the right context and starting point to engage our children in their learning is vital in fostering a love for reading and writing.

Our English curriculum is implemented through the use of rich texts and engaging pupils with a cross-curricular/thematic approach. Texts are chosen to link with the Learning Adventures pupils are learning about and these are used as a springboard to inspire pupils to read and write.

Our English curriculum aims to provide many purposeful opportunities for reading, writing and discussion. We want all of our pupils to be proficient readers, writers, spellers and speakers, who can transfer their English skills to other curriculum subjects and who are prepared for the next steps in their education.

Our English lessons develop pupils’ spoken language, reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary, teaching them how to write within specific genres and which structural and language features to include to be successful. 

Model texts are used to start this process to enable pupils to use other similar writing as models for their own. 

Lessons also focus on teaching specific spelling, grammar and punctuation skills to enable our pupils to apply the skills they have been taught to their extended writing and writing across the curriculum.

We teach our pupils to speak clearly, to convey their ideas fluently and confidently and to ask questions.

Teachers use a wide variety of resources as appropriate to their classes, but also ensure that cross curricular links with concurrent Learning Adventure work are woven into the programme of study.

Phonics
In addition to daily English lessons, our pupils develop their early reading skills through the use of the Jolly Phonics daily phonics programme in Reception and Year 1, and Spelling Shed in Year 2. 

For more information, please click on the link:
  https://www.orchardprimary.org/phonics-and-reading

Reading
Reading is at the heart of our school curriculum. We inspire an appreciation of our rich and varied literary heritage and a habit of reading widely and often as we believe that being a confident reader unlocks the curriculum for our learners and therefore strongly influences academic success both at primary school and beyond.

A wide range of high-quality books (stories, poems, rhymes and non-fiction) are read to, and shared with, children daily across the curriculum to develop pupils’ vocabulary, language comprehension and a love of reading. 

We teach reading explicitly and implicitly as part of our daily English lessons. This includes Whole Class Reading sessions, daily phonics lessons, fluency sessions, interventions and 1:1 reading with teachers, support staff and volunteers.

Our pupils are also taught the skills of reading and are immersed in literature through the foundation curriculum.

Please read more about our reading strategy by following the link below: 
 Reading Strategy.pdf

Writing
We nurture a culture where children take pride in their writing, can write clearly, imaginatively and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of contexts.

At Orchard, we use the ‘Talk for Writing’ approach across the school, which enables children to read and write independently for a variety of audiences and purposes within different subjects.

A key feature of Talk for Writing is that children internalise the language structures needed to write through ‘talking the text’, as well as close reading. The approach moves from dependence towards independence, with the teacher using shared and guided teaching to develop the ability in children to write creatively across a range of fiction and non-fiction writing.

As part of the process, children create story maps to use for an oral retelling of the story and move from imitating the original text, to innovating by practising key skills before moving to independent writing at the end of each unit, which is known as the ‘hot write’.

Grammar is taught both in context as well as discretely, and pupils have the opportunity to practice and consolidate skills through discrete games and collaborative activities and explicit sentence level work prior to applying skills in the context of the final written outcome.

Spelling is taught discretely and is then practised and driven through the modelling and teaching of writing and linked where appropriate, to class texts and the wider curriculum.

All children are taught to write in a legible printed style of writing on entering school. This develops into joined handwriting in Y1, with teaching delivered through the Pen Pals handwriting scheme.

To view our full Writing Strategy, please click on the following documents:
 Writing Strategy.pdf
 Handwriting Overview.pdf
 Spelling Overview.pdf

Speaking and Listening
By the time our pupils leave Orchard, we aim for our children to be confident, fluent speakers who are able to use a wide range of adventurous and ambitious vocabulary in the correct context. 

We aim for our pupils to give well-structured descriptions, explanations, presentations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings. 

Our pupils will make reference back to their original thoughts when their opinions have changed and give reasons for their change of focus.

They will maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments with confidence. 

They will be able to consider and evaluate different viewpoints, adding their own interpretations and building on the contributions of others.

We aim for our pupils to become good listeners who can follow instructions and ask and answer sensible questions in all lessons.
 

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