English

English at Great Milton C of E Primary School

Intent

At Great Milton C.E Primary School, we have designed our English curriculum with the intent that all children will become fluent, insightful readers and technically skilled, creative writers. Our children will engage with a range of genres and develop their understanding of fiction and non-fiction styles. Through immersion in high-quality texts, teachers identify and explicitly teach rich and varied vocabulary, providing them with the tools to become confident communicators, readers, and writers. By doing this, we will close the vocabulary gap for our most disadvantaged children. Furthermore, we aim to instil a love of reading and writing that we hope will stay with pupils for life. We understand that a good grasp of English is the foundation to learning and allows children to develop skills which they can apply across the curriculum. Our children will leave Great Milton C.E Primary having had the opportunity to master skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing that will prepare them for secondary education and beyond.

Implementation 

Reading underpins the whole curriculum at Great Milton C.E Primary (Please see separate statement for reading) and thus in English lessons we use carefully selected, vocabulary-rich texts as a vehicle for teaching reading and writing and for developing children’s skills in speaking and listening. Children follow clear, sequential episodes of learning based around an ambitious model text, that allow for the development of vocabulary and contextualised spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Teaching sequences often start with memorable experiences that act as a stimulus to inspire learners. Children are also engaged in a variety of reading activities, so that they fully understand the text and are able to ‘read as a writer’. They analyse the model text to understand the techniques the author has used and 

the subsequent effect on the reader. Pupils are given a really clear view of what high quality writing looks like. 

Throughout the writing process, the teacher models writing and undertakes shared and guided writing to develop the children’s knowledge and skills; we have a keen focus on sentence scaffolding which allows the children to use and develop a given structure. By providing children with a range of writing opportunities, they are given the chance to draw on their reading and to adapt their language and style for a range of contexts, purposes and audience. As children move through the writing process, they learn to plan, write and edit their work; all the while having meaningful discussions with their peers in order to ‘up-level’ their work. 

At Great Milton C.E Primary we understand that communication and language underpins all learning. Therefore we weave opportunities for speaking and listening into all areas of the curriculum. By taking part in paired and group activities, children have the opportunity to develop their verbal communication skills, as well as improving their listening skills.

Impact

The impact on our children is clear: progress, sustained learning and transferable skills. We aim that by the end of KS2 all of our children have made considerable progress from their starting points in EYFS. By the time learners are in upper Key Stage 2, all genres of writing are familiar to them and teaching can focus on creativity, writer’s craft, sustained writing and manipulation of grammar and punctuation skills. Our children also become more confident, fluent readers and they realise the importance of reading for pleasure along with reading for information and knowledge. Furthermore, children leave Great Milton C.E Primary as able communicators who can speak and listen for a range of purposes.

As all aspects of English are an integral part of the curriculum, cross curricular writing standards have also improved and skills taught in the English lesson are transferred into other subjects; this shows consolidation of skills, progression and a deeper understanding of how and when to use specific grammar, punctuation and grammar objectives.  We hope that as children move on from us to further their education and learning that their creativity, passion for English and high aspirations travel with them and continue to grow and develop as they do.

Reading at Great Milton C of E Primary School

Intent

Reading is essential to attainment and success across all subjects. We believe that  every child, regardless of their ability, background and opportunities outside of school, should become a reader. It is our intent to teach every pupil to read well, for meaning and for pleasure. We know that the ability to read is fundamental to pupils’ development as independent learners, during their time at school and beyond. We understand that reading successfully and with enjoyment is critical to children’s long term life chances. Reading is central to our ability to understand, interpret and communicate with each other and the world around us. Therefore, reading is given high priority at our school, enabling children to become enthusiastic, independent and reflective readers across a wide range and types of literature, including different text types and genres, books, posters, magazines, signs, comics and newspapers.

As a school we are committed to:  

Ensuring all pupils make progress in their reading skills including decoding, accuracy, fluency, understanding and response to texts. Ensuring children are aware of their own progress and development as a reader, by placing a degree of responsibility on themselves as individuals, to aspire to be the best reader they can be.  Ensuring children are able to read and enjoy a variety of different texts e.g. fiction, non-fiction, play scripts, poetry, reports and understand their purpose  Creating a positive reading culture where children enjoy reading, want to read regularly and discuss their reading.  Encouraging reading outside the classroom through forging strong links with home, through parental meetings, coaching sessions for parents, open house policy in regards to supporting reading at home, and regular reading in school with a variety of adults.  Developing the reading experience for our children through a wide variety of high quality texts including the use of class sets of books, well stocked bookshelves in classrooms, ICT and other available media.  Teaching children to apply the skills they learn in reading across the curriculum, through our well developed, enriched curriculum, utilising every possible opportunity to reinforce and practise the skill and pleasure of reading. 

Phonics Implementation

Our Literacy subject leader and SLT have spent time researching systematic, synthetic phonics programmes approved by the DFE to provide our children with an engaging, multi sensory approach to support their understanding, knowledge and application of phonics.  The scheme we follow is called Monster phonics and staff have received training on how to best deliver and support the children.  There are various supportive resources that we use including a range of decodable fiction books linked to the specific phonic monster characters.  Our families have also had the opportunity to sign up for the Monster phonics decodable ebooks, have some online training and share the children’s enthusiasm for the scheme.

The decodable reading books are currently being used in reception and year one for 1:1 reading and some guided reading sessions starting in term 2.

Reading Implementation

Reception

•  Children enjoy highly interactive daily phonics lessons
• The children will read on a 1:1 basis at least twice a week with an adult in school with a decodable “Monster Phonics” book
• Children enjoy spending time with their year 6 Buddies sharing a book and reading together
• Children have the opportunity to visit the book corner accessing a range of carefully selected books during continuous provision-nurturing reading for pleasure
• Children take it in turns to choose a picture book of their choice to be read in a whole class reading session
• Children enjoy taking specific phonic and word reading activities during continuous provision
• Children enjoy reading as part of their outdoor provision with access to non-fiction words, word hunts and letter trails.
• Picture books, stories and rhymes are the basis on which the experienced reception teachers plan learning and introduce concepts for the youngest learners in our school
• Our families are encouraged to share reading books, chosen by their child, as much as possible.  We provide each child with a reading diary where we write encouraging and positive comments which provides information sharing between home and school about the children’s progress.
• As the year progresses the teachers will plan some guided group reading , using the decodable monster phonics books. Teaching reading skills within a small group setting.
• Teachers will create an everyday reader list, increasing the opportunity for children who are reading below their age related expectation

Reading in Year One

•  Children enjoy highly interactive daily phonics lessons, increasing their phonic knowledge.
• The children will read on a 1:1 basis at least twice a week with an adult in school with a decodable “Monster Phonics” book for their individual level.
• Children have the opportunity to visit the book corner accessing a range of carefully selected books during continuous provision-nurturing reading for pleasure
• The teacher/adults will read a variety of whole class books to the children
• Children enjoy taking specific phonic and word reading activities during continuous provision
• Children enjoy reading as part of their outdoor provision with access to non-fiction words, word hunts and letter trails.
• Our year one teacher uses a range of books including non-fiction and poetry to plan literacy objectives round exposing the children to diverse and high quality texts.
• Our families are encouraged to share reading books, chosen by their child, as much as possible.  We provide each child with a reading diary where we write encouraging and positive comments which provides information sharing between home and school about the children’s progress.
• As the year progresses the teachers will plan some guided group reading , using the decodable monster phonics books. Teaching reading skills within a small group setting.
• Children will work on reading the common exception words (CEW) during planned monster phonic lessons and also through continuous provision both indoor and outdoors.
• Teachers will create an everyday reader list, increasing the opportunity for children who are reading below their age related expectation

Reading in Year Two

•  Children enjoy highly interactive daily phonics lessons, increasing their knowledge on alternative spellings.
• The children will read on a 1:1 basis at least twice a week with an adult in school.
• Children have the opportunity to visit the book corner accessing a range of carefully selected books-nurturing reading for pleasure
• The teacher/adults will read a variety of whole class books to the children
• Children enjoy taking specific phonic and word reading activities during early bird activities
• Children enjoy reading as part of their outdoor provision with access to non-fiction words, word hunts and letter trails.
• Our year two teacher uses a range of books including non-fiction and poetry to plan literacy objectives round exposing the children to diverse and high quality texts.
• Our families are encouraged to share reading books, chosen by their child, on a daily basis.  We provide each child with a reading diary where we write encouraging and positive comments which provides information sharing between home and school about the children’s progress.
• Year two children will take part in daily whole class reading sessions.  Books will be carefully selected  and the session used to teach reading skills using the “VIPERS” method.
• Children will work on reading the common exception words (CEW) during planned monster phonic lessons, early bird activities and individual spellings
• Teachers will complete the guided reading implementation document each term.
• Teachers will create an everyday reader list, increasing the opportunity for children who are reading below their age related expectation

Reading in Key Stage Two

Whole Class Guided Reading

Our whole class guided reading sessions are held daily and the majority of children will be reading the same text with differentiation of text type only used where necessary. This reflects the end of key stage assessments when all children will be expected to read the same text.

It is intended that whole class guided reading sessions give the children an opportunity to reinforce and extend reading objectives whilst reading a quality text chosen by the class teacher. This will be done by using the ‘VIPERS’ reading acronym to reinforce learning in the main areas that children need to understand to improve their comprehension of texts. These are Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explanation, Retrieval and Sequence or Summarise. This ensures that teachers ask, and children are familiar with this type of questioning.

The model for guided reading in KS2 is as follows:

Day 1 – Vocabulary. During this session children will be introduced to key vocabulary that they will learn in the text. Children will get the chance to research and use the words. 

Day 2 – Reading. As a whole class the extract or book is shared and read together. Teachers model expression and phrasing. Children have the opportunity to participate in choral and echo reading to give the children the opportunity to practise expression and phrasing. Children identify vocabulary from the previous day in the text. 

Day 3 – Follow up activity. Children are taught to answer a range of VIPERS question types.

Day 4 – Follow up or prediction activity. Children participate in a range of VIPERS reading activities.

Day 5 – Reading. Children read and enjoy the text for that day. Book and author talk is promoted and children read the text ‘for enjoyment’.

In KS2 the children, through guided reading and English lessons, will meet a wide range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry texts. Teaching will focus on developing a wide range of reading skills, e.g. generalising and making inferences by drawing on a wide range of evidence from the text. 

The text chosen will offer challenge to every child in the class. It will be of a high quality and will promote authors from different countries and backgrounds. Children can follow as the text is read to them through having a book individually or with a partner. The children will undertake tasks that will deepen their understanding of the text. Sometimes these work best before the reading of the text (eg raising prior knowledge, making predictions on the basis of title and illustration), sometimes during the reading of the text (eg giving advice to a character at a point of crisis, noting personal response to an ongoing dilemma) or sometimes after (reflecting on the whole text, mapping a character’s emotional response to the journey).

Engagement with Parents

We feel strongly that the children will become great readers if school and home work together in a supportive way.  Children will benefit from having strong reading role models both at home and school. We ask families to share a story, book or hear them read each day and write a comment in their reading record.

In Key Stage Two, as children grow and develop into readers we ask parents to read with their children at least three times a week and ask questions based around the VIPERS reading acronym. As children move up the school and start reading on their own, we ask children to record their own reading journey in their diaries and parents to sign once a week to agree with what the child has been reading. 

Library Visits

We have links with our local library in Wheatley and are planning some visits using the village bus to promote reading.  We also encourage and support the library's national reading challenge each summer.

School Lending Library

We have organised a lending library of books for our families to enjoy.  Families can take as many books as they like from the collection and keep them for as long as they like.  We have a range of books for everyone to access from baby books to adult literature.

Volunteer Readers

We welcome DBS cleared volunteers to read with our children.  We are very lucky to receive this report within our school community and are very grateful.  At times we target specific children across both key stages, for various reasons, to spend time reading with these wonderful adults.

Impact

We firmly believe that reading is the key to all learning. The impact of our reading curriculum goes beyond the result of statutory assessments. Children have the opportunity to enter the wide and varied magical world that reading opens up to them. As they develop their own interest in books, a deep love of literature across a range of genres, cultures and styles is enhanced. Through the teaching of systematic phonics and reading enquiry our aim is for children to become fluent and confident readers who can apply their knowledge and experience to a range of texts through the key stage two curriculum. As a year six reader transitioning into secondary school, we aspire that children are fluent, confident and able readers who can access a range of texts for pleasure and enjoyment as well as use their reading skills to unlock their learning in all areas of the curriculum. There will be no significant gaps in the progress between different groups of pupils. The percentage of pupils working at, and above, age related expectations will be in line with the national average and will match the ambitious targets of individual children. Through reading pupils are given a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually.