English

Intent

English is the foundation of all learning. It is vital, therefore, that we strive to ensure every child in our care develops the skills and confidence to excel in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Failure to achieve this limits children’s ability to fully participate in society, potentially disenfranchising them.

Our English curriculum is designed to meet, and ideally exceed, the following objectives by the time children leave Year 6:

Reading: Every child will read easily, fluently, and with comprehension. They will confidently tackle any book that interests them, reading regularly for both enjoyment and knowledge (see Reading Policy for further details).

Writing: Every child will possess a rich vocabulary and the ability to write accurately, using their knowledge of spelling, punctuation, and grammar to engage readers and convey ideas clearly. They will adapt their writing to suit different audiences and genres.

Speaking and Listening: Every child will use discussion as a tool for learning and express their ideas clearly. They will gain confidence in speaking and listening, including delivering formal presentations and engaging in debates.

These skills are nurtured through our English lessons and reinforced across all subjects.

Implementation

English is taught daily. Each session includes:

Handwriting

Grammar, spelling, and punctuation

Reading

Writing

In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Key Stage 1 (KS1), children focus on phonics to decode words. We use the Read Write Inc. (RWI) program for phonics instruction. As children progress through KS1, they complete the phonics program and transition to KS2-style English lessons when ready.

In Key Stage 2 (KS2), all teachers follow long- and medium-term curriculum planning from EssentialWriting, which informs their short-term planning. This allows teachers to tailor lessons to the needs of individual children, including those with special educational needs (SEN). Our curriculum is inclusive, featuring diverse texts and writing topics that reflect a wide range of cultural backgrounds and life experiences.

Inclusion and Support for Special Educational Needs (SEN)

All children, including those with SEN, are supported in participating fully in English sessions. For children still learning phonics in KS2, we ensure their participation in the main English lesson. This may include joining in handwriting and whole-class reading activities while engaging in phonics-based writing, grammar, and punctuation exercises separately (see SEND policy for more details).

Handwriting

In KS1, children learn letter formation as part of the RWI program. As they progress through KS1 and into KS2, they are taught to join letters using the Letterjoin resource. By the end of KS2, all children will be able to write legibly with joined handwriting that meets or exceeds the National Curriculum expectations.

Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation

In their phonics journey, children learn grammar, spelling, and punctuation as part of the RWI program. In KS2, grammar, spelling, and punctuation are taught in a holistic manner, allowing children to practice these skills in fun, interactive ways. Lessons are structured to build confidence and skill through regular reviews and a progressive development of new concepts. Children then apply these skills in written sessions to produce high-quality texts.

Reading

In KS1, reading is taught through RWI, while in KS2, students engage with high-quality texts from EssentialWriting. The reading curriculum is designed to be ambitious, exciting, and inclusive, incorporating culturally diverse and representative texts. For full details, please refer to our Reading Policy.

Writing

Children learn to write through RWI at KS1, through which they are supported to write words correctly using the phonemes they have been taught and gradually creating longer and more complicated written pieces as their phonics knowledge improves.

In KS2, each English lesson includes a writing session. All of these sessions use the Power of Reading text the children are currently reading as the springboard and inspiration for their writing. Written sessions include a range of approaches such as guided writes, group writes and ‘close’ writing (where the focus shifts to the careful creation of individual sentences, rather than a longer piece of work). On a Friday, children are asked to do an extended write that brings together all their learning from the week into one longer piece. This extended write can be a story, a poem or a piece of non-fiction.

Impact

We regularly assess the impact of our English curriculum, making improvements wherever necessary. This is done using a variety of methods, including:

Monitoring of Teaching: The English Leader conducts half-termly monitoring, which may include lesson visits, work scrutinies, pupil interviews, and learning walks. Feedback from these activities informs curriculum updates and supports teacher development.

Assessment: Throughout their phonics journey, children are assessed half-termly using RWI assessments, guiding group placements and transitions. KS2 students still learning phonics are assessed more frequently to ensure timely progress.

Formative assessments are used throughout EYFS to Year 6 to identify and address learning gaps, recorded via Target Tracker.

Termly assessments include PIRA (Progression in Reading Attainment) tests and Rising Stars EGPS (GAPS) tests. PIRA assessments are given only to children who have finished phonics, ensuring they are not tested on unfamiliar content. Gap analysis tools are used to determine next steps after these assessments.

Statutory summative assessments (SATs) are used for reading and Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2.

Outcomes from standardised tests are carefully compared with formative teacher assessments. Termly pupil progress meetings with the Executive Head Teacher (EHT) and English Subject Leader ensure that each child’s needs are addressed.

Our English curriculum is designed to foster confident, skilled readers, writers, speakers, and listeners. By instilling a love for learning, promoting inclusivity, and constantly refining our approach, we aim to equip every child with the skills to succeed in their academic journey and beyond, empowering them to take an active role in society.

Our English lead is Scott Greenway. If you would like further information about English at the BAWB Federation, please contact him on s.greenway@b-a-wb.co.uk