English has a pre-eminent place in education and in society. At Barnburgh Primary Academy, we will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others, and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them.

The overarching aim for English in the national curriculum is to promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written language, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Read easily, 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.
• Appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage.
• 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 arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

 

Spoken language

The national curriculum for English reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils’ development across the whole curriculum – cognitively, socially and linguistically. Spoken language underpins the development of reading and writing. The quality and variety of language that pupils hear and speak are vital for developing their vocabulary and grammar and their understanding for reading and writing. Teachers will therefore ensure the continual development of pupils’ confidence and competence in spoken language and listening skills. Pupils will develop a capacity to explain their understanding of books and other reading, and to prepare their ideas before they write. They will be assisted in making their thinking clear to themselves as well as to others, and teachers will ensure that pupils build secure foundations by using discussion to probe and remedy their misconceptions. Pupils will also be taught to understand and use the conventions for discussion and debate.

All pupils will be enabled to participate in and gain knowledge, skills and understanding associated with the artistic practice of drama. Pupils will be able to adopt, create and sustain a range of roles, responding appropriately to others in role. They will have opportunities to improvise, devise and script drama for one another and a range of audiences, as well as to rehearse, refine, share and respond thoughtfully to drama and theatre performances.

 

Writing

The programmes of study for writing at key stages 1 and 2 are constructed similarly to those for reading:

• Transcription (spelling and handwriting)
• Composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing)

We ensure that teaching develops pupils’ competence in these 2 dimensions. In addition, pupils will be taught how to plan, revise and evaluate their writing. These aspects of writing have been incorporated into the programmes of study for composition.

Writing down ideas fluently depends on effective transcription: that is, on spelling quickly and accurately through knowing the relationship between sounds and letters (phonics) and understanding the morphology (word structure) and orthography (spelling structure) of words. Effective composition involves articulating and communicating ideas, and then organising them coherently for the reader. This requires clarity, awareness of the audience, purpose and context, and an increasingly broad knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. Writing also depends on fluent, legible and, eventually, speedy handwriting.

 

Key Stage 1/Year 3 Structure

The children start with a Unit topper that is stuck into their book at the start of that unit of work. It will have targets ticked for that particular genre.  The children then complete a ‘hook in’ task linked to the book. This is done through the talk for writing model. Skills lessons are then taught. Each of these are in 3 parts:

Guided: The teacher introduces the children to a piece of text at the beginning of skills lessons. They identify the skill being taught, and the children write down the rules/examples of this. 

Applied: Children apply what they have learnt to complete an activity. Live marking takes place. The children are either supported by a teacher for Same Day Intervention or move onto the independent task. 

Independent: Children are expected to complete a piece of writing at length using the skill they have learnt accurately and independently. The teacher, along with the children, then plan a hot task together and produce a shared piece of writing. The children then create their own plan and piece of independent writing. The children edit their own work using the feedback given to them from the teacher.  

 

Year 4/5/6 Structure

The children start with a Unit topper that is stuck into their book at the start of that unit of work. It will have targets ticked for that particular genre.  The children then complete a features lesson that includes specific ones for that genre and SPaG examples. Skills lessons are then taught. Each of these are in 3 parts:

Guided: The teacher introduces the children to a piece of text at the beginning of skills lessons. They identify the skill being taught, and the children write down the rules/examples of this. 

Applied: Children apply what they have learnt to complete an activity. Live marking takes place. The children are either supported by a teacher for Same Day Intervention or move onto the independent task. 

Independent: Children are expected to complete a piece of writing at length using the skill they have learnt accurately and independently. The teacher, along with the children, then plan a hot task together and produce a shared piece of writing. The children then create their own plan and piece of independent writing. The children edit their own work using the feedback given to them from the teacher.  

 

Marking of independent writing

 When the children have produced a piece of independent writing, the teacher identifies three areas for development by underlining them in a pink pen. This could be letter formation, spelling, punctuation, grammar or choice of vocabulary. During think pink time, children work independently to edit their own work after they have identified how it needs to be edited. 

 

Spelling, Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation 

Opportunities for teachers to enhance pupils’ vocabulary arise naturally from their reading and writing. As vocabulary increases, teachers will show pupils how to understand the relationships between words, how to understand nuances in meaning, and how to develop their understanding of, and ability to use, figurative language. They will also teach pupils how to work out and clarify the meanings of unknown words and words with more than one meaning. 

Pupils will be taught to control their speaking and writing consciously and to use Standard English. Throughout the programmes of study, teachers will teach pupils the vocabulary they need to discuss their reading, writing and spoken language. It is important that pupils learn the correct grammatical terms in English and that these terms are integrated within teaching.

 

Spelling Shed

The Spelling Shed - powered by The Literacy Shed - is a spelling platform that makes spelling fun for children. Teachers set spelling lists each Friday for the children to practice on the internet or through a mobile game, earning points for each spelling correctly. The spelling lists are linked to the national curriculum for each particular year group. We started using this resource in September 2018 and have already seen huge improvements in spelling test results (E.G. 83% of year 6 children achieved 10/10 on their first spelling test). Children are motivated and love trying to get high up the Word Group Leaderboard and the top group (class) in the school.