English
“I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.” – Roald Dahl
At Bishop Perrin School, the teaching and learning of English plays a vital role in brining our school vision to life. Through reading, we ensure children experience a range of characters, cultures, genres and authors, seeing themselves reflected in the stories they read and illustrations they see. Diversity is valued and celebrated through the selection of texts on offer for them to read. The key class texts they read teach them the pleasure of reading but also provide a context for life-learning, providing an opportunity for exploring complex issues in a safe space. Learning to read gives the children access to a much wider platform for learning and empowers them from an early age, supporting them to flourish in school and beyond. Children are taught to write for a range for a range of audiences and purposes, learning that writing is a valuable skill and a means for getting their voice heard and for expressing their opinions. Additionally, they have opportunities for public speaking, whether that is presenting a project to a class; acting in a school production or standing up for an issue that is important to them by participating in debate.
English Subject Progression Framework
READING
Key Text Framework
Through a rich and varied reading curriculum we intend to instil a love and enjoyment of reading, encouraging all children to choose to read for pleasure and in the pursuit of knowledge across the curriculum. All children have the opportunity to read and explore a wide range of high-quality books and poetry, with access to a diverse mix of authors and genres to help them to discover their interests and preferences in reading. Where necessary, we will provide early interventions to support those children who find reading difficult to ensure that reading does not become a barrier for accessing learning in other subjects.
WRITING
Writing Genre Framework
Through our writing curriculum we intend to inspire children to write, through a love of reading. We support children to confidently communicate their thoughts and ideas coherently and imaginatively, first through the spoken word, then through writing. We intend for them to appreciate the value in writing that is imaginative, creative and engaging whilst recognising the importance of technical accuracy. We seek to instil an enjoyment of writing by providing the children with access to a wide variety of text types and providing them with opportunities to write for a purpose that is meaningful to them. We seek creative ways to capture and inspire their imagination and show them how to structure their ideas coherently. We value the different stages of the writing process, spending time teaching each stage explicitly, and sharing and celebrating final published pieces.
SPELLING
Our spelling curriculum intends to support children in a language-rich exploration of the origins and meaning of words, equipping them with the skills and strategies they need to help them to be able to spell words accurately whilst understanding their meaning and context. We intend to engage the children in their learning of spelling through games and investigate word activities and encourage them to spell accurately in their writing.
HANDWRITING
Early Letter Formation – Reception Autumn 1
Early Letter Formation – Reception Autumn 2
How to Write Capital Letters
A progressively planned handwriting curriculum from Year R – 6 supports children in developing fine motor skills, correct pencil grip, early letter formation, evenly sized and correctly formed letters; progressing to joined, legible handwriting using a pen by the time they leave in Year 6. Children are encouraged to present all their work neatly and to the best of their ability.