English - Reading and Writing
Our Curriculum Intent for Reading
At Fleet Infant School it our intent to ensure that every child is a competent reader by the end of KS1 and have developed a lifelong love of reading. We want children to be fluent and confident readers. In order to do this, children are encouraged to read a wide variety of genres during their time in Key Stage 1.
Implementation
Reading is at the heart of our curriculum at Fleet Infant School. Phonics plays an important role in the development of early reading, please take time to read the Phonics curriculum page for further information.
Children also take part in guided reading lessons where they are exposed to a range of different high quality texts, and can demonstrate their knowledge and understanding through comprehension, inference, themes and conventions, language for effect and word reading.
At Fleet Infants we have a fantastic library with a wide variety of fiction and non fiction books. We also subscribe to the Hampshire School Library Service where we can request books linked to each classes topics and interests. Each class has a small library in their book corner which is a warm an inviting space for the children to come and choose to read with their friends. These books are rotated termly and key texts are chosen so children are exposed to different books.
Teachers also have a set ‘Story Time’ everyday where they read a book to their class to encourage a love for reading. We use reading buddies across the school where children get to share books and read their work aloud to children in other year groups. Annually, we support World Book Day and have regular reading event across the year including, reading mornings with parents and reading week. All of these help provide a rich reading environment for our children. Children will be taught to use a variety of reading skills from early synthetic phonics to decoding and skimming to enable them to access all other areas of learning. As children’s reading develops at different rates, teaching is tailored to each child and their ability. Children read daily in the classroom either though group reading, individual reading or shared reading. Children are encouraged to read a range of books in school and at home and communication between staff and parents is encouraged.
Reading Book Worms
To support and encourage reading at home we use Bookworm Rainbow Readers scheme. If you would like the next colour Bookworm for your child, please click on the PDF below
Impact
By the time the children leave Fleet Infant School they will be both independent and reflective readers who can read fluently and for meaning. They will be able to discuss and recommend books their have read with their friends, in a variety of genres and have a love for reading that they take with them throughout thir life.
English is monitored by the subject leader throughout all year groups using a variety of strategies such as, lesson observations, planning scrutiny, book looks, staff discussions and pupil conferencing. Feedback is given to teachers and leaders use the information to see if the children know more and remember more.
Pupil Voice
'I enjoy story time with the teacher. She reads different books and makes them really fun with voices.' EYFS child
'I like reading to my reading buddy. They help me to use my phonics.' KS1 child.
'I enjoy reading at home and completing my reading worm.' KS1 child
Our opportunities for reading to, by and with children at Fleet Infant School.
Our Curriculum Intent for Handwriting
Our intent is for children at Fleet Infant School to develop a clear, fluent handwriting script that they are proud of. We teach children at Fleet Infant School handwriting from the beginning of their time here so that they become confident, fluent writers and spellers. We believe that good presentation skills are important as we want children to value their own work and for others to do the same.
Implementation
We follow the Nelson Handwriting Scheme from Year R through to Year 2. This scheme teaches children how to form letters, where to start and where to end, about letter families and using clear acsenders and desenders. At the end of Year 1 and into Year 2 they begin to learn joins. This scheme allows for a consistent approach and progression of handwriting skills across the school. By introducing and teaching handwriting from Early Years, our aim is then for children to be able to focus upon the content of their writing by Year 2 rather than on the mechanics of handwriting.
Our Curriculum Intent for Writing
At Fleet Infant School, we teach our children to become confident, capable and enthusiastic writers who will develop a genuine love for writing. It is our intent that every child will learn to become a competent writer by being given exciting, inspiring and original materials and opportunities to support and challenge them. We will share excellent writing to inspire children to emulate styles across the curriculum. We encourage children to read their work for enjoyment, to read it aloud to others and provide audiences for writing. All children will leave Fleet Infant School with an understanding that writing has a real purpose and that word choice and style can bring about change.
Implementation
Children participate in high-quality English lessons that encompass a range of skills from the national curriculum. Daily phonics sessions are taught in EYFS and KS1 where we look at segmenting and chunking words to support spelling. Children are exposed to a range of different high quality texts. Teachers plan using recommended texts from HIAS and ensuring they are covering the curriculum. Teachers take time to plan enchanting hooks that will capture the children's interest and excitement. The writing outcome usually has a rel purpose that engages children and allows them to share their writing. Children are given opportunities to write for a range of purposes, audiences and forms.
Teachers use a variety of teaching methods to ensure that lessons are engaging and impactful for all. We follow an adaptive curriculum to allow all learners to access at theri level so they feel a sense of inclusion and the same sense of achievement.
Inclusion
When planning lessons, we consider learners with SEND. Teachers consider the barriers of the individual children and the key learning of each lesson; identifying the specific new learning. All children are motivated to write by the same rich texts through a small steps curriculum to ensure cohesion from their starting points. Teachers consider how to:
Present new information in way that all learners can access.
Break down writing into simpler parts for pupils to learn and practise.
Focus learner’s attention on the new content
Use visuals to support the access of all learners
Pre teach and overlearn new vocabulary.
If appropriate, we plan for an additional adult in the lesson and share their responsibilities with them in advance.
Impact
By the time the children leave Fleet Infant School they are competent writers who are able to write clearly and effectively for different purposes and audiences. Children will have developed a love of writing that they can take through their life. Through the teaching of English, we are equipping children with key life skills enabling them to communicate effectively in a range of written forms across all subjects. Our English curriculum provides children with all the necessary tools they will need in further education and to participate fully as a member of society.
English is monitored by the subject leader throughout all year groups using a variety of strategies such as, lesson observations, planning scrutiny, book looks, staff discussions and pupil interviews. Feedback is given to teachers and leaders use the information to see if the children know more and remember more. Outcomes of work in both literacy and topic books evidence the high quality of work and the impact of varied and cross-curricular writing opportunities. These enable children to write across a range of forms and adapt their writing successfully, considering the purpose.
Pupil Voice
'I enjoy writing stories. I use my phonics to help me.' EYFS child
'I liked writing my Titanic poster to share at the exhibition. I was proud.' KS1 child.
'I really enjoyed learning about dinosaurs and writing my booklet. I enjoyed sharing my learning with my family.' KS1 child
'Thank you for organising the Dinosaur Exhibition. It is wonderful to be invited in and share the children's learning with them.' KS1 parent
Our learning in action!
Hook for writing - The Great Fire of London in Year 2. The Rainbow Theatre came to our school and used drama to inspire writing of diaries, poems and stories about the Great Fire of London.
Hook for writing - Fairy Tales in Year 1. A Fairy Tale Story Telling Workshop where we used drama to inspire writing.
Pirate Day - we then wrote letters home to our adults as pirates at sea!
Our Titanic Exhibition where we shared our Information Pages.
KS1 Curriculum Evening
Thank you to those of you who attended our English Curriculum Evening for parents. For those of you who were unable to attend, please see below for copies of the presentation, slides from workshops and the handouts.
Please click here to go to the Department for Education website to see the English programme of study for KS1.
Please see the year group pages for information about what aspects of the English curriculum are currently being taught in your child's class.