English 

English Curriculum Rationale

English Long Term Plans

At our school, we believe that English is at the heart of learning. Through reading, writing, phonics and oracy, we aim to develop confident communicators who can express their ideas clearly and engage with the world around them.

Our English curriculum reflects our school values of compassion, honesty, respect, confidence, curiosity and resilience. We want children to become independent, creative learners who enjoy reading, writing and speaking, and who feel confident sharing their thoughts and ideas.

Our Aims

By the end of primary school, we want our pupils to:

• Be confident readers who enjoy books and can access learning across the curriculum.

• Develop a love of reading through exposure to a wide range of high-quality texts, authors and genres.

• Use phonics effectively to support early reading and spelling.

• Become fluent writers who can communicate clearly, use ambitious vocabulary and take pride in their work.

• Be confident speakers, able to express their ideas, opinions and creativity through discussion, performance and presentation.

• Understand and use key vocabulary and grammar to support learning across all subjects.

How We Teach English

We provide a carefully planned progression of skills in reading, phonics, writing and spoken language from the Early Years through to Year 6.

Our approach includes:

• Systematic phonics teaching to support early reading and spelling.

• Whole-class guided reading using a wide range of high-quality and culturally diverse texts.

• Talk for Writing, where children explore and rehearse ideas orally before developing their own writing.

• Opportunities for discussion and oracy, including debates, book reviews, poetry performances and assemblies.

• A focus on vocabulary development, grammar and handwriting to support clear and effective communication.

• Regular reading for pleasure, including library time and shared class texts.

The Impact

Through our English curriculum, children develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to:

• Read fluently and with understanding.

• Enjoy and value books and literature.

• Write clearly and creatively for different purposes.

• Speak confidently and express their ideas effectively.

• Build the vocabulary and knowledge they need to succeed across the curriculum and beyond school.