English is the cornerstone on which all aspects of education are built. Each child is taught English daily, covering the skills of word reading, comprehension, transcription and composition. In addition, we adopt a cross-curricular approach to our work, which means that literacy can be developed in as wide a range of contexts as possible.

Speaking and listening

Children are encouraged by example to demonstrate their understanding and thinking through clear and confident speech. Theatre groups, authors and other speakers visit the school regularly, not only to develop children’s listening skills but also to motivate and inspire children when they are performing publicly.

Reading and understanding

Our aim is to foster a love of reading for pleasure, for meaning and for practical daily purposes. Through lively experience and stimulation with the class involving a variety of topics, children’s reading and understanding is developed. Collins Big Cat is the main reading scheme used, together with other supplementary books to give breadth and consolidation. Children and parents are encouraged to share books at home each day and complete a reading diary in order to continue this enjoyment of books and increase reading experience. An annual meeting takes place during the autumn term when the Reception teacher explains the reading process in school and gives guidance on how parents can support the school’s approach to reading. A further parent workshop is held to give insight into how comprehension skills are developed throughout KS2.

Writing

Is developed through first-hand experiences as often as possible, with a high quality text as a key driver. Presentation is given much thought and children are taught cursive script when they first start school. They are helped to develop a love of the written word and are encouraged to share their work, both factual and creative, by publishing it or reading it aloud to others, both in a class setting and in front of the whole school.

Phonics

A programme of synthetic phonics is taught throughout the school, following the Letters and Sounds guidance. Children learn the letter sounds through a multi-sensory process that is very effective and fun.

National Curriculum Overviews

We provide a stimulating curriculum with a strong emphasis on knowledge of numbers, and set high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Children take part in regular oral work, particularly mental calculation. They are also given opportunities to apply their knowledge and choose appropriate mathematics to investigate and solve problems. Our scheme of mathematics work is supported by a range of material to ensure that children cover all the required areas of the curriculum. Workshops and ‘teach-ins’ are held throughout the year to give guidance on how parents can support their children’s learning in mathematics.