English is a key driver for our topics and is taught across the curriculum. It is a broad subject which encompasses speaking, reading, and writing.

Writing

The study of language and literature develops children’s ability to communicate effectively and proficiently both orally and in written form. Lessons are sequenced to embed, extend and develop pupils previously taught knowledge and skills. Opportunities are provided for children to apply their writing skills across the curriculum in different subjects which ensures that their writing always has a clear purpose.

Our writing at King Edward Primary School is based on the Jane Considine approach. The Write Stuff approach builds pupils’ confidence with sentence structure, widens the repertoire of writing options for pupils, pupils gain and understanding of the ‘whole’ piece that they are writing and the organisation of their ideas and cohesion between them is strengthened. For specific units and texts studied in our English lessons please see 'Long Term Plans'. Grammar lessons are woven into sequences of learning and are taught in context, providing children with the essential knowledge and understanding to become competent writers.

Handwriting

At King Edward Primary we follow the Letterjoin programme of handwriting, this scheme is used across school. Work starts in the Foundation Stage on letter formation and Key Stage 1 continues to secure correct letter formation and improve fine-motor control skills through a variety of activities. Joining starts at the end of  Year 1 and continues through KS1 covering a range of joins and refining previous joins. Some children benefit from additional support and intervention groups target these children. Good posture and pencil grip are continuously reinforced. Through Years 3 and 4 handwriting joins are concluded, refined and consolidated. All children should be joining  and developing their own style. They work in pencil during these sessions. They may earn a "pen license" graduating on to writing in pen  in Upper Key Stage 2.

Spelling

At King Edwards we teach spelling following the guidance in the National Curriculum.

In EYFS and KS1 spelling patterns are taught through the daily phonics session.

In KS2, spelling is  taught for 20 minutes 3 x a week following the format of Teach, Practise and Apply.

All children are given the opportunity to apply taught spellings in their written work through sentence dictation. 

Reading

At King Edward Primary School, we teach reading by meeting the requirements of the National Curriculum. We aim to deliver a high-quality education which teaches pupils to read accurately and with good comprehension so that they can effectively access the world in which they live. We want them to develop a love of reading, reading with good pace, fluency and expression in a range of contexts. We aim to deliver quality first teaching that follows a carefully planned sequence of lessons through exposure to high quality texts. We provide the children with opportunities to explore precise and enriched vocabulary to use within the context of the lesson and to connect to wider subject areas. Reading is taught in each year group progressively, using a wide variety of quality texts. We want children to become independent readers who choose to read for pleasure. Teaching is designed to take account of our progression documents to ensure age appropriate content. Where appropriate, links are also made to ensure that children’s social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is enhanced through their reading experiences.

The sequence of teaching involves:

• Selecting and reading high quality texts which enrich children’s knowledge and experiences.
• Teaching challenging vocabulary with cross curricular links.
• Developing pace, fluency and expression when reading.
• Teaching and developing the skills of understanding and using vocabulary, inferring, clarifying, summarising and sequencing, predicting, retrieving and questioning.

Our overarching cross curricular themes are always planned with key texts (narrative, non-fiction and poetry) at their heart, to enable both pupils and adults to delve deeper into a particular text, apply their reading skills and develop their comprehension, their knowledge of themselves and the world in which they live, to establish an appreciation and love of reading and to gain knowledge across the curriculum. In the early years and key stage one, an emphasis is placed on 1:1 reading to ensure that all our children are listened to read on a regular basis and to ensure that reading is tailored to the child.

Reading is taught daily within whole class guided reading sessions from year 1 to year 6. Through these sessions, year group specific reading skills are explicitly taught alongside high quality, age related texts. Alongside the skills of reading, heavy emphasis is placed on book talk to encourage children to think as a reader, be inquisitive and discuss their preferences. Reading for pleasure is encouraged through: regular visits to Mansfield library; book swaps; reading incentives and competitions; and cosy and welcoming reading areas which are a focus in all classrooms. Our overall aim is that by the end of their primary education, all pupils are able to read fluently, and with confidence, in any subject in readiness for their forthcoming secondary education.

We have recently taken delivery of our 'Reading Vending Machine' which is an extra incentive for children who earn Golden Tickets within their English work. There are lots of exciting books to choose from!