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Blessed Sacrament Primary School

English

English Curriculum Map

Curriculum Intent

At Blessed Sacrament Primary School, we believe that a quality English curriculum should develop children’s love of reading, writing, discussion, and debate. We believe that English and the teaching of English is the foundation of our curriculum.  Teachers plan and teach personalised English lessons which focus on the particular needs of each child.  We recognise that each child has their own starting point upon entry to every year group and progress is measured in line with these starting points to ensure every child can celebrate success.

English at Blessed Sacrament school will not only be a daily discrete lesson, but is at the cornerstone of the entire curriculum.  It is embedded within all our lessons and we will strive for a high level of English for all.  Through using high-quality texts, immersing children in vocabulary rich learning environments and ensuring new curriculum expectations and the progression of skills are met, the children will be exposed to a language heavy, creative and continuous English curriculum where reading and writing are intrinsically linked.   This will not only enable them to become primary literate but will also develop a love of reading, creative writing and purposeful speaking and listening.

Communication is central to the overall aim of the school and English is one of many opportunities in which pupils are given the chance to be heard. We nurture a culture where children take pride in their writing, can write clearly, imaginatively, and accurately, and adapt their language and style for a range of contexts. We believe that children need to develop a secure knowledge-base in Literacy, which follows a clear pathway of progression as they advance through the primary curriculum. Our carefully sequenced, broad, and balanced curriculum, underpinned by inclusive practice, aims to provide our children with the opportunity to build on their experiences to achieve their goals. We promote high standards of literacy by equipping children with a strong command of the spoken and written word, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for pleasure.

 

Curriculum Implementation

Phonics and Reading

We follow a text-based learning approach during English lessons, through the Hamilton Trust scheme of work.  Core Texts have been chosen for each class but there is scope for change if necessary. KS1 usually use one copy of a text whilst sitting on the carpet area, whilst KS2 have class sets of the text wherever possible. A wide range of effective questioning will be used during class discussions to challenge, probe and extend children’s understanding and learning. We analyse the text either responding in writing or completing some explicit vocabulary teaching using words from the text. 

Early reading is supported through the Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS) scheme. This is a focused teaching strategy that teaches children how the alphabet works for reading and spelling. Regular training and development days ensure that staff are equipped to teach with the expertise and skills required to promote excellent progress, as well as a love of reading. In Key Stage 2 when children have completed the ELS programme, children develop deeper reading skills in line with whole class reading, using a variety of texts to support the Hamilton Scheme of Work and the wider curriculum. These cover a wide variety of both fiction, non-fiction and poetry texts and help to develop children’s comprehension skills. Children learn to work on their retrieval and inference skills and become more fluent and confident to share their thoughts and ideas.

All children are encouraged to read for pleasure and to read widely through our reading initiatives including Reading Road Map Challenge, and through the local and school libraries. Children visit our local library. We participate in the Islington Reading Road Map every year to encourage children’s enthusiasm for reading and increase and broaden their experience of texts. We have also developed our class libraries, to engage pupils in reading for pleasure. 

 Writing

Teachers model writing objectives during whole class teaching and Guided writing sessions will be used to meet specific objectives for individuals or groups. Opportunities will be provided to reflect and edit their work whilst drafting – teachers gauge when these times are best. Opportunities will be given to act on marking. In Years 1 – 6 teaching will take place as a daily lesson but in Foundation Stage elements may be taught throughout the day.  High standards and general English subject knowledge will be reinforced continually throughout all subjects.

We develop writing skills for our children to have the confidence and ability to write at the age-expected standard. At Blessed Sacrament school, we use Writing for Pleasure model to improve children’s overall standard of writing. We provide varied and exciting opportunities for writing for purpose and opportunities for children’s writing to be read aloud and listened to by an audience, and published using various media. In writing, children learn to draw together a comprehensive number of grammar, spelling, and compositional skills to plan, draft and compose pieces with cohesion between sentences and paragraphs. They practice control of complex sentences using pronouns and verb tenses appropriately and employing correct punctuation. They evaluate and edit their work, correcting grammar, punctuation and spelling and improving sentences for effect.

We formally assess writing using the EEC Assessment grid to assess cold tasks in various genres. These are carried out at the end of each half term for Years 1-6.

We use the Letterjoin scheme of work to teach handwriting from EYFS to Year 6, offering a combination of traditional and digital resources. All children in EYFS are taught to hold a pencil correctly and form all letters correctly.  At the end of Year 2, children are expected to join up their writing.   All staff should model the handwriting cursive script when they write for any purpose within the classroom.  All children should be expected to write in this style of handwriting whenever they write, in all subjects. 

Curriculum Impact

Our pupils will be confident communicators; they will be able to talk for a range of audiences, using Standard English. 

Pupils will be able to spell the common exception words for their year group and will use these accurately in their writing

Pupils will apply what they have learned in spelling to their writing in all subjects

Pupils will continue to use their knowledge of phonics to help them spell accurately

Pupils will be able to spell the common exception words for their year group and will use these accurately in their writing

Pupils will apply what they have learned in spelling to their writing in all subjects

Pupils will continue to use their knowledge of phonics to help them spell accurately