Intent

At Hevingham and Marsham we believe in delivering a strong English curriculum which inspires and engages children, allowing them to develop into confident, successful learners and give them the communication skills required to be responsible citizens who participate and flourish fully in all aspects of life. We want all our pupils to develop a love of reading and equip them with a strong command of the skills required to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. The ability to communicate well leads to self-confidence and a healthy self-esteem.

We promote reading across the school community and curriculum, with pupils engaging with and exploring a wide range of quality books and texts of all types. Discussion and talk are valued as essential skills and learning tools. Children are supported in developing their vocabulary and verbal presentation and reasoning. This, together with their reading, supports them to write in an engaging, purposeful and coherent way. Children are also taught the specific skills required to write clearly and accurately. They write for a variety of purposes and have opportunities to apply their English skills across the curriculum.

Through our English curriculum, we aim for all pupils to:

• be competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to each other and participating in debate in a cross curricular way. 
• use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas.
• make progress to becoming accurate in their spelling, using neat legible joined handwriting.
• read easily, fluently and with good understanding.
• develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information.
• acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language.
• appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage.
• develop their cognitive skills, imagination and personal expression through a range of writing tasks using clear, concise language with accurate punctuation and grammar, in a style appropriate for the purpose.
• write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences.
• make fair critical responses about their own English work, that of their peers and that of popular authors and poets.
• reach their full potential by extending their work in each of the above areas of the curriculum.

The above aims are consistent with our schools’ aims and take account of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework, the National Curriculum Programmes of Study and End of Key Stage Teacher Assessment Frameworks.

Implementation

The National Curriculum English programme of study is based on 4 areas:

• Spoken language
• Reading ‐ word reading and comprehension
• Writing – transcription, spelling, composition, handwriting and presentation
• Spelling, vocabulary, grammar and punctuation

The National Curriculum is divided into 3 Key stages:‐ Key Stage 1, Lower Key Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4) and Upper Key Stage 2 (Years 5 and 6).  By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study. The National Curriculum gives detailed guidance of what should be taught at each Key Stage under the above headings.

The long term curriculum plan sets out coverage for phases.

Foundation Stage

The teaching of communication, early reading and early writing skills within the EYFS at Hevingham, Marsham and Hevingham Under 5’s is driven by our own EYFS curriculum milestones and the Communication And Language, Physical Development and Literacy Early Learning Goals. Children have access to a language rich environment where adults model communication skills and new vocabulary as part of everyday practise. All EYFS children have access to a reading area that contains high quality texts linked to their interests and needs as well as the class theme. All EYFS children also have access to a wide range of mark making resources and resources that will strengthen and develop their fine motor skills. Activities are planned that promote the development of communication, vocabulary, early reading, mark making and writing at a level which is appropriate to the children and provides sufficient challenge. There will be a timetabled opportunity for the whole class to share a high quality text at least once a day.

In the Reception Year, adults will plan weekly adult led Literacy based sessions for children to participate in. These may be taught whole class or as small groups, as appropriate.

By the end of Reception Year, children should;
•  Listen attentively and respond to what they hear with relevant questions, comments and actions when being read to and during whole class discussions and small group interactions.
• Make comments about what they have heard and ask questions to clarify their understanding.
• Hold conversation when engaged in back-and-forth exchanges with their teacher and peers.
• Participate in small group, class and one-to-one discussions, offering their own ideas, using recently introduced vocabulary.
• Offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems when appropriate.
• Express their ideas and feelings about their experiences using full sentences, including use of past, present and future tenses and making use of conjunctions, with modelling and support from their teacher.
• Hold a pencil effectively in preparation for fluent writing – using the tripod grip in almost all cases.
• Demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and recently introduced vocabulary.
• Anticipate (where appropriate) key events in stories.
• Use and understand recently introduced vocabulary during discussions about stories, nonfiction, rhymes and poems and during role play.
• Say a sound for each letter in the alphabet and at least 10 digraphs.
• Read words consistent with their phonic knowledge by sound-blending.
• Read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, including some common exception words
• Write recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed.
• Spell words by identifying sounds in them and representing the sounds with a letter or letters.
• Write simple phrases and sentences that can be read by others.
(ELG 2020)

English lessons

In the Foundation Stage, teaching is either individual or small group. In addition, the children learn through directed and self-initiated play. In KS1 and KS2 teaching can be individual, small group or whole class depending on the area of study.

English lessons usually follow a two or three week unit for a text type. A curriculum map is in place to ensure coverage of all text types and these are often linked to the theme learning for each half term. This may be linked through the model texts chosen or the writing outcome. Children will return to the text types in later years and teachers use progression documents to ensure that the learning moves on each time.

In the first part of the unit, we get to know the text type. We read diverse, quality texts which are good models and identify the key features. We may compare text types and look at different examples. In this part of the learning, we engage with the text which could be through drama and discussion. We investigate and play with the grammar elements as well as exploring the vocabulary. There will be short writing activities as part of this – either to engage with and respond to the text or to experiment and try out new grammar learning. These are usually writing in the context of what they are learning rather than worksheet activities. (Examples of activities in this stage could include ‘boxing up’ a text, creating vocabulary banks, highlighting grammar features, colouring the model text to show different parts, evaluating texts, discussing effectiveness, manipulating or rewriting part of the text to include a particular grammar feature) By the end of this stage, children will have built up a ‘toolkit’ specific to the text type to support them in recreating this style of writing.

In the second part of the unit, we will apply our learning as we write our own texts. This might not be an entire story/text every time (for example it could be a new chapter, dialogue between characters, a diary entry etc.) There will be a mixture of teacher modelling, collaborative shared writing, group guided writing and independent writing. Part of the process will involve proofreading, editing and redrafting writing. Some work will be scaffolded and some may be completely independent to allow for assessment. 

Children will also be given opportunities in other areas of the curriculum to apply their learning to writing tasks for text types that they have previously studied.

Not all elements outlined above will be used in every unit and teachers have the flexibility to plan their lessons to meet the needs of the children.

Reading

Reading is promoted across the schools through the sharing of books in class, displays, adults reading aloud to children, author visits, peer book recommendations or reviews, World Book Day celebrations and whole school book weeks. Children are actively encouraged to engage with and explore books and other texts at home and in school throughout the curriculum. The library is regularly used and classes have access to it at playtime.

Phonics

Phonics is taught daily across all Reception and KS1 classes. Pre-school children also take part in a planned phonics based activity daily. Any KS2 children identified as needing phonics input will also receive this daily or as needed. All sessions are taught using the Department of Education validated scheme, Supersonic Phonics Friends and all resources used across our settings show fidelity to this scheme.

Children in Hevingham and Marsham are assessed on their phonic knowledge and application of skills either half termly or at the end of a phase. These assessments are then used to target teaching and ensure children are making progress. Children that are not making the desired progress will also be identified during daily sessions and will receive pre and post teach sessions from a trained adult.

Parents and carers are kept informed about their child’s new learning by regular newsletters which are sent out at the end of each teaching sequence, usually weekly.

Children receiving phonics teaching will have access to closely matched phonetically decodable books, either paper copies or via the Big Cat Collins E-Library.

Accelerated Reader 

In Key Stage Two, children use Accelerated Reader which enables them to choose appropriate level books to read. Children are given time in school to read these books and they are encouraged to read regularly at home as well. After reading a book, children complete a quiz at school to show their understanding. Teachers monitor children’s quizzing and progress using the system which then informs planning and reading support or intervention.

Guided reading

Whole class guided reading takes place outside of the English lessons at least three times a week. Core texts are mapped out for each year group to ensure progression but these are regularly reviewed with the English lead allowing teachers to have flexibility and introduce new texts as they become aware of them or to meet the needs of a class. KS2 aim to study a novel per half term, interspersed with shorter texts including non-fiction, poems, lyrics which will link to the theme where possible. KS1 will cover more shorter texts. Texts chosen are challenging in their content and vocabulary because reading is supported and not independent. Reading is usually done together with either the teacher reading, chorally, echo reading or children may read aloud to the class if they wish to. Texts and vocabulary are routinely discussed together to support children’s understanding. There is a high focus on vocabulary building. Following the reading, children will complete activities to engage with and respond to the text as well as develop comprehension skills. VIPERS question stems can be used to support planning of activities and questions in all reading domains (Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explanation, Retrieval, Sequencing/Summarising). Activities may involve answering comprehension questions, vocabulary exercises such as listing or writing definitions, adding to reading journals, drawing and labelling etc. Tasks may be differentiated or could be low threshold, high ceiling style. Some pupils may be supported through pre teaching sessions prior to the main guided reading lesson where they may be pre taught the vocabulary or have an additional read of the text.

Handwriting

All classes follow the Nelson Handwriting scheme which is both rigorous and progressive. Children in Foundation Stage and KS1 will use pencil to write in and KS2 will use pens.  There are exceptions to this rule, for example if a Year 2 child proves that their handwriting is neat enough, they will be allowed to use a pen. Children will be allowed to develop their own style in order to allow their writing to flow allowing children to write at speed and for sustained periods of time. 

Spelling

Year 2 and KS2 classes follow the Spelling Shed scheme. This gives progressive spelling sets and an online platform for children to practise spellings at home. Within a class, the teacher will group the children and groups will work on the appropriate sets for their needs. Spellings are explicitly taught and this may be as part of the English lesson (for example starter activities) as well as separate spelling sessions. Children have spellings to learn at home and these are tested weekly.