English

The study of English develops children’s ability to listen, speak, read and write for a wide range of audiences and purposes, including the communication of their ideas, views and feelings. Children become empowered to interpret the world around them and to make sense of their experiences; in this sense, language is fundamental in shaping our thinking and learning – who we are.

As children become enthusiastic and critical readers of stories, poetry and drama, as well as of non-fiction and a range of multi-media, they are enabled to express themselves creatively and imaginatively. Children are able to gain an understanding of how language works by looking at its patterns, structures and origins. Ensuring that English is placed at the heart of learning, provides children with rich and creative experiences that encourage children to become life-long learners.

The ability to use English effectively is a vital need of every child. Therefore, the school’s main aim is to enable all pupils to nurture, to the full, their ability to use and understand English: to appreciate what they read and to develop the confidence to express their ideas both orally and through the written word. By developing a comprehensive range of reading skills, we aim to foster in the children a love and appreciation of literature that will be with them throughout their lives. These skills will enable them to access all aspects of the curriculum.

A termly learning journey is the start of planning for English; this outlines the journey that the children will take through a particular topic or theme. English planning begins with this learning journey and with the selection of the key texts that teachers will use. These key texts (both fiction and non-fiction) are placed at the centre of planning for English. The genre and the use of language found within the text are central to the planning that is developed by the teachers; this enables pupils to see strong and effective language use in context and provides them with natural reasons for responding through speaking, listening, reading and writing activities. The use of texts in such a way also aids teachers with developing an organic and creative teaching sequence. 

We hope that the information provided within these pages is a helpful tool for parents. We aim to share some of the many exciting and meaningful learning opportunities for English in addition to providing parents with useful information, support and resources that will aid home learning.