Our English Curriculum
Writing
We believe that understanding language helps children to access the entire curriculum. Through being taught to write and speak fluently, pupils learn to communicate their ideas and emotions to others. This gives children a voice to share their ideas with the world. Considering the fundamental importance of writing in everyday life we are driven by the need to develop each learner’s writing ability thus enabling them to play a full part in society and giving them skills to become independent authors capable of expressing their own ideas and thoughts.
At Hemsby Primary School, we recognise that writing is integral to all aspects of life and we mindfully endeavour to ensure that children develop a lifelong, healthy and enthusiastic attitude towards writing. The skill of writing enables pupils to communicate with themselves and others while documenting and conveying their knowledge and ideas. Building on experiences, it encourages expression and higher order thinking skills to develop. Thus, creating a culture of writing in our school ensures our children are given the best opportunities to build their capacity and confidence in a range of writing styles. By creating a stimulating environment and employing appropriate resources, we are determined to provide all pupils with a supportive writing curriculum which will allow learners to recognise their full potential and develop their skills. Writing skills underpin most elements of the school curriculum and are an essential life-skill. Considering the fundamental importance of writing in everyday life, we are driven by the need to develop each learner’s writing ability, thus enabling them to play a full part in society.
Phonics
Read, Write Inc Phonics
At Hemsby Primary School, we understand that phonics is the most effective way of teaching children to read and write.
We use a programme called Read, Write Inc [RWI] which is a complete systematic, synthetic phonics programme that has been validated by the Department for Education
We chose this programme as it engages childre n, through clearly planned, progressive, achievable goals that allow all children to succeed.
Phonics Progression
We teach phonics daily across the EYFS and KS1 (after initial baseline assessments are complete in the Autumn Term in the EYFS). This document sets out the expected reading progression within Read, Write Inc lessons. These objectives are set out as if children are achieving as expected throughout the year. Assessments indicate when children have gaps and which children are not on track. Interventions are then put in place with the aim to keep that child in line with expectations –
“keep up, not catch up.”
Reading
CUSP Reading
We have adopted the CUSP Reading Curriculum. Our Reading Curriculum is deliberately designed to be ambitious and aspirational, ensuring that every child leaves our school as a competent, confident reader. Drawing on the latest research around explicit vocabulary instruction, reading fluency and key comprehension strategies, this curriculum is a synthesis of what we know works in helping children make outstanding progress in reading.
Pupils will receive a daily diet of excellent reading teaching and this will be supplemented by regular opportunities to engage with shared reading experiences, promoting the joy of reading with the whole school community. The clear structure and principles ensure that teaching is progressive, challenging and engaging and the rich, diverse literature spine acts as both a mirror so that every child can see themselves in the core texts and as a mirror to engage pupils with experiences beyond their own field of reference.
Year Group Core Texts
Reception
The reading teaching focus in Reception and Year 1 will remain with RWI phonics, children will visit these texts in class during writing sessions.
Year 1
Beegu - Where the Wild Things Are – The Storm Whale – Aesop’s Fables – The Owl and the Pussycat – The Tale of Peter Rabbit – Look Up! – Here We Are – Chocolate Cake! Michael Rosen – There’s a Rang Tang in My Bedroom – And tango makes three – The Lion Inside – The Proudest Blue
Year 2
Grandad’s Island – Mrs Noah’s Pockets – Paddington – The Christmas Pine (Julia Donaldson) – The Quangle Wangle’s Hat – Coming to England – The Street Beneath my Feet – The Rhythm of the Rain – Little People, Big Dreams David Attenborough – Fantastically Great Women who changed the World – Fantastic Mr Fox
Year 3/4/5
Greta and the Giants – The Pebble in my Pocket – Leon and the Place Between – ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas – Sam Wu is Not Afraid of the Dark – Operation Gadgetman – The Dancing Bear – The Magicians Nephew
The Queen’s Nose – The Boy at the Back of the Class – The Raven – Young, Gifted and Black – The Wind in the Willows – Varjak Paw – The Girl Who Stole an Elephant
Shackleton’s Journey – Secrets of a Sun King – A Midsummer Night’s Dream – I Am Not A Label - Boy in the Tower – The Explorer – Five Children and IT
Year 6
Rooftoppers – Skellig – Pig Heart Boy – How to Live Forever – All Aboard the Empire Windrush – The Island – Oliver Twist – Dare to be You
Reading For Pleasure
At Hemsby Primary School, we aim for our pupils to develop a love of reading and a rich and deep understanding of language.
All children have access to our school library. Children are able to take a library book, in addition to their reading book. Children can choose any book from the library, which may be beyond or below their reading ability. This is a book they can enjoy reading or listening to. Children may be guided by an adult if they are struggling to find a suitable book.
In addition to this, adults in school bring reading to life in the classroom daily, through our class reader books. Class books are carefully selected to expose children to high quality texts, a wide range of genres and rich vocabulary.