English
English is a core subject of the National Curriculum. We aim to ensure that all children who attend Banks Road Infant and Nursery School are confident, articulate and independent in all aspects of Literacy. For this reason we place equal value to the teaching of:
English is a core subject of the National Curriculum. We aim to ensure that all children who attend Banks Road Infant and Nursery School are confident, articulate and independent in all aspects of Literacy. For this reason we place equal value to the teaching of:
- Spoken language
- Reading
- Writing
- Spelling, Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation
Spoken language
Spoken language underpins the development of reading and writing. The quality and variety of language that children hear and speak are vital for developing their vocabulary and grammar and their understanding for reading and writing. We encourage the children to be confident speakers and give them plenty of opportunities to express themselves effectively and appropriately. They learn how to take turns and be careful and interested listeners. We use “talk” as a basis for much of our other learning. If children are confident, articulate speakers, using a wide vocabulary, this impacts positively on their learning in all areas.
Children are encouraged to develop the ability to engage with each other asking questions and widen their use of different vocabulary appropriate to task. They participate in activities that promote clear correct pronunciation and grammar whilst recognising and celebrating cultural and regional differences in speech.
Reading
Reading consists of ‘word reading’ and ‘comprehension’ in the National Curriculum. It is essential that we focus on developing children’s competence in both of these areas. We teach the skills of reading using a range of strategies and offer the children a wide selection of texts to share, read and respond to. We want the children to develop the ability to have opinions and respond to quality texts, both fiction and non-fiction. We have opportunities to use the local library and to share in different authors’ work. We ensure children read from a huge range of texts related to our topics and units of work.
All children in KS1 have a daily phonics session where they are taught how to blend sounds in words for reading and writing. The children are put in phases so they can be taught at their developmental stage. Phonetic teaching also impacts immediately on children’s confidence to blend and segment sounds for reading and writing.
Children’s reading opportunities include reading from books, magazines, comics and multi-modal texts presented using interactive whiteboards.
Our aim is to nurture a love of literature and reading for pleasure.
Writing
Writing consists of Spelling, handwriting and writing composition in the National Curriculum. We teach the skills that allow children to communicate effectively as writers. This includes the teaching of handwriting, spelling and punctuation. We want the children to feel they are writers and that they can enjoy the writing process. We aim to give them a wide range of interesting and stimulating tasks in order for them to look forward to, and improve, their writing.
Children are taught how to plan, revise and evaluate their writing. They are given opportunities to write in different ways across the curriculum such as reports, science evaluations. Our whole school approach to teaching writing is led by our bespoke 'Talk for Writing' scheme.
Our hope is that the children are enthusiastic and interested in language activities, that they see themselves as readers, writers and speakers and gain pleasure from the range of tasks given to them. We use the national literacy framework as the basis for our teaching programme as well as developing a cross curricular approach to our teaching. Our topic or theme is at the heart of children’s writing, ensuring that children write for a real purpose and audience related to other aspects of learning.
Our aim is to enthuse and excite our children, to stimulate their imaginations and to offer them opportunities to make choices in the presentation of tasks.
Spoken language underpins the development of reading and writing. The quality and variety of language that children hear and speak are vital for developing their vocabulary and grammar and their understanding for reading and writing. We encourage the children to be confident speakers and give them plenty of opportunities to express themselves effectively and appropriately. They learn how to take turns and be careful and interested listeners. We use “talk” as a basis for much of our other learning. If children are confident, articulate speakers, using a wide vocabulary, this impacts positively on their learning in all areas.
Children are encouraged to develop the ability to engage with each other asking questions and widen their use of different vocabulary appropriate to task. They participate in activities that promote clear correct pronunciation and grammar whilst recognising and celebrating cultural and regional differences in speech.
Reading
Reading consists of ‘word reading’ and ‘comprehension’ in the National Curriculum. It is essential that we focus on developing children’s competence in both of these areas. We teach the skills of reading using a range of strategies and offer the children a wide selection of texts to share, read and respond to. We want the children to develop the ability to have opinions and respond to quality texts, both fiction and non-fiction. We have opportunities to use the local library and to share in different authors’ work. We ensure children read from a huge range of texts related to our topics and units of work.
All children in KS1 have a daily phonics session where they are taught how to blend sounds in words for reading and writing. The children are put in phases so they can be taught at their developmental stage. Phonetic teaching also impacts immediately on children’s confidence to blend and segment sounds for reading and writing.
Children’s reading opportunities include reading from books, magazines, comics and multi-modal texts presented using interactive whiteboards.
Our aim is to nurture a love of literature and reading for pleasure.
Writing
Writing consists of Spelling, handwriting and writing composition in the National Curriculum. We teach the skills that allow children to communicate effectively as writers. This includes the teaching of handwriting, spelling and punctuation. We want the children to feel they are writers and that they can enjoy the writing process. We aim to give them a wide range of interesting and stimulating tasks in order for them to look forward to, and improve, their writing.
Children are taught how to plan, revise and evaluate their writing. They are given opportunities to write in different ways across the curriculum such as reports, science evaluations. Our whole school approach to teaching writing is led by our bespoke 'Talk for Writing' scheme.
Our hope is that the children are enthusiastic and interested in language activities, that they see themselves as readers, writers and speakers and gain pleasure from the range of tasks given to them. We use the national literacy framework as the basis for our teaching programme as well as developing a cross curricular approach to our teaching. Our topic or theme is at the heart of children’s writing, ensuring that children write for a real purpose and audience related to other aspects of learning.
Our aim is to enthuse and excite our children, to stimulate their imaginations and to offer them opportunities to make choices in the presentation of tasks.
English Curriculum Intent
As readers, our children will be fluent and expressive, having read a range of high quality fiction and non-fiction texts, building their knowledge of a range of authors and illustrators. They will have a passion for reading and will enjoy reading to learn through our Floppy's phonics scheme and reading for pleasure.
As writers, our children will be imaginative and will enjoy using enhanced vocabulary creatively to write for a range of purposes and audiences.
As communicators, our children will express themselves freely and confidently taking account of the needs of the listener. They will sustain concentration and listen attentively, taking account of the points of view of others.
English Curriculum Implementation
Learning Environment
All of our classrooms in main school have consistent working walls which feature appropriate Floppy's phonics resources for each year group; these have provided continuity and familiarity for the children as they move through school.
All of the classrooms have extensive resources bespoke to the Floppy's phonics scheme to support children's reading and writing - the children can engage with the resources independently as well as with teacher support.
We have recently purchased additional reading books which correlate to our Floppy's phonics scheme, this helps children to take ownership of tracking their own level of books.