English

 

“There have been great societies that did not use the wheel, but there have been no societies that did not tell stories.”  

Ursuala K. La Guin

At Ladbrooke, we recognise that literacy is fundamental to pupils’ success both across the curriculum and throughout their lives. Our English curriculum is designed to ensure that all pupils develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to become effective readers, writers and communicators and we strive to create a lifelong love of literature and learning.

“To learn to read is to light a fire.”

Victor Hugo

 EYFS English slideshow coming soon

Our English curriculum is built around high quality, engaging texts. We use a book-based approach to teaching writing and our core texts, taken largely from the CLPE Power of Reading programme, are carefully chosen to engage, challenge and inspire pupils. We place a strong emphasis on developing oracy, and our writing sequences include a range of drama activities to encourage speaking and listening and build vocabulary.

In Early Years and KS1we seek to develop confident, enthusiastic writers through Read Write Inc phonics alongside book studies. In EYFS we focus on fine motor strength first which feeds into developing pencil grip and control. We encourage opportunities for writing through play and adults’ model real life purposes for writing.

“If you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books.”

Roald Dahl

Reading and Phonics slideshow coming soon

Early Reading and phonics

Read Write Inc (RWI) is ou chosen systematic phonics scheme. The teaching of phonics begins at the end of nursery and continues until the end of year 2. Initially the class are taught as a whole focusing on recognising sounds, blending them together to read and being able to write the letters correctly (lower case letters only). After a few weeks the children are assessed and grouped for phonics. This allows for children to be challenged and supported effectively. Each group is led by a specially trained member of staff who delivers well paced, engaging lessons which quickly enable children to become independent readers.  If you would like to know more about the RWI phonics scheme, please click on the link to access the Ruth Miskin RWI Site http://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/read-write-inc-programmes/phonics/.

Each year we hold a meeting for parents to discuss how our reading and phonics is taught.  Please take a look at this presentation from the evening.

 Click on this link to see the slides from the foundation stage reading and phonics meeting.

Foundational skills for each year group have been identified, and teaching is carefully sequenced so that new learning builds on what children already know. Grammar, Handwriting and Spelling are taught explicitly (with links to the class text where possible).

Y6 Alma
Writing dispalay based on 'Alma'
Y4 Tiger
Display showing non chronological reports on tigers
Role Play
Using role play and drama to bring stories to life.
Story Writing
Writing and presenting stories for display
Writing across the curriculum
Y4 Writing about scarab beetles in History
Presenting Writing
Exploring different ways to present text

Writing  slideshow coming soon

English in Action - Take a look at this video to find out how Year 6 produced their lovely writing based on the short film 'Alma'.

 

  

 

 

English Curriculum Links

English Pupil Quotes

Reading

The best thing about reading is reading books at bedtime.

F2 child

The hardest thing about reading is that you need to know all the sounds to read all the words and you might not know all the sounds yet!

Y1 child

Books are full of lots of little secrets that you might not know until you read them.

Y2 child

I like reading non-fiction. I like exploring what things have happened in the past.

Y2 child

Reading is calming.

Y3 child

I enjoy reading because it takes me to new worlds.

Y3 child

I like reading because you can feel what the characters are feeling. You lose yourself in them.

Y4 child

I love our class book Holes because it doesn’t matter how many times you read it, there are always new connections that I hadn’t noticed before.

Y5 child

Everyone in Y6 gets engrossed in their reading. I think the activities we do help us develop as readers.

Y6 child

Writing

I can write lots of sentences about kindness and being a good friend. The long words can be tricky to write but I use my phonics to help me.

Y1 child

I like trying to use really interesting adjectives like scrumptious to improve my writing...I also like doing neat, joined up writing.

Y2 child

The teachers are really helpful. They have great teaching methods to help you to get better at writing. They make hard things easier.

Y3 child

When you are writing you have to really think and put yourself in the minds of your characters.

Y3 child

I try to use good vocabulary, conjunctions and fronted adverbials to make my writing flow.

Y4 child

In year 2 I learnt how to join my handwriting. I have been practising ever since and it is much neater.

Y4 child

I like reading and writing because without being able to read and write, you wouldn’t be able to do as many things.

Y4 child

I like the challenge of including all the elements in our sentences (We use something from the Fantastic, the Grammaristic and the Boomtastic rainbow).

Y5 child

I like deconstructing a wagoll before I begin writing because it helps me get started. It also helps me to know what I have to include.

Y6 child

Planning my writing helps me start my sentences in different ways. It also helps me to include adventurous vocabulary to interest the reader.

Y6 child