Mill Lane, Beckermet, Cumbria, CA21 2YD

01946 841221

admin@beckermet.cumbria.sch.uk

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Beckermet C of E Primary School

Let your light shine

English

 

What do our children say about English?

...I love the creativity.  I love the stories we work on.  I like being free in English.  I love writing!  I love writing stories.

English…Intent, Implementation, Impact

Intent

Our intent at Beckermet CE Primary School is to encourage all our children to develop a passion for reading and writing. It is our aim that all children become successful readers and writers at the end of their primary school years. These expectations are shared with parents at a Reading Evening in early September. Our curriculum will ensure that the skills and high expectations from the reading curriculum will follow into the children’s writing. Our classrooms will be language rich environments demonstrating the importance of high-quality texts and age-appropriate vocabulary.

In order to celebrate our local heritage, famous Cumbrian poets and writers are incorporated into our long term plans, for example; Beatrix Potter and William Wordsworth.

We provide our children with the high-quality phonics teaching, word reading and comprehension skills to help them develop a life-long love of books.

 

 Implementation

We view reading as the ‘golden thread’ through the curriculum and as such  it is prioritized in all areas.

At Beckermet CE Primary School phonics is taught through the Read Write Inc. scheme which is supplemented with additional reading materials. Children in EYFS and KS1 have daily phonics sessions in cross-phase groups. Additional intervention sessions run on a daily basis for those children requiring additional support with the retention of phonics knowledge and application. Our approach is systematic, consistent and rigorous to ensure that all children become readers as quickly as possible. There is an additional focus on the teaching and learning of statutory spelling lists.

 

The Read Write Inc reading scheme allows us to closely match texts to individual abilities and children in EYFS and KS1 are assessed against the scheme on a half-termly basis. Children are also encouraged to read for pleasure and themed reading days take place in school every term. Creating a Reading for Pleasure culture throughput the whole school is a main focus this academic year. Whole class story time happens in each class on a daily basis. We use Pie Corbett’s Spine Books to ensure our children are accessing high quality texts. Guided Reading sessions take place in all classes four to five times a week. Children are grouped according to reading ability.

In the EYFS, our children begin mark making as soon as they enter the school. They are taught the correct letter formation through the RWI phonics scheme. Our EYFS children have mark making/writing opportunities in all areas of their classroom to consolidate their learning.

Our children are taught to write through the clearly sequenced Talk for Writing approach. All staff ensure that the unit starts with a stimulus for writing. Each unit then incorporates the children’s personal experiences and interests where relevant, whilst building on their existing knowledge of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Discrete handwriting sessions are taught in both KS1 and KS2.

We celebrate National Poetry Day, Roald Dahl Day, World Book Day, Harry Potter Day, along with other book based events throughout the year. We also host whole school competitions such as ‘Been caught reading’. These bring the whole school together to concentrate on one theme.

 

Impact

Impact is measured at Beckermet CE Primary School through both formative and summative assessment.

  • Children will enjoy writing across a range of genres.
  • Evidence of a wide vocabulary being used in their writing.
  • Termly reading and writing assessments
  • Lesson observations
  • Discussions with staff
  • Half-termly phonics assessments to enable re-grouping
  • Hot and cold writing tasks for each TFW unit
  • Weekly spelling checks
  • Pupil voice
  • Enhanced focus on learning and retention of high frequency words in EYFS/KS1.
  • Reading for Pleasure culture evident throughout the school.
  • Learning walks
  • The % of pupils working at ARE within each year group will be at least in line with national averages.
  • The % of pupils working at Greater Depth within each year group will be at least in line with national averages.

Click here for link to National Curriculum Programme of Study for English

Click here for Early Years Foundation Stage document.

Click here for English Progression of Skills.