English

English has a pre-eminent place in education and in society. A high-quality education in English will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature, especially, plays a key role in such development. Reading also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society; pupils, therefore, who do not learn to speak, read and write fluently and confidently are effectively disenfranchised.

“You can make anything by writing” – C.S Lewis

 


Learning Showcase

Reading

 

English has a pre-eminent place in education and in society. A high-quality education in English will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature, especially, plays a key role in such development. Reading also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society; pupils, therefore, who do not learn to speak, read and write fluently and confidently are effectively disenfranchised.

“If you’re going to get anywhere in life, you have to read a lot of books.” Roald Dahl

 

 

 

 

 

 

Power of Reading Enquiry - March 2019

We were lucky enough to be chosen as one of three Enquire Learning Trust schools to showcase our English curriculum and how we have developed our approach using The CLPE Power of Reading teaching strategies and high quality texts.
The enquiry was led by Ronnie Wood (Director of Learning and Innovation at Enquire Learning Trust), Anjali Patel (Lead advisory teacher for CLPE) and Jonathan Rodgers (Primary Advisory teacher for CLPE)
We are very proud of how well our approaches are embedded across school and our Academy Improvement Plan priorities have played a big part in how successful this approach is too.

 


Reading Learning Showcase

Writing

English has a pre-eminent place in education and in society. A high-quality education in English will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature, especially, plays a key role in such development. Reading also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society; pupils, therefore, who do not learn to speak, read and write fluently and confidently are effectively disenfranchised.

“You can make anything by writing” – C.S Lewis

 

Our curriculum intent

Our Writing curriculum will enable pupils to:

- read easily, fluently and with good understanding

- develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information

- acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language

- appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage

- write clearly, accurately and coherently, understanding language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences

- use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas

- be competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

Our curriculum approach

At Bradley Green, we believe that the Writing curriculum we offer is exceptional. It provides children with enriching and engaging experiences of English, which subsequently supports children in becoming masters of the English Programme of Study.  Our objective is to ensure that as well as children enhancing their knowledge, they gain a secure understanding and love of a variety of text types and genres.

Our ethos is ensuring that every child is a confident writer. Our writing curriculum promotes a love of writing with our children through the various opportunities to become an author, write for a range of purposes, audiences with accuracy and have the pleasure of publishing and celebrating these pieces.  We stimulate children but also nurture them to find their creative, authorial flare.

 

Writing

At Bradley Green, our curriculum is carefully designed to instil a love of reading and writing, which encourages children to express their thoughts, views and ideas on real and fictitious worlds and to create a variety of text types and genres.

We use CLPE’s Power of Reading to provide a diverse range of high-quality texts, which cover a wide variety of different topics. Each lesson is delivered with confidence and enthusiasm to model a love of literature and authorial experiences. We are proud to be an associate school for the CLPE, showcasing our knowledge and passion for reading and writing.

Writing maps

Writing maps are used across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. These have been carefully constructed to map out writing outcomes from years 1-6 for a range of different text types, genres, audiences and purposes. This also encompasses key grammar objectives to match key writing outcomes to develop their skills to become creative yet accurate authors.

We also ensure that a consistent approach is used throughout school for each writing outcome to enable to children to know more, remember more and be confident in the process of being an author.

Drafting and revising

Our aim is that, by the time children leave Bradley Green, they have been supported and encouraged to become conscientious authors, who are capable and confident to reflect on their writing. From EYFS-Y6, our mission is that children are provided with multiple and frequent opportunities to draft their writing but to also edit. We strongly believe that children will become independent in this process: analysing their vocabulary, punctuation, content and linguistic choices through support, modelling, success criteria, purple pen opportunities and editing slips to show changes and progress.

 

Celebrations

We strive for every child at Bradley Green to have opportunities to celebrate and showcase their learning through:

Whole school Power of Reading display gallery

Community links (sharing with Bradley Green peers and local citizens

Whole school assemblies

Grammar

Grammar lessons

To ensure that our children are creative, yet accurate authors, discrete grammar sessions are taught as part of the consistent writing process, which is then applied to their writing. A progression has been carefully designed to ensure what is being covered is appropriate for each year group, which is supplemented by a shared vocabulary for key terminology.

Daily retrieval

As part of our knowing more and remembering more ethos, grammar retrieval has been mapped out across the year, which provides progression for each year group and opportunities to constantly re-visit key learning, equipping the children with the tools to become skilful and technical authors.

Spelling

At Bradley Green, we believe that is paramount that children can write and spell with accuracy, which begins in EYFS.

We follow the Read, Write, Inc, scheme (RWI) for phonics from nursery (summer term) to year 2 (Autumn term). The scheme teaches children to form letters and spell words correctly as well as composing ideas for writing step by step. We feel that this scheme’s revision and consolidation elements at the start of each session are vital in embedding learning. The scheme teaches children to read and write and also keeps their attention. Read Write, Inc is taught and consolidated daily in EYFS, Year 1 and in Year 2 for the Autumn term.

After this, phonics is used within teaching across the school and links directly with our spelling scheme Scode. The ethos of Scode is that children are given opportunities to become better spellers but also to develop skills and strategies to approach the complex English language with confidence and ease. Retrieval is a key focus of the scheme, which is a great continuation from Read Write Inc in Key Stage 1. Spelling sessions are taught using Scode 4 times a week in 20-minute slots so that children are exposed to the sound codes little and often to embed and secure their understanding.

Handwriting

At Bradley Green, we believe that handwriting is integral and our pupils take such pride in this, starting from EYFS. We have a clear handwriting policy, which outlines progression, shared vocabulary, understanding and approaches throughout school.

In Nursery, Squiggle Whilst you Wiggle is used, which uses neuro developmental exercises to assist the children in a fun an exciting way towards loving early writing. The basic principles that the programme uses help children to gain control of their bodies, to learn balance and begin to learn to grip and use finger movements.

Throughout EYFS and Key Stage 1, our RWI programme is used to support handwriting.  Children learn to form each letter of the alphabet using simple, enjoyable mnemonics which enables them to grasp letter-sound correspondences quickly. In Key Stage 2, children re-visit formation of letters and develop their legibility and fluency at speed.

Line guides have been carefully created to support children with letter formation of short, ascending and descending letters. These are used from years 1-6 consistently in every subject to ensure children are confident and consistently progressing. A formation of each letter is available and accessible in each classroom throughout school to model and showcase the high expectations across school and curriculum.

Spoken language

At Bradley Green, we understand that talk for learning is vital and we strive to support our pupils to communicate their creativity with competence and confidence. 

Pupils will be taught to:

  • Listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
  • Ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge use relevant strategies to build their vocabulary
  • Articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions
  • Give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings
  • Maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments
  • Use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas
  • Speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English
  • Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations and debates
  • Gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s)
  • Consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others
  • Select and use appropriate registers for effective communication.

This can be seen in every classroom, across a multitude of subjects and activities. We use Power of Reading teaching approaches such as drama, conscience alleys and hot-seating in our English sessions; debates and discussions throughout the curriculum but also communicate and share with the Bradley Green community frequently. We believe that because of this, our children will leave Bradley Green equipped with the tools to become lifelong learners able to express their views and voice.

How to help your child at home

Here are some fun, engaging ways, where children can continue to master their writing skills at home.

  • Reading at home

Reading to children will significantly support a child’s language development as well as expose them to a variety of different text types. Listening to a child read will not only support their reading skills but it will also allow develop their spelling as well as provide opportunities to observe and understand grammatical and punctuation choices – allowing them to become more technical and accurate authors in their own literature.

  • Real world writing

Providing children with opportunities to write shopping lists, invitations, letters to friends, relatives or keeping a diary will allow your child to write for a purpose but to also understand how useful writing can be. Children may even enjoy writing book reviews, writing about characters or creating short stories and comic strips to share their thoughts on what they have read or their own ideas – whatever inspires a child, let them run with it.

  • Telling stories aloud

Encouraging and allowing children to tell stories orally will allow them to develop their oracy and spoken language skills as well as structuring stories and experimenting with vocabulary. Children can start with a story that they know well and advance in to their own creations as they grow. This could even be done with non-fiction, where a child can explain a topic their passionate and interested in.

Writing Curriculum Documents

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Writing Learning Showcase

Spelling

 

At Bradley Green, we believe that is paramount that children can write and spell with accuracy, which begins in EYFS.

We follow the Read, Write, Inc, scheme (RWI) for phonics from nursery (summer term) to year 2 (Autumn term). The scheme teaches children to form letters and spell words correctly as well as composing ideas for writing step by step. We feel that this scheme’s revision and consolidation elements at the start of each session are vital in embedding learning. The scheme teaches children to read and write and also keeps their attention. Read Write, Inc is taught and consolidated daily in EYFS, Year 1 and in Year 2 for the Autumn term.

After this, phonics is used within teaching across the school and links directly with our spelling scheme Scode. The ethos of Scode is that children are given opportunities to become better spellers but also to develop skills and strategies to approach the complex English language with confidence and ease. Retrieval is a key focus of the scheme, which is a great continuation from Read Write Inc in Key Stage 1. Spelling sessions are taught using Scode 4 times a week in 20-minute slots so that children are exposed to the sound codes little and often to embed and secure their understanding.

Spelling Curriculum Documents

Updated: 10/02/2023 95 KB


Spelling Learning Showcase

Early Reading 

At Bradley Green we use the Read Write Inc scheme for the delivery of phonics teaching from Nursery to Year 2.

 

Here are some useful documents which explains the teaching of phonics at Bradley Green.

Phonics

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Here are some resources which you may find useful when helping your child at home.

Phonics documents for parents

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Here is a link to information about the Year 1 Phonics Screening Test 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/phonics-screening-check-information-for-parents 


Early Reading Learning Showcase