At Pondhu, our aim is to develop articulate speakers, inspired writers and avid readers, who can apply their knowledge of English, to communicate successfully in an ever-changing world.
Writing Curriculum Overview
Intent
At Pondhu Primary School, our aim is to develop children's ability to produce well-structured writing that is clear, engaging, and appropriately detailed. We base our approach on the knowledge that high-quality texts are the foundation of learning to write effectively, and we provide our children with a wide range of high quality literature to inspire writing. We focus on instilling the importance of both transcription and composition, as outlined in the National Curriculum.
We want our children to:
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Develop the understanding and skills needed to become independent, enthusiastic writers.
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Write effectively for a variety of audiences and purposes.
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Enjoy using language in different contexts and have the confidence and ability to do so.
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Develop a fluent, legible handwriting style and take pride in the presentation of their work.
Implementation
In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), writing is promoted through continuous provision as well as targeted tasks with an adult. The children also learn through the 'Drawing Club' approach of teaching writing, where the teacher uses pictures and books as a stimuli for writing and developing imagination.
Read Write Inc. (RWI) is used across EYFS and Key Stage 1 (KS1) to develop children's knowledge of phonics to prepare them for reading and writing. This knowledge provides the basis for their writing and is reinforced consistently in all writing lessons.
For English lessons in KS1 and Key Stage 2 (KS2), we have developed a text-based curriculum centred around high-quality texts. Through engagement with these texts, children produce writing for a range of purposes, encompassing a balance of different genres, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Teachers plan the units for their classes, using Literacy Tree units as a foundation. The planning and coverage of our English curriculum align with the objectives of the National Curriculum.
Children in all Key Stages have daily opportunities to write in a range of contexts and for a variety of purposes, with regular opportunities to write at length during extended writing sessions. Our long-term planning for English ensures a comprehensive range of text types is covered, meeting the breadth of requirements set out in the National Curriculum.
During each writing unit, children explore high-quality examples of different text types, learn the skills required to write in that style, take part in shared writing with their teacher, and produce their own pieces. This process is repeated for each outcome they produce, building towards a final piece for each unit.
Children develop transcription and composition skills by practising spelling and handwriting in all writing lessons, while also articulating their ideas and structuring them effectively in both speech and writing.
Spelling
Intent
At Pondhu Primary School, we teach the statutory requirements for spelling in the National Curriculum. We aim to ensure that all children can spell the common exception words for their year group. The children are then given opportunities to learn spelling rules and patterns and are expected to use a range of spelling strategies and apply them in their independent work.
Implementation
In Reception and KS1, spelling is taught as part of the RWI programme. Children learn how to spell words using phoneme-grapheme correspondences with the technique of ‘Fred fingers’ to spell ‘green’ words using these sounds. Children are also taught how to spell ‘red’ words which include the common exception words for each year group, carefully matched to each level. Once children get to the Spring term in Year 2 and they are nearing the end of the RWI programme, children begin the RWI Spelling programme, where children learn spelling patterns and rules. This is taught for 15 minutes on a daily basis through to the end of Year 6. The daily, repetitive nature of these approaches aid retention and accuracy in independent work. Spelling tests are given weekly after intensive work on certain patterns in Year 2-6. Children are supported to apply the spellings learnt in their independent writing.
Grammar
Intent
At Pondhu Primary School, we are determined that every child leaves in Year 6 having accessed and experienced detailed, precise and dynamic teaching of all expected grammar objectives. Objectives are revisited across the year groups to ensure children remember them long term.
Implementation
We use resources from Deepening Understanding in KS2 to support the teaching of grammar skills. This is fully matched to the National Curriculum for each year group to ensure all grammar objectives are achieved.
Children in Year 6 also regularly complete practice papers to help children prepare for the SATs.
KS1 use the grammar aspect of Read Write Inc to teach the objectives within the National Curriculum, with activities that are linked to the books the RWI books they are reading.
Speaking and Listening
Intent
In our school we endeavour to develop children’s language and vocabulary, improving the cultural capital of our children. We seek opportunities to develop the Oracy skills of our pupils and increase the potential for improving their knowledge of speaking and listening.
We aim for pupils to:
- be confident and articulate speakers
- listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
- communicate ideas, points of view and explanations clearly and confidently
- use spoken language effectively in different contexts
- use spoken language to generate, discuss and clarify ideas
Implementation
A key aspect of The Write Stuff programme is teaching children new vocabulary daily in our writing lessons. Whole class reading lessons also have a vocabulary focus as part of gaining an understanding of the texts.
By having daily story-times, with familiar stories being shared, this is another key opportunity for language skills to be developed.
Assemblies and PSHE lessons are other opportunities in which children learn how to discuss, respond appropriately to others and explain their ideas and opinions.
Performance poetry is a half-termly event in which all classes learn and perform a poem to develop confidence in performing in front of an audience.
EYFS have a core focus on developing speaking and listening skills, which is intwined in all that they do.
All children are screened using a WellComm assessment on entry to EYFS. The NELI programme is then used as a targeted intervention for those children who need support to develop speech and language skills.
Overall Impact in English
In the EYFS, children’s achievements are ongoing and are assessed against the Early Learning Goals. Assessment for learning is well established throughout the school and the use of questioning, observation and marking are key parts of formative assessment. Statutory assessments take place at the end of Year 1, Year 2 and Year 6. We use PIRA in Years 2-5 and past SATs papers in Year 6 each term. PIRA is used to assess Year 1 in the Summer term. Assessments are recorded three times a year on ‘Insight’, and carefully analysed to make sure that all children and groups are progressing well and achieving their potential.
Assessment for learning underpins teaching and learning in English. Children’s work is regularly assessed through observation, discussion, scrutiny of work and evaluating outcomes.
• Termly Pupil Progress Meetings are used to track the progress of each child in reading and writing across the year.
• Pupil Trackers are updated regularly electronically on Insight.
Formative Assessment:
Teacher assessment is an integral part of good practice. Assessment is carried out on a daily and weekly basis. It involves identifying children’s progress against teaching objectives and targets, determining which children have achieved and moving them on to the next stage of learning. Where appropriate, additional support and interventions are identified for children not making the expected progress.
Summative Assessment:
This includes:
• End of year assessment in Reception.
• Termly writing assessments in all year groups.
• Independent writing pieces are assessed using the National Curriculum objectives at the end of every unit and progress is tracked.
• Phonics screening in Year 1
• Year 2 SATs
• Years 3, 4 and 5 PIRA
• Year 6 SATs
• Half-termly STAR tests for children who have finished the RWI programme.
• Weekly Spelling tests from RWI Spelling which include the National Curriculum statutory spellings.
• Phonics check through half-termly Read Write Inc reading assessments
The impact of our English curriculum is that children become confident and successful learners who can achieve regardless of their starting points. Assessments show that reading and writing skills are developing and children are closing the gap towards national expectations. It is our aim that all cohorts will achieve in line with or above national expectations and that they make good progress. All nationally reported data shows an increasing, upward two-year trend.
