English and Phonics

English is the basic language of communication in this country and its mastery is necessary for educational progress.

Curriculum Intent

Children should develop strong spoken language skills and become fluent, confident readers. They will be able to write clearly and effectively using a wide and ambitious vocabulary. Children will understand grammar and language structure and importantly, develop confidence and a lifelong love of literacy.

Objectives

1. Spoken Language

Pupils should be able to:

· Listen and respond appropriately.

· Ask relevant questions to extend understanding.

· Use spoken language to explain ideas, justify opinions, and build vocabulary.

· Participate in discussions, presentations, role-play and drama.

· Speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of standard English.

· Apply speaking and listening skills in a range of situations.

2. Reading

A. Word Reading

Pupils should:

· Apply phonic knowledge and skills to decode words (KS1).

· Read common exception words and high-frequency words.

· Develop fluency, accuracy and confidence in reading aloud.

B. Reading Comprehension

Pupils should:

· Develop pleasure in reading and read widely.

· Understand texts by drawing inferences and making predictions.

· Identify themes, plots, and key ideas.

· Retrieve and record information from non-fiction.

· Discuss authors’ choices of language.

· Develop comprehension skills through listening to and discussing texts.

3. Writing

A. Transcription (Spelling & Handwriting)

Pupils should:

· Spell words using phonics and spelling rules.

· Learn common exception words.

· Use dictionaries and morphology (prefixes, suffixes) to support spelling (KS2).

· Write legibly, fluently and increasingly with joined handwriting.

B. Composition

Pupils should:

· Plan, draft, write, and revise their writing.

· Write for different purposes (stories, explanations, poetry, reports, persuasion).

· Organise ideas with coherence and appropriate structure.

· Use imaginative vocabulary and effective sentence construction.

· Evaluate and edit their own work and others’.

4. Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation

Pupils should:

· Use a wide, precise and ambitious vocabulary.

· Understand and apply grammar rules appropriate to each year group.

· Use accurate punctuation (e.g., full stops, commas, apostrophes, speech marks).

· Use varied sentence structures to add clarity and impact.

· Apply Standard English forms in the correct contexts

Phonics

At Aycliffe Drive, we follow the Essential Letters and Sounds scheme to teach phonics. It is a progressive, accredited scheme that starts in Nursery.

Children are given reading books that are closely matched to their phonics knowledge, enabling them to practise the sounds and skills they have been taught and build reading confidence and fluency.

Homework

Weekly spellings, linked to the spelling or phonics learning from that week.

Reading five times per week.

Help and Support

All children receive quality first literacy teaching on a daily basis and activities are adapted accordingly. In addition, where identified pupils are considered to require targeted support to enable them to work towards age appropriate objectives, early intervention programmes will be implemented to support the child to keep up rather than catch up.

100 Books to Read in Year 1 and 2

100 Books to Read in Year 3 and 4

100 Books to Read in Year 5 and 6