English

We follow the National Curriculum for English at KS1 and KS2 and children will be taught an English lesson most days of the school year. English is often broken down into two key areas, reading and writing. Phonics teaching supports both of these areas. The programme we currently use to deliver exciting and engaging reading and writing is 'Power of Reading' with the central concept of the teacher reading a high quality children's story which guides and directs all the learning throughout the unit.

This covers core teaching and learning in:

• Spoken language
• Reading - including word reading (sight word and decoding skills) and comprehension
• Writing - including transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing)

The aims of English in the national curriculum include ensuring that all children:

•  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, adapting their 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
• are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.