Woodville Junior School

English Curriculum Offer

English is taught to the requirements of the National Curriculum 2014 in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Across the Woodville School Federation, we know the teaching of English is an integral part of the primary journey and crucial for all learning across subjects. English and Reading lessons develop children’s listening skills, reading ability, comprehension, speaking skills and writing techniques. We ensure our children leave Year 6, fully equipped to apply these skills in their later lives.

Writing Intent

Children at Woodville Junior School have opportunities to write every single day. English lessons are taught four times a week and include the teaching of grammar and composition. Across the school, children are taught to write a variety of text types and genres and as they progress through their years, they will have opportunities to progress as a writer through the use of new skills and writing techniques. English lessons are supported by the use of texts and each unit of work has books at the heart of it. Each writing unit includes the use of a fiction book, a non-fiction book and a visual stimulus such as film or animation. Our writing curriculum teaches new skills each year, as well as teaching previously taught concepts to ensure our children can apply their independent skills and find their own writer’s voice as they get older. We believe children should be confident and proud of their writing and learn to write for different purposes to make it meaningful for them.

Writing lessons consist of opportunities for new teaching, practice, oral rehearsing, editing and publishing. Children are taught grammar explicitly when needed but otherwise it is thread throughout the unit of work. This ensures children understand when grammar skills can and should be used effectively. Lessons are engaging and include a variety of resources and stimuli for writing such as film, animation and drama.

Handwriting is not specifically timetabled but staff set high expectations of good presentation and we encourage children in the junior school to join up their handwriting. Teachers model joined up handwriting consistently and praise children for their handwriting efforts.

Spelling

Spellings are taught three times a week at Woodville CofE junior School. Within our spelling lessons, children are taught spelling patterns and rules. We also cover these units in English lessons when needed. Our teaching of spelling follows the requirements of the National Curriculum, in particular the Statutory Requirements set out in the ‘English programmes of study: key stages 1 and 2’ (including English Appendix 1: Spelling), September 2013. Pupils have ten spellings per week set as their homework offering which involves the process of ‘look/cover/write/check’ and these are tested in school weekly. We adopt a positive approach with spellings and work with children to not see this area as a barrier to writing.

Reading

Throughout our school, children are given opportunities to read, and be read to, every day in a variety of subjects. We understand the importance of exposing children to a variety of texts and genres in all subjects, not just within English or Guided Reading. We encourage our children to read with expression and comprehend with a good understanding of the text. We do this by structuring lessons to provide children with the following: exploration of vocabulary, an understanding of the wider world as well as our own culture, the teaching of reading skills explicitly.

Children at Woodville Junior School are exposed to a wealth of high quality fiction, non-fiction, poetry and visual stimuli to supplement Reading lessons. Across the school, children will read age appropriate texts as well as texts that challenge their individual ability.

We encourage children to read as often as they can at home. Children currently take home a reading record that parents can make note of when their child has read. Children take home a reading book to suit their reading needs but also have the choice to read anything they wish for Reading for Pleasure lessons.

Additionally, we at Woodville Federation, deliver whole school book weeks where we will all study a book and explore the content usually based around a theme. We use the book in a cross-curricular manner to feed into all subjects. It is important in our school that children have these experiences to inspire and engage them, with the hope they progress their love of reading.

Each class reads a ‘class reader’ book which generates great discussion and further develops our love of reading.