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English

Intent

At Winlaton West Lane, all staff are passionate about ensuring every child is successful in the key areas of English, irrespective of their background, ability or any additional needs.  All pupils enjoy a high-quality, vocabulary-rich English Curriculum that motivates and engages children through questioning, debate, knowledge acquisition and challenge, as well as developing a love of reading, writing and discussion. We know that strong literacy skills unlock an endless world of possibilities for the children’s future lives and, as a result, we ensure that our English curriculum, including the teaching of reading, leaves our children incredibly well-prepared for the next stages of their education and beyond, allowing them to grasp the future with excitement and confidence. Therefore, our aspiration is that all West Lane children leave primary education with appropriate knowledge and skills for reading, writing, speaking and listening so that they are able to communicate their ideas, opinions and emotions clearly and effectively.

Implementation

Our curriculum intent is embedded in our English lessons and our wider curriculum. We plan activities in English so that they build on the children’s prior learning, while we give children of all abilities the opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding. We follow the requirements of the national curriculum also plan for progression so that there is an increasing challenge for the children as they move up through the school, providing extra support to those who may need it, as well as providing opportunities to stretch and develop our most able writers.

With regards to writing, our children are taught to plan, draft, proofread, evaluate and edit their work. We use a range of engaging stimuli to inspire writing: class texts, drama, debate, ‘hook’ lessons, investigations, real-life experiences including trips and visits, ICT (including immersive drama such as Now Press Play), short films and visual literacy. This really helps ‘bring literacy to life’ and support vital vocabulary development which helps out children succeed. Units of work have a strong focus on genre, audience and purpose and selecting appropriate language, features and structures of texts relevant to the task at hand. We know that our children learn best when knowledge is  linked, so often writing opportunities and associated stimuli are related to a wider area of study (for example what pupils are studying in history, geography, RE or science), but we also encourage true creativity and imagination, allowing children to develop their own ideas.

As well as a strong creative focus, we also ensure that children have a strong understanding of the basics of language: spelling patterns and common exception words are taught systematically and rigorously and children develop neat, legible joined handwriting. Children’s knowledge of punctuation and grammar – both in terms of terminology and application – underpin all English lessons in order to ensure children’s work is technically accurate and that children understand the relationship between words, levels of formality, the difference between spoken and written language, and how to use Standard English.

Impact

Children at West Lane develop a love of writing, which is clearly linked to their love of reading, and are able to produce high-quality written work across the curriculum. Children take pride in their work, creating well-presented final drafts and writing is carefully displayed around school and celebrated in class and in assemblies to ensure that children understand the enjoyment that staff and their peers take in sharing their written work. As the skills developed in English are the foundations for successful learning across the curriculum and beyond, we are proud to see West Lane children developing into well-rounded individuals with clear spoken and written communication skills, carrying with them English knowledge that will make them lifelong learners ready for their next stages of education and as valuable future citizens.

Useful Websites

Children and young people - Gateshead Council

Explore Gateshead Libraries' resources, activities and events for children and young people

www.gateshead.gov.uk

 

Comprehension - KS2 English - BBC Bitesize

KS2 English Comprehension learning resources for adults, children, parents and teachers.

www.bbc.co.uk

Stories for Kids: Age 8-10

Illustrated children’s stories for kids between the ages of 8 and 10 that focus on lifelong lessons for kids of any age, or higher concepts that can be discovered and discussed with parents or guardians.

www.freechildrenstories.com

Comprehension - KS1 English - BBC Bitesize

KS1 English Comprehension learning resources for adults, children, parents and teachers.

www.bbc.co.uk

Stories for Kids: Age 5-8

Illustrated children’s stories for kids between the ages of 5 and 8 that deal with more complex story and plot, including interactive stories that deal with deductive reasoning skills.

www.freechildrenstories.com

Stories for Kids: Age 3-5

Children’s stories for kids between the ages of 3 and 5 that focus on basic development and character-building, emphasizing concepts such as sharing, curiosity, compromise, and bedtime.

www.freechildrenstories.com

Book Trust - EYFS book recommendations

 

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