English Curriculum
At St. Austin's Catholic Primary School our aim is to instil in our pupils a passion for reading and a confidence with words.
National Curriculum 2014
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-english-programmes-of-study
All pupils must be encouraged to read widely across both fiction and non-fiction to develop their knowledge of themselves and the world in which they live, to establish an appreciation and love of reading, and to gain knowledge across the curriculum. Reading also feeds pupils’ imagination and opens up a treasure-house of wonder and joy for curious young minds.
Our Reading Journey
Learning to read is most important to all children. Our focus is to ensure that every child learns to read as quickly as possible.
We want your child to love reading and to want to read for themselves throughout their lives.
In order to instil this we put our efforts into making sure all pupils develop a love of books as well as simply learning to read.
A Strong Start
From the beginning of Reception, we will use Read Write Inc. Phonics which is a highly successful English programme created by Ruth Miskin and published by Oxford University Press. All Reading Teachers at St. Austin’s' are receiving training and support from Ruth Miskin Training to ensure we meet our aim for all children to become confident and enthusiastic readers.
The Read Write Inc. Phonics programme is carefully matched to the new curriculum, giving every child at St. Austin's Catholic Primary the best chance of success.
Reception to Year 2 children are taught using Read Write Inc. Phonics as the main EYFS and KS1 early reading programme but it is also taught as an intervention for children in Years 3 and 4. In addition to this, Read Write Inc. Fresh Start is a phonics programme with more age appropriate resources for older children which we will use as and when required in Years 5 and 6.
Please see the table below for expected progress term-by-term for Read Write Inc. Phonics in EYFS and KS1.
Read Write Inc. Progression Grid
Year Group | Term | Expected Progress in RWI. Groups |
Reception | Autumn | October: know most Set 1 sounds and blend orally (Set 1 B) December: know Set 1 sounds and read words by blending (Set 1 C) |
Spring | February: Ditties April: Red | |
Summer | May: Green July: Green/Purple | |
Year 1 | Autumn | October: Purple December: Pink (know Set 2 sounds) |
Spring | February: Orange April: Yellow | |
Summer | May: Yellow (know Set 3 sounds) July: Blue | |
Year 2 | Autumn | Baseline: Blue October: Blue December: Grey |
Spring | February: Grey April: RWI Spelling and Comprehension |
During the academic year, we hold aim to hold regular parent workshops for early reading as circumstances permit. To begin with this information sharing will be in the form of video links.
For information and tutorials on how to support your child learning to read, go to: http://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/parents/
English Lessons
English incorporates a variety of different areas of learning throughout our school, including reading, writing, grammar, phonics and spelling. Each area of learning is important in its own way and by using the knowledge and skills developed in these areas together, the children at St Austin's can achieve in all other other curriculum subjects!
Writing
At St Austin’s we want our children to enjoy writing in a range of genres, selecting appropriate vocabulary, grammar and punctuation. We will teach them how to improve their writing so that they have the ability to write in a range of genres for the enjoyment of themselves and others.
The Writing Process
Time is prioritised to focus on developing the writing process with children as they move through the school. The key elements of the writing process are planning, drafting, editing and revising, proofread and then publishing or sharing.
Modelling is a key element in the teaching of the writing process, with teachers using 'think out loud' to guide children through how to craft a piece of writing. By modelling, the expert writer lets less experienced writers in on the big secret … What is going on in the head of a more experienced writer? By modelling, we demonstrate options for planning, strategic problem solving, self-monitoring, reviewing, revising and proofreading. We also show how techniques can be used or applied; we work through challenges and teach good grammar towards a real life purpose for writing evident in the child’s published outcome.
Reading for Pleasure
Reading for pleasure is intrinsic to developing children’s love of books. At St Austin’s this is timetabled as a crucial part of the English curriculum. Teachers and Teaching Assistants read to the class from a range of age recommended books. The children beginning in KS1 will then bring home one of these story time /library books to re-read with parents at home. The younger children may ‘pretend’ to read the book because they know it so well.
Home Reading
Evidence suggests that parents and the home environment are essential to the early teaching of reading and fostering a love of reading.
Key findings from the evidence include:
• Parental involvement in a child’s literacy has been reported as a more powerful force than other family background variables, such as social class, family size and level of parental education (Flouri and Buchanan, 2004 – cited in Clark and Rumbold, 2006);
• Children whose home experiences promote the view that reading is a source of entertainment are likely to become intrinsically motivated to read (Baker, Serpell and Sonnenschein, 1995 – cited in Clark and Rumbold, 2006);
• Children are more likely to continue to be readers in homes where books and reading are valued.
Home Reading Books
EYFS and KS1
- Read Write Inc. Book Bag Book – This book will be changed on a Wednesday by their group teacher and is matched to your child’s RWI group. Please have this book in school every day.
- Library book - This book will be changed by their class teacher. Please have this book in school every day.
KS2
Once your child has completed the Read Write Inc. Phonics programme, they will no longer receive a RWI Book Bag Book to take home. Instead, please see the provision below:
School Library Book
This book is to encourage your child to develop their own interest in books and is selected by your child.
Spelling
We use Read Write Inc. Spelling for Years 2-6 to meet the more demanding spelling requirements of the 2014 National Curriculum and to build on the fantastic start our children make with Read Write Inc. Phonics. Reasons why we use this programme:
- It puts the complex requirements of the curriculum into snappy 15-minute lessons
- Makes spelling fun! Aliens from an exciting online spelling planet clearly introduce spelling rules and concepts
- Read Write Inc. Spelling Online includes an Extra Practice Zone including over 1,000 new activity screens for whole-class practice, focusing on the areas children often find challenging. A class login also enables our children to do the practice activities at home: https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/
- Provides plenty of writing practice with a clear record of progress
- The emphasis is on teaching spelling, not simply testing spelling
- Although the teaching of phoneme-grapheme correspondence underpins this programme, it also develops children’s knowledge of word families, how suffixes impact upon root words, and provides mnemonics to remember the trickiest spellings.
- The teaching revolves around instruction (with the help of online alien characters), partner and group practice, and competitive group challenges that help children commit new words to memory.
English Lead : Lucy Jones
Reviewed February 2024