English

At The Bramble Academy, we recognise that English is essential to every area of the curriculum and a good understanding of English enables children to make sense of the world and our place in it. We value the importance of speaking and listening, reading for pleasure and understanding, and writing with fluency and purpose.

Our English curriculum intent is to promote high standards of language and literacy by giving children the opportunity to learn, practice and consolidate the required skills as set out in the National Curriculum and to develop their love of literature through our Reading into writing approach.

We aim to ensure that all pupils:

• develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
• develop the skills to read easily, fluently and with good understanding (learning to read through our SSP Little Wandle revised letters and sounds)
• acquire a wide vocabulary and an understanding of grammar and linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
• write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
• develop their speaking and listening skills to enable them to discuss, debate and present their ideas in different contexts.

We use a Reading into Writing approach that is intended to develop children’s love of literature, develop their understanding of the world, build their vocabulary and cultural capital as well as providing a model for their own writing. The teaching of writing ensures the progression of both transcription, (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing) so that children can write confidently for a range of purposes and audiences. Spoken language underpins the development of reading and writing and therefore is central to a child’s development across the whole curriculum.

Our Reading into Writing approach which covers the statutory requirements as set out in the National Curriculum and EYFS Framework. Children begin their writing journey in EYFS developing early skills in mark making, phonics, reading, handwriting, spelling, punctuation, grammar and composition and an understanding of audience and purpose. These foundations are built upon as the children progress through KS1 and KS2.

Each half term a high quality, carefully chosen text is the driver for our English teaching. Our children have opportunities to write for a variety of purposes and audiences and as much possible we aim to provide real-world reasons for writing. We give children opportunities to plan, draft, edit and publish their writing and cover a range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. We provide daily opportunities for children to develop their understanding of grammar, punctuation, spelling, vocabulary, transcription and composition, all rooted in the high