‘To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.’ Victor Hugo

At Stivichall, we believe that reading is the gateway to learning. Our English curriculum is launched from high quality texts, allowing children to immerse themselves in rich vocabulary, stories and provide them with the opportunity to enrich their curriculum knowledge through reading. The Power of Reading is an intrinsic part of our curriculum, providing teachers and pupils with high quality texts, through which they can explore the world, ask questions, seek answers, be inspired and learn to love reading.

As well as engaging our children as readers, we aim to develop them as authors. Writing opportunities are carefully planned across the curriculum, with children required to write for a variety of purposes and audiences. Through a clear pathway of progression as they advance through school, children are provided with the knowledge and skills they need to develop their own independence and to identify their own areas for development.

Each curriculum theme has a text to launch from and, where appropriate, a Talk for Writing stimulus is also used to build a bank of writing structures that children can draw upon for their own writing. Immersion in some of the best writing available to us provides children with a toolkit from which they can innovate. Their knowledge is deepened over time and, with a widening skill set, they can imagine and invent their own writing, expressing their thoughts and ideas.

We believe that the English curriculum is an essential part of the whole development of all children and aim to give the children the tools they need to be successful.

Additionally, we organise many inspiring whole school events where children can use their English skills in a range of contexts. For example, on National Poetry Day, children may be visited by a poet and carry out poetry-based workshops where they will read, write and recite poetry. This may be followed by a celebration of their work as they share what they have learnt with different classes while practising their speaking and listening skills. When children can use and apply their English skills in a real situation, they are more engaged, excited and motivated to learn and develop.

Early Reading

• In reception there is a ‘language rich’ environment.

• Well-planned indoor and outdoor play experiences are used to develop children’s language skills. Play experiences are used to provide opportunities for developing imaginative play, storytelling, experimenting, problem solving and interacting with other children.

• Adults use every opportunity with children to interact, share a focus, to talk and to take turns.

• Staff read aloud high quality stories, poems, rhymes and non-fiction texts that develop children’s vocabulary, language comprehension and a love of reading.

• Children have the opportunity throughout the day to access the reading area, where there is a wide range of books they are able to choose from freely.

• Systematic, synthetic phonics is taught daily in Reception and KS1. We use the DFE approved scheme ‘Floppy's Phonics.’

• There are clear term by term expectations for which phases should be taught, starting in reception.

• Assessment of pupil’s phonic progress is frequent and used to identify any children who are falling behind, so that additional support can be provided.

• Children are able to practise reading both at school and at home, using books that have the sound they know in order to develop fluency. The sequence of reading bands shows progression in phonics knowledge.

• Extra reading and phonic support is provided daily for the children who are not making expected progress.

• Parent workshops are delivered at the start of the academic year, so all parents have the knowledge and skills needed to support their child’s reading at home.

• Children take part in small shared reading sessions where they are all able to access and discuss a high-quality picture book. They are taught to handle books with care, look at the words and pictures in detail.

Click here to see our Overview and Progression of Phonics Phases document & Phonics at Stivichall Learning Path.

The English Curriculum

• English skills are taught daily. Writing opportunities are found across the curriculum ensuring that pupils are able to write in a variety of contexts inspired by a range of stimuli.

• Reading is taught daily. Language acquisition is a daily activity: it may be adventurous vocabulary or subject specific vocabulary needed for children to articulate their learning effectively.

• Building on their cultural capital, children regularly take their learning outside the classroom onto the school grounds or?on trips as part of Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC)

• Children in EYFS learn English skills through directed play and small group?work in a literacy rich environment inside and outside the classroom;

• Our curriculum is launched through high quality texts from the ‘Power of Reading’ and writing is further supported through Pie Corbett’s ‘Talk for Writing’;

• Carefully planned writing opportunities are planned across the curriculum to ensure progression of skills and texts for children across school, whilst also allowing for a wide variety of writing opportunities;

• Children are given frequent opportunities to participate in drama activities, build on ideas through discussion and rehearse before writing;

• Vocabulary is an important aspect of the English curriculum, with time taken to gather adventurous vocabulary in both writing and reading lessons. The texts chosen as stimuli allow children to be immersed in rich vocabulary;

• Spellings are taught through the Jane Considine 'Spelling book', where focused investigation and spelling activities are based on strong phonic foundations. Children are set spelling investigations and are invited to explore new spellings through research and exploration across the whole curriculum and record these within their class spelling board. This approach focuses on explicit teaching, exploratory investigation and the revision of new rules with engaging 'short burst' activities.

• A love of reading is fostered within children throughout their school life as reading is at the heart of the curriculum at Stivichall;

• Children are given time to share books with each other and their teachers. Reading buddies is arranged across the school, where older children have the opportunity to read to and share books with the younger children. Book recommendations are shared with classes by teachers and children every other week.

Support at home

Regular reading at home is crucial from reception to year 6. It is important that parents listen to children read and ask them about texts in order to develop comprehension skills. Sharing books is just as important as listening to a child read; this promotes a love of reading and shows the people around them as readers too. Alongside their school reading book, children should be encouraged to read other texts such as a library book, a magazine or a book on the kindle. Any reading at home should be recorded in the child’s reading record. We thank you for your support in this.

Linked Home Learning provides children and parents with opportunities for independent learning outside of school; choices that require the children to use the English skills that they have learnt in class.?This practice of using and applying English skills, including outside trips or visits, is key to embedding and consolidating learning. Whilst completing these projects, as with any written homework, children should practise their handwriting skills.

Developing ‘fluency’ in reading and writing is one of our key drivers that we focus on in school. Children will learn spelling skills in class and practise these in a variety of ways. Regular practice of spellings will help your child to become faster and more accurate when writing – helping them in every area of the curriculum. Again, we thank you for your support in this.

Please do contact your child’s class teacher should you require any further information, or have any questions about how you can help support your child.?