St Matthew's CofE Primary SchoolEnglish
English at St Matthew's
Intent
At St Matthew’s, we adopt a holistic approach, developing every aspect of each pupil through providing a broad range of important reading and writing opportunities. Our pupils build cultural capital and are empowered through exposure to high-quality literature across the curriculum.
Pupils are encouraged to be curious and inquisitive, fostering their ability to uphold our core values: Succeed, Hope, Inspire, Nurture and Empower (SHINE). We are passionate about broadening the horizons of our pupils by progressively developing fundamental oracy, reading and writing skills, equipping them with the tools necessary to achieve and actively participate in society.
Implement
At St Matthew’s, we deliver an ambitious, varied and inclusive English curriculum, that incorporates purposeful discussion, reading and writing experiences. Children access an interwoven programme of study, facilitating their ability to identify cross-curricular links and deepening their understanding of the world. Through utilising ‘Ready Steady Write’ resources, pupils interact with a rich repertoire of thought-provoking texts, which motivate and inspire them.
The English national curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils
- read easily, fluently and with good understanding
- develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and to learn
- gather a wide bank of vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
- appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage
- write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
- use discussion in order to learn, elaborating and explaining their understanding and ideas clearly
- are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.
At St Matthew's, close monitoring of pupils’ oracy, reading and writing skills enables staff to quickly identify and plan appropriate intervention for children in need of further support. We are determined to facilitate pupils in achieving their full potential, through tailoring lesson inputs and suitably differentiating resources, to motivate and challenge children of every ability, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
To provide parents and carers with the knowledge and confidence to support their children at critical stages of their education, we host a selection of informative workshops, including a Phonics session for Year 1 parents and carers; a reading and SATs preparation session for Year 2 parents and carers and a SATs preparation session for Year 6 parents and carers.
Teachers work tirelessly to mark every piece of work completed, immediately addressing misconceptions and providing children with the opportunity to consolidate learning through correcting mistakes.
At St Matthew’s, we believe that every child is an author and should have the opportunity to publish their work. We relish the opportunity to celebrate our children’s success. As such, an ‘Awesome Author’ is chosen from each class and awarded with a certificate and a badge each term. Winning pieces are proudly displayed in the library for all to enjoy. Every child from Reception to Year 6 has a ‘Polished Pieces’ writing book, in which all their published pieces are showcased.
Mindful of the enormous socioeconomic advantage reading can offer children, we promote a love of reading by ensuring it is an integral part of school life and routine: we participate in national reading events, such as ‘World Book Day’, with dedication and enthusiasm; classrooms are decorated with engaging and interactive reading displays, which stimulate conversation about books amongst pupils; we invest in drama workshops, enriching trips and excursions, which complement children’s learning and teachers model what it means to be a good reader to their pupils on a daily basis.
Impact
The impact of our provision is clear - children make progress and develop a multitude of transferable skills, preparing them for life beyond school.
By the end of Key Stage 2, our pupils have secured the crucial writing skills needed to succeed and gained invaluable experience of being immersed in an array of genres. They are able to dedicate their attention to creatively crafting pieces according to the purpose and audience of the style across subjects.
We hope for our children to leave St Matthew’s with high aspirations and a thirst for learning, which drives them to further their education.