At Middleton Primary School, English and the teaching of English is the foundation of our curriculum. Our aim is to ensure every single child becomes primary literate and progresses in the areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening. Our goal is to inspire an appreciation of our rich and varied literary heritage and a habit of reading widely and often. We recognise the importance of nurturing a culture where children take pride in their writing, can write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of contexts. We want children to be confident in the art of speaking and listening and use discussion to communicate and further their learning.
We recognise that each child has their own starting point upon entry to every year group and progress is measured in line with these starting points to ensure every child, inclusive of vulnerability, can celebrate success. Teachers plan and teach personalised, purposeful English lessons which focus on the particular needs of each child.
English at Middleton will not only be a daily discrete lesson, but is at the heart of the entire curriculum. It is embedded within all our lessons and we will strive for a high level of English for all. Through using high-quality texts, immersing children in vocabulary rich learning environments and ensuring curriculum expectations and the progression of skills are met. The children at Middleton will be exposed to a language heavy, creative and continuous English curriculum which will enable them to become primary literate.
These aims are embedded across our literacy lessons and the wider curriculum. We have a rigorous and well organised English curriculum that provides many purposeful and fun opportunities for reading, writing and discussion. Oracy skills are the driving force of our school curriculum, we promote Voice 21’s four strands in our classroom through Talk Rules. There is clear progression throughout school of dialogic teaching activities, Tower Hamlet language structures and well-chosen vocabulary suitable to the age and needs of the children.
We ensure that our curriculum shows clear progression for all children. In line with Development Matters and the New National Curriculum all year groups teach grammar, punctuation and spelling objectives required for their age group. Pupils achieve good outcomes by embedding Alan Peat sentences structures in their writing.
In Key Stage 1 and Early Years children excel in early reading through the use of the RWI programme. In Year 2 children continue to develop a range of reading skills, as well as a love of reading using rich texts as the centre of the curriculum. In our daily literacy lessons vulnerable groups are highlighted and support staff are used to support these groups further, though PiXl therapies, to ensure progression and specific year group skills are secure. In Key Stage 2 there are daily literacy lessons and daily opportunities to read, progressing from small guided groups to whole class discussion-based sessions.
We use a wide variety of quality texts and resources to inspire our children and expose them to a variety of genres. We also provide a wealth of enrichment opportunities including: hosting Parent Stay and read sessions, Book Club, Author Visits, Reading Club, World Book Day and access to the School Library. Every year we run a poetry competition for children to take part in. This ensures that children benefit from access to positive role models from the local and wider locality.
As a result, we have a community of enthusiastic readers and writers who enjoy showcasing their developing literacy knowledge and skills. They are confident to take risks in their reading and writing, and love to discuss and share their ideas.
We recognise that we are on a continued journey with our attainment at the end of EYFS, KS1 and KS2 where we aspire to be in the line with the national expectations. Our pupils arrive with a lower starting point than the national average.
At Middleton Primary School, English and the teaching of English is the foundation of our curriculum. Our aim is to ensure every single child becomes primary literate. Our goal is to inspire an appreciation of our rich and varied literary heritage and a habit of reading widely and often. Through using high-quality texts, immersing children in vocabulary rich learning environments and ensuring curriculum expectations and the progression of skills are met. The children at Middleton will be exposed to a language heavy, creative and continuous English curriculum which will enable them to become primary literate. We do this to ensure:
Across the whole school (8.50-9.15 KS1 and 8.50-9.30 KS2) the children read. There is a range of fiction and non-fiction texts for children to read and enjoy. During this time, all adults listen to children read and other children read independently. Our Pastoral Team and Office Staff listen to the same child read at least 3 x per week. Our Head Teacher goes into classes at this time and listens to children read – a letter is then sent home to say she has read with that child to celebrate the reading they have done. During this time, some interventions such as Nessy and Dandelion Phonics take place.
In addition to a wide variety of quality texts and resources to inspire our children and expose them to a variety of genres we provide a wealth of enrichment opportunities and interventions including:
We then meet half-termly to discuss the individual progress of every child in school for reading and put extra support in place for those not meeting expectations.
The whole Early Years Curriculum and provision is built around our quality texts. Story reading throughout the day as well as designated story times is designed to develop and foster a love of books as well as improving vocabulary. We have a reading spine of quality texts which are read frequently so children know the books well. Busy brain reading is embedded at the start of every day and is where children get to enjoy picture books of their choice. Systematic Synthetic Phonics is taught through the Read Write Inc scheme, and this develops phonological awareness and early reading.
For all children their school days starts with morning reading. This is a time when children read independently whilst adults hear individual children read. At 9.15 am Key Stage 1 begin their systematic synthetic phonics using Read Write Inc for 45 minutes (please see RWI page for further information). The session is followed by daily reading and writing lessons planned around key texts which are used for a half term.
In Key Stage 2 independent reading is followed by whole class reading of a novel. Reading planning follows the same format with a big read on Monday, DERIC activities on Tuesday and Wednesday, a fluency focus on Thursday and handwriting and spelling on Friday.
Our children are very enthusiastic about our new reading curriculum and appreciate having their very own copy of the text. In Year 3 to support progression we provide both small groups guided reading and whole class reading sessions.
At Middleton Primary School, English and the teaching of English is the foundation of our curriculum. Our aim is to ensure every single child becomes primary literate. We recognise the importance of nurturing a culture where children take pride in their writing, can write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of contexts. We want children to be confident in the art of speaking and listening and use discussion to communicate and further their learning.
English at Middleton is not only taught through a sequence of daily lessons; but is at the heart of the entire curriculum. It is embedded within all our lessons and we will strive for a high level of English for all.
Each half term, our key texts are fiction however, these are supplemented with a range of non-fiction texts. These texts are also linked to topic work and into writing where many non-fiction texts are used to support the various writing genres in school, within the daily writing lesson and through the wider curriculum. Through using these high-quality texts, it immerses our children in vocabulary rich learning environments and ensures curriculum expectations and the progression of skills are met. The children at Middleton will be exposed to a language heavy, creative and continuous English curriculum which will enable them to become primary literate.
Our aim for writing is:
• to foster the enjoyment of writing, and a recognition of its value;
• to encourage accurate and meaningful writing, be it narrative or non-fiction;
• to improve the planning, drafting and editing of their written work.
We have a rigorous and well organised English curriculum that provides many purposeful and fun opportunities for reading, writing and discussion. Oracy skills are the driving force of our school curriculum, we promote Voice 21’s four strands in our classroom through Talk Rules. There is clear progression throughout school of dialogic teaching activities, Tower Hamlet language structures and well-chosen vocabulary suitable to the age and needs of the children.
We ensure that our curriculum shows clear progression for all children. In line with Development Matters and the New National Curriculum all year groups teach grammar, punctuation and spelling objectives required for their age group.
We recognise that each child has their own starting point upon entry to every year group and progress is measured in line with these starting points to ensure every child, inclusive of vulnerability, can celebrate success. Teachers plan and teach personalised, purposeful English lessons which focus on the particular needs of each child. In our daily literacy lessons vulnerable groups are highlighted and support staff are used to support these groups further, though PiXl therapies, to ensure progression and specific year group skills are secure.
We strive to meet the needs of those pupils with special educational needs, those with disabilities, those with special gifts and talents, and those learning English as an additional language, and we take all reasonable steps to achieve this. We meet every half term to discuss every child’s progress in writing and put interventions in place for those children needing extra support.
In the EYFS physical development underpins children’s ability to manipulate writing tools. We therefore provide a range of experiences to develop the muscles needed to engage in writing. These include movement play sessions, dough disco and funky finger challenges. Throughout the provision children have access to a wide range of mark making resources and stimuli to encourage early drawing and writing. Correct letter formation is taught within our daily RWI sessions and Penpals hand writing lessons.
In Key Stage 1, our daily writing sessions follow on from and complement our reading model. Across the week, we focus on one writing genre and explicit teach the skills needed to create good quality writing. We use a wealth of resources to meet the needs of our children including PiXL, Twinkl and Grammarsaurus as well as our bespoke writing units of work. Modelling is an imperative part of our structured lessons and is present during our carpet inputs. Dialogical teaching is embedded across the curriculum, even more so in our writing sessions. Once equipped with the tools and knowledge the children move on to the application within their own writing. We teach the children very early on the importance of the think, say, count, write, check as a process for sentence writing. Children then move on to editing their writing which is a process done with the teacher for different purposes. Much of our writing is cross-curricular and flows into our afternoon topic sessions too.
In Key Stage 2, our daily writing sessions follow on from and complement our reading model. Our units are dependant on the genre of writing, these can last from one to three weeks. We use a wealth of resources to meet the needs of our children including Twinkl and Grammarsaurus, but much of our writing is taught through PiXL and our bespoke writing units of work. Dialogical teaching is embedded across the curriculum, even more so in our writing sessions where we use sentence stems to support oracy skills and writing. Once equipped with the tools and knowledge the children move on to the application within their own writing. Much of our writing is cross-curricular and flows into our afternoon topic sessions too.
We aim for our children to leave in Year 6 with the ability to write using their own style of fast, fluent, legible and sustainable handwriting, as well as other styles of writing for specific purposes. In addition to teaching handwriting during our regular handwriting lessons, we have high expectations that what is taught and practiced in handwriting lessons will be used in all writing activities. We believe that handwriting is integral to a child’s personal development and know that children’s engagement and self-esteem can be improved by their satisfaction and pride in good quality presentation.
Handwriting is a taught skill that develops at different rates for different children. All of the teachers in the school put a priority on teaching handwriting and have high expectations for handwriting across the curriculum. Our school uses Penpals for Handwriting to ensure that:
Penpals enables us to teach and secure the development of handwriting throughout the school:
In using Penpals, we ensure that our children follow the requirements and recommendations of the National Curriculum. We share the aspirations that children’s handwriting should be ‘sufficiently fluent and effortless for them to manage the general demands of the curriculum’ and that ‘problems with forming letters do not get in the way of their writing down what they want to say’.
Throughout their time in school, children use a range of tools for different purposes and styles of handwriting including:
Penpals interactive resources support the teaching of handwriting and provide exercises to physically prepare children for handwriting. Handwriting is always introduced and practised in the Penpals Practice Books and on lined paper so that children quickly learn about letter orientation including ascenders and descenders. As children’s fine motor skills improve and their letter formation or joining becomes increasingly accurate, the width between the lines they write on gradually decreases.
All of our children have equal access to handwriting lessons and to the resources available. We recognise that some children take longer to develop the necessary skills and we cater for those children by providing additional opportunities for skills development. Children who need specific fine motor or handwriting interventions are identified early and the impact of interventions is carefully monitored. Children with a physical disability are catered for, and progress is monitored, according to their individual action plans.
From Reception to Year 2 children are taught to spell through our Systematic Synthetic Phonics program, Read Write Inc. Children learn how to segment spoken words into sounds for spelling. This is practiced daily and embedded in additional Literacy sessions. Children in Years 3 and 4 who still require the teaching of phonics still receive it as part of their daily Reading session.
In Years 1 to 6 the children use Spelling Shed to learn and practise spelling patterns. As part of our Reading and Writing sessions we use the Spelling Shed weekly plans and presentations to deliver to spelling rules. Then, the children are assigned games they can access on electronic devices linked to their ability.
For more information click here to access the Spelling Shed website.
We teach phonics through the Read, Write Inc programme. We share this with parents from Reception at the start of every year – this is the powerpoint that was shared with parents at the start of this year:
Read Write Inc Parent Presentation
We use the highly successful Read Write Inc. Phonics programme to teach our children to read, write and spell. Our children do well in the phonics screening check and by Year 2, the majority are fluent readers with the best chance of success in the KS1 tests.
Ruth Miskin Training recognise us for teaching the programme with fidelity and passion – we know what it takes to make reading and writing pleasurable and rewarding for our children.
This badge recognises that we:
Across school we have a number of Beanstalk reading volunteers who work 1:1 with some of our children.
Beanstalk’s support is proven to help children as they:
· Develop the key pre-school skills that make being taught to read an easier process
· Grasp the ‘mechanics’ of reading as they are taught to read
· Learn how to become an effective reader
We are very lucky to have a special visitor who our children can read to. She is an excellent listener! Evie comes every week with her owner, Sarah and the children absolutely love reading them both!
We have our Year 6 reading buddies who listen to and read to the younger children in school each morning. Our Senior Leadership team, Pastoral Team and Office Staff also read with children across school every day during our morning reading sessions.
The Bookmark programmes are evidence-based and evaluated by the National Literacy Trust.
Sessions are clearly structured with varied and engaging content, including a range of books, games and activities. Children are encouraged to choose what they want to read. This is just one of the ways we support our children with their reading.
We love celebrating World Book Day at Middleton Primary School, so much so we make a week of it! The children love to dress up as their favourite character and really enjoy the annual book swap we offer.
At different points in the year we have our 'Extreme Reading' challenges. This is where the children are challenged to read their favourite books in an extreme place. We have had children reading at waterfalls, on monkey bars and mid-air on trampolines!