English
Intent
(purpose, aims, knowledge, skills, curriculum design)
At Ringwood Junior School we seek to foster the inter-relationship of Speaking and Listening, Reading and Writing. This is achieved through a balanced approach in which the importance of English in enabling access to all areas of the curriculum is balanced by the teaching of skills specific to English.
Success in many areas of the curriculum is dependent on the child acquiring the important skills of English. We aim to offer all pupils equal access to the English Curriculum recognising that for some further support will be necessary, while others will benefit from extension activities.
We aim to develop pupils’ abilities within an integrated programme of Speaking & Listening, Reading & Writing. Pupils will be given opportunities to interrelate the requirements of English within a broad and balanced approach to the teaching of English across the curriculum, with opportunities to consolidate and reinforce taught literacy skills.
Throughout this we aim to develop a lifelong love and understanding of the importance of English.
Implementation
(how the subject is taught, organised enriched)
In years 3-6 pupils are taught English in mixed ability groups. In year 6 there is an additional parallel group, allowing for smaller class sizes.
Other year groups will also benefit from small groups depending on the cohort need. Pupils are supported and extended through quality first teaching, with pre-teaching and support groups as required. English is taught daily, through integrated units including: spelling, grammar, reading, writing and speaking and listening. All children also have 3 guided reading lessons a week where skills are taught.
On entry to year 3 children complete the ‘Little Wandle’ phonics check. Phonics groups are then put in pace based on the need of the cohort.
Teachers plan reading and writing units using high quality texts, with a focus on fluency and reading skills. To support this, all pupils have a ‘Reading Passport’ to ensure they are reading a wider range of texts and authors.
Opportunities for live performance are provided for each year group through visits from author and actor, Chris Connaughton, who provides the initial stimulus for units of work.
Chris Connaughton with this performance of Sherlock Holmes for Year 6 pupils
Writing is assessed at the end of each English unit through a written piece, allowing them to show their understanding of previous learning. Reading is assessed through evidence of skills development in Guided Reading lessons, as evidenced in group discussions and their Guided Reading books.
Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 | |
Autumn Term | Text- ‘Meerkat mail’ Outcome- Descriptions of places in the school. Post cards
Text- Wolves by Emily Gravett and website pages on wolves Outcome-Non-chronological report
Text- ‘Stone Age Boy’ Outcome-artefact description
Text- ‘Winters child’ and poem- ‘Snow’ Outcome- winter poem – free verse
| Text- ‘Flotsam’ Outcome- Continued descriptive narrative
Text- Shackleton’s Journey Outcome- - letters of application for a job, diary entries
Text- ‘Overheard on a Saltmarsh’- poem Outcome- Own poem in similar style
Text –‘Lion, the witch and the wardrobe’ Outcome- Narrative description of characters with interaction
| Text- ‘The Fastest boy in the world’ Outcome- letter writing
Text- ‘The lost words’, ‘Woman in white’ Outcome- Poetry
Text- Arguments Outcome- Balanced argument on rights of way in the New Forest
Text- ‘Robin Hood’ , including visit from story teller- Chris Connaughton
Outcome- Narrative to continue the text from an alternative viewpoint
Text- ‘Wolf Wilder’ Outcome- Newspaper report, narrative | Texts- King Kong
Outcomes- Diary entry and newspaper report
Texts- Poem- ‘The Highway Man’
Outcome- Short poem with figurative Language
Texts- Range of explanations
Outcome-Explanation on Darwin and evolution
|
Spring Term | Text- Leon and the place in-between Outcome- narrative with dialogue
Text- ‘How to live forever’ and non-fiction books on Ancient Egypt. Outcome- Explanation on Mummification (Embalmer’s Handbook)
Text– ‘Stone Girl, Bone Girl’ and ‘Women in Science’ Outcome-Biographical Narrative
| Text- Information books/ websites/ films on the Romans. Outcome- Non-chronological report on Roman soldiers.
Text- ‘The Iron Man’ Outcome- comic strip, letter as Hogarth, diary entries from different viewpoints- Hogarth and The Iron Man
Text– ‘Firework makers Daughter’ Outcome- narrative with speech, diary entry
| Text- ‘Wolf Wilder’ Outcome- Newspaper report, narrative
Texts- Phillipe Petit- ‘Man on the Wire’ Outcome- Newspaper
Text- short film- ‘The Piano’ Outcome-Flashback narrative
Text- Children of the Quicksands Outcome- Two settings descriptions Two letters
| Texts- Sherlock Holmes stories and a visit from story teller Chris Connaughton
Outcome- Own Sherlock Holmes story using the language of Conan-Doyle and dialogue to move the action forward.
Texts- Shakespeare- Macbeth
Outcome- A letter and narrative using language of Shakespeare and dialogue to move the action forward.
Texts- Information texts on Ancient Greek Gods- History link Outcome- An explanation |
Summer Term | Text - Kensuke’s Kingdom Outcome- Ship’s log diaries
Text-visit from author and actor Chris Connaughton. Range of versions of Little Red Riding Hood. Outcome- Own alternative version of Little Red Riding Hood
| Text- ‘Wolf Wilder’ Outcome- Newspaper report, narrative
Texts- Phillipe Petit- ‘Man on the Wire’ Outcome- Newspaper
Text- short film- ‘The Piano’ Outcome-Flashback narrative
Text- Children of the Quicksands Outcome- Two settings descriptions Two letters
| Text- ‘The Explorer’- Katherine Rundell Outcome- Narrative, non-fiction information on the Amazon. Part 2
Text- Mockumentary short video Transcript- ‘Majestic Plastic Bag’ Outcome- Mockumentary and persuasive speech
| Texts- information from History lessons of Battle of Marathon Outcome- Short description in first person
Texts - Persuasive speeches (history link to battle)
Outcome - Persuasive speech
Texts- Short film- ‘Lucky Dip’
Outcome- description with atmosphere, short dialogue, letter of complaint Texts- examples of letter Outcome- Pride piece for secondary school- letter |
Year 3 Embalmers handbooks
Year 4 writing linked to Shackleton’s Journey
Impact
(knowledge, skills and attitudes, how we will measure this)
Our aim is for all children to be fluent readers and writers who can adapt their writing style to a range of text types with a real understanding of their audience. We aim to support our children to develop a love of reading and writing which will continue with them as they move to secondary school.
Year leaders use their cohort action plans and overviews to monitor the progress of all pupils, considering their end of year 2 assessments, progress from these, progress across the current year and predictions for the end of the year and key stage.
Teacher assessments are entered on ARBOR so trends and groups can be carefully monitored each term.
Standards are regularly monitored through lesson observations, learning walks by SLMT and governors, pupil conferencing, book and planning scrutiny.
Using this information appropriate support and extension and can be put in place.