Intent:

Being able to listen, speak, read and write effectively is integral to children’s learning right across the curriculum. We place great importance on the teaching and learning of English at St. Michael's and recognise that, with well developed verbal and written communication skills, children can:

• Develop and sustain positive relationships;
• Express their thoughts and ideas more meaningfully and deeply;
• Understand other people’s points of view and develop greater empathy and appreciation of diversity;
• Share their own voice and affect change in their communities, particularly their school community, developing a sense of and desire for responsibility.
• Access the wider curriculum through a wide range of texts from which they can gain knowledge and understanding;
• Learn about the world around them, gaining a sense of wonder and inspiration;
• Broaden their horizons and challenge their thinking;
• Structure and record their thoughts coherently;
• Apply previous learning in meaningful ways

Implementation:

We implement our vision for teaching and learning through the following consistent practices across the school:

• Lesson structures which facilitate opportunities for oracy, quality discussion and higher order thinking;
• Chances to rehearse, perform and speak publicly to varying audiences and for a range of purposes;
• A DfE approved scheme for the teaching of systematic, synthetic phonics which provides progression for the teaching of early reading from our Nursery through to the end of Year 1;
• Explicit teaching of reading fluency, prosody and comprehension strategies in all year groups, and frequent opportunities for less confident readers to rehearse decoding with an adult;
• Exposure to- and engagement with- a diverse reading spine through which texts act as ‘windows’ into other cultures or possibilities, and ‘mirrors’ through which children can see themselves represented in literature and the wider world;
• Responsive, contextualised teaching of grammar and spelling skills as appropriate to the needs of the cohort. Writing lessons follow a 3-week journey through familiarisation with a wide range of genres, feature spotting and skill rehearsal which gradually removes scaffolds and equips learners to write confidently and independently;
• Frequent opportunities to recap and revisit prior learning, including through the use of technology, e.g. Spelling Shed, for independent retrieval practice;
• A robust and considered assessment process to empower teachers with the right information to plan effectively for the strengths and areas for development in the profile of their learners;
• Timely identification and intervention where a child’s attainment is falling behind that of their peers.

Impact:

By delivering our English curriculum in this way, St Michael’s are committed to:

• Strong performance in both formal assessments and ongoing teacher assessments;
• Pupils with increased confidence to engage in discussion, express themselves clearly and speak publicly in preparation for life outside the classroom;
• Competent, confident readers who can apply their skills to support their learning and choose to read for pleasure beyond the texts selected by their teachers;
• Positive attitudes to reading and a partnership with parents and carers in developing healthy reading habits at home;
• Nurturing both functional and inspired writers to communicate clearly and intentionally through the written word in a range of contexts;

Barriers removed and children with learning difficulties and/or SEND supported to achieve personal success from their starting point.