Wickford Primary School

Honest Positive Determined Respectful

English

At Wickford Primary School, our aim is for children to become confident, skilled communicators by providing rich teaching and learning opportunities that are both appropriately challenging and engaging. We view the teaching of English as a fundamental part of the complete growth of the pupil, providing key skills to benefit pupils throughout their education and beyond as well as encouraging positive behaviours and attitudes towards learning as a whole. 

The key areas of teaching and learning for English are: 

  • Phonics  
  • Reading  
  • Writing Composition 
  • Spelling 
  • Handwriting 
  • Spoken language 

These skills are needed in all subjects. English skills should be seen as a “toolkit” that can be used in all lessons. 

For further information about the EYFS Early Learning Goals, please click here. For Years 1-6, please see the English National Curriculum. 

Reading

The ability to read is an essential skill for all aspects of learning. Our school has a strong reading culture, where we aim to foster a lifelong love of reading for pleasure, ensuring that reading is valued, rewarded and celebrated.

Our intent is for our pupils to be motivated, enthusiastic readers who have the required skills to read a range of texts fluently, with good understanding. We aim to foster a life-long love of reading that will stay with the children into adult life.

Phonics

We use Little Wandle Letters and Sounds to teach phonics. Children in FS and Y1 have daily phonics lessons where children are taught new GPCs (Grapheme Phoneme Correspondence), how to segment and blend, as well as a range of other early reading skills.

Videos of how to pronounce each sound and know when they are taught can be found here alongside other key information for parents and carers.

Children in Y2 will consolidate and build upon learning from Y1 and daily phonics lessons will start to focus more on applying phonics to spelling and wider rules and patterns.

Children who have not passed the phonics screening test in Y1 will receive additional provision to support their decoding skills.

Key Terminology  

  • Phoneme: The smallest unit of sound in a word e.g. s, a, t.. Phonemes may be written with more than one letter e.g. day. They are represented by graphemes in writing.  
  • Grapheme: The letter or letters that are used to write a phoneme. For example, s, ai or igh. 
  • Digraph: A grapheme made up of two letters that make one phoneme (sound). where two letters represent one phoneme or sound. For example, ar, ea, er, oi, ch, th. 
  • Trigraph: A three letter grapheme where three letters represent one phoneme or sound eg air, igh, ear.
  • Split digraph: A digraph that is split by a consonant (e.g a-e in make). A split digraph usually changes the sound of the first vowel. For example, compare the pronunciation between hug and huge. 
  • Blending: Blending involves merging the sounds in a word together in order to read it. For example, j-a-m blended together makes the word jam.  
  • Segmenting: Segmenting involves breaking up a word so that you can hear each individual sound. This helps with spelling or reading. For example, the word jam is segmented into j-a-m or the work ship is segmented into sh-i-p.
  • CVC word- An abbreviation for constant- vowel- consonant. This is a way of indicating the order of graphemes in words. For example, it (VC word), cat (CVC word), nest (CVCC word).
  • Tricky words: Words that are commonly used in English, but they have complex spelling patterns which make them difficult to read and write. For example: said, of and was.
  • Vowel: The letters a, e, i, o and u.
  • Vowel digraph: A digraph that is made up of two vowels (ea in sea).
  • Consonant: The letters of the alphabet (apart from the vowels a, e, i, o and u).
  • Consonant digraph: A digraph that is made up of two consonants (sh in shop).
  • Adjencent consonant: Two or three consonants next to each other that represent different sounds. For example, bl in black. Notice here that bl makes the two different sounds b and l, whereas ck makes the single sound ck.

Statutory Assessment 

At the end of Y1, all children complete the Phonics Screening Check (PSC) in June. It is a way for teachers to ensure that children are making sufficient progress with their phonics skills to read words and that they are on track to become fluent readers who can enjoy reading for pleasure and for learning. The screening is made up of 40 words to check how well they can apply the phonics skills they have acquired in FS and Y1. There are 20 real words and 20 pseudo words (fake or 'alien' words). The pseudo words are included to check they can apply their phonics knowledge to decode unfamiliar words, not just recognise words they have read before. 

Regular checks are carried out throughout FS and Y1 to check whether children are making progress. If a child does not pass the PSC in Y1, they will have extra phonics provision throughout Y2 and retake the check the following year.

How to help at home 

It is important that the children read their reading books, but there are other engaging ways to help them with their phonics. You could:

  • Simple flashcards/ magnetic alphabet letters, or post it notes to practise phonemes that are being taught at school.
  • Looking for graphemes in the environment and practising the phoneme.
  • Play games e.g. I spy something beginning with… OR I spy a ‘c-a-t’ to encourage oral blending.
  • Supporting your child with reading their school books every night- using correct terminology and pronunciation to reinforce learning and develop fluency
  • No pressure- keep it fun.  Take turns-Silly voices. My turn-your turn

Reading Books and Comprehension

Comprehension is a skill that will transfer to many areas of learning and development. Comprehension of a text involves understanding the words and grammar as well as being able to apply it to their knowledge of the world. Comprehension skills develop through pupils’ experience of high-quality discussions with others and reading a wide range of appropriate texts. We recognise that in the future, pupils will be accessing more and more texts using information technology tools and use these within our lessons. This includes the use of our computer-based reading resources such as Bug Club  (which pupils can use at home), through which children can access a wide variety of texts online.

FS and Y1

In FS and Y1, children have a reading practice book and a sharing book. A reading practice book goes home after the child has read it two or more times in school, following the Little Wandle approach. Session 1 focuses on decoding, and session 2 onwards focusses on fluency and comprehension. Children should take decodable books home that they are fluent in and have confidence enjoying reading the book that is closely matched to their skills. A sharing book is taken from the school library and children will enjoy hearing this read to or parts with them.

Y2 

Children in Y2 continue to participate in reading groups until they have reached a level of fluency where they are secure with their decoding skills at an appropriate speed with age-appropriate expression. When children have reached this level, they choose books more independently using Accelerated Reader. Children continue to enjoy choosing a sharing book from our school library. From January, we teach reading comprehension through whole class lessons, where children develop their oral and written responses to longer texts.

KS2

Children are introduced to Accelerated Reader from Year 3. Every half-term children complete a short online reading assessment called STAR Reading. This gives children their ZPD range - a range of books that offer challenge without causing frustration for children. Children will read books in school within their range, and are taught how to chose reading books. Once they have finished reading their book, children will complete quiz on their book on the Accelerated Reader website. To check the book level of a book, please search for the title here. Children visit Wickford Library in the town centre every three weeks with their class. Children take part in whole class reading lessons every week where they develop their understanding of fiction, non-fiction and poetry.

How to help at home

We appreciate the vital role parents and carers play in developing children’s reading. Reading is part of each child’s home learning, therefore, parents and carers are expected to assist with this. Each child has a reading record in which reading at home should be recorded and teachers monitor this regularly.

Encourage discussion about the book. Ask questions such as:

  • What does … mean?
  • Can you show me where …. is?
  • What happened when … ?
  • Where does … happen?
  • How do you think … felt? Why?
  • Why do you think …. did that?
  • What has been your favourite part of the story? Why?
  • What do you think will happen next? Later on?

Reading to children is also a powerful and memorable moment for children which will support their development.

Golden Ticket and Activities 

Every Friday, one child from each class is awarded a golden ticket so they can choose a book from one of our vending machines to take home and keep. Children can be chosen for a variety of reasons such as reading recularly and working hard in phonics and reading lessons. Throughout the year we have a range of opportunities for children to engage further with reading such as celebrating World Book Day, our annual reading award and the travelling book fair.

Writing

Writing Composition

Our intent is for our pupils to become keen, confident, fluent writers who will have the required skills to write successfully in a range of genres, for a variety of purposes. In addition to this, they will have the ability to use a wide range of vocabulary to suit their purpose and audience. The children will be able to apply these skills across the curriculum as well as real life situations, preparing them for adult life.

It is important for our children to develop the skills that will enable them to write with confidence, fluency and understanding. We aim to do this by enabling children to experience writing in a range of contexts. We consider making writing as engaged as possible, relevant to children and, wherever possible, real-life contexts are used. Opportunities to publish finished writing are given to value the children’s efforts.

Terminology

Children are taught the correct terms for grammar, punctuation and vocabulary in English lessons. This will help them become better writers and prepares them for the next stage in their education. Each year, children are taught specific grammar, punctuation and vocabulary skills.

You can find explanations of the taught terminology here. 

Year Group Expectations 

We have high expectations of our children as writers and follow the National Curriculum and our own progression of skills so that children continuously build upon their writing skills. Click on the year groups below to find out more. 

FS 

Year 1 and Year 1 grammar and punctuation

Year 2 and Year 2 grammar and punctuation

Year 3 and Year 3 grammar and punctuation

Year 4 and Year 4 grammar and punctuation

Year 5 and Year 5 grammar and punctuation

Year 6 and Year 6  grammar and punctuation

How to help at home 

  • Encourage routines.
  • Work together and give praise.
  • Sit at a table and comfortably.
  • Talk about ideas first…Think it, say it, write it, check it!
  • Encourage children to write about what they want and for pleasure. This could be by keeping a diary, writing a story or character descriptions, designing a comic strip, going outside to write about nature using the 5 senses or writing short poetry. 
  • Talk about word choice when reading or listening to others and how it makes you think or feel.

Spelling

Spelling in FS is taught through phonics lessons, and from year 1, children have a weekly spelling lesson at the start of the week. Children will have daily opportunities to practise the spelling of these words and the rules, in a number of ways. At the end of the week, children in in years 1-6 will have a short dictation exercise where some of the words set for the week are tested.

We follow the statutory guidance from the National Curriculum. Common exception words (or tricky words) (Year 1 and Year 2) and statutory word lists (Years 3&4 and Years 5&6) have been embedded within our school progression of skills so children are taught to read, understand and spell more challenging words. 

How to help at home 

Please click here to find suggested activities for learning spellings at home.

Handwriting

A clear, legible style of writing helps communicate ideas without misunderstanding. We aim to enable pupils to write legibly, fluently and at an appropriate speed. 

In FS children are taught how to develop their pencil grip and start to form lower-case and upper-case letters, as well as digits. From year 1 until year 5, children have discrete handwriting lessons. When children are in year 2, they learn how to join some letters and this continues into year 3 and year 4 where children are also taught the letters that are best not to join. When children are in year 5 and 6, they are taught how to choose the presentation of their handwriting depending on the purpose, such as the difference in note taking and redrafting their work for display. 

We group letters based on their formation to help children build their muscle memory:

  • Set 1 - Down and off in another direction: l i t j u y 
  • Set 2 - Down and retrace upwards: m n r b p h k 
  • Set 3 - Anti-clockwise and round: c a d o q g e f s
  • Set 4 - Zig-zag letters: v w x z

Children are not taught entry strokes, but from year 2, they will be taught exit strokes as they start to join more letters. Children will write in pencil in FS and KS1, and from year 3 children will write in pen.

How to help at home 

  • Gentle reminders and praise
  • Sit at a table, correctly yet comfortably
  • Encourage holding a pencil correctly yet comfortably
  • Make writing fun! Encourage children to draw, colour, create a scrapbook, keep a diary or a fact-file on their interested
  • For younger children, use a tray covered in flour and get them to form letters using their finger, or get them or use washable crayons to write outside
  • Encourage children to use the tripod grip
  • Children can find it helpful to practice on traditional handwriting paper, but also encourage them to practice on standard lined paper as they will bewriting on lined paper more often

 

Spoken Language

We acknowledge that speaking skills underpin communication and learning, therefore, we place a very high value on them. In essence, the best speakers make the best readers and writers. Our intent for our pupils to be able to communicate clearly by speaking confidently and appropriately in a range of different situations and for different audiences. These skills will be transferrable into their written work where the understanding of vocabulary and grammar is imperative.

We aim for our children to speak confidently, audibly, fluently and appropriately in a range of situations and for different audiences. We expect them to listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers, asking relevant questions and justifying answers or opinions. In addition to this, we encourage children to give well-structured descriptions and explanations in addition to participating in discussions, performances and debates.

During their time at the school, children enjoy participatnig in a range of performance activities such as role play, using costumes, props and puppets, writing and performing poems and play scripts, exploring drama activities and performing to different audiences.