Speaking and listening
The children are encouraged to speak clearly and fluently, expressing their own ideas through statements, discussion and drama. We want them to learn to listen and respond to other people’s ideas, whether those of an adult or a child.
Reading
We aim to teach reading through developing a desire to learn to read, by having fun and enjoying books together. We use the Little Wandle Scheme of teaching phonics in Reception, KS1 and beyond so that children learn to decode text. Little Wandle books are accurately matched to the children phonics level so that they become fluent and can read more words automatically and without needing to decode.
We have an important duty to support every child in our schools to become a reader, as we know it will improve their life chances and, because reading for pleasure and fun, brings joy to life. To enable this, we read everyday in school using a high-quality text to ensure that children develop a love of reading.
We ask parents to take an active part in this process throughout their child’s time in the school. If you want or need any suggestions about good books for your child to read, have a look at the Book Trust website for reading tips or to search for books on any topic. Your child's teacher will also be very happy to help you find a good book.
Writing
Each child is encouraged to write both creatively and factually, using a wide vocabulary and correct pronunciation. Children learn to spell correctly, to develop a good handwriting style and to know the basic grammatical rules of written English. In KS1 and Y2 the children use the Little Wandle Phonics scheme to enable them to become proficient spellers. In KS2 we use the Spelling Shed spelling programme to continue using phonics to enable children to further develop their spelling proficiency alongside the spelling rules that are found within the English National Curriculum.