Intent

At our school, we are dedicated to fostering outstanding levels of proficiency in speaking and listening, reading, and writing among all our children. We achieve this by giving a very high priority to the English curriculum, which forms the foundation of our educational ethos. Our English curriculum has been designed to include an inspiring reading programme that exposes students to a diverse range of literary works, from classic novels to contemporary poetry, enhancing their fluency, comprehension and analytical skills. Additionally, we provide a formal model for teaching writing, where students are guided through the process of crafting well-structured compositions, creative pieces, and critical investigations. By immersing our students in a rich tapestry of language and literature, we empower them to become articulate communicators, avid readers, and proficient writers, equipped with the necessary skills to excel both academically and in their future endeavours.

Implementation

Writing

In the Early Years classes at BPA, our dedicated staff are committed to fostering a culture of exploration and creativity through mark making opportunities integrated into all aspects of provision. Here, children embark on their journey of literacy by taking their first steps towards recognising, reading, and writing their own names. As children progress and their abilities flourish, we introduce the innovative approach of Greg Botrill's Drawing Club to ignite their passion for writing. Our classrooms are vibrant hubs of language development, where modelling language is a continuous practice and writing opportunities are seamlessly woven into the fabric of every learning area.

As children continue through their time at BPA, we aim to inspire them to become capable and fluent writers. Our approach is centred around a 5-step model, that guides the children along a pathway that enables them to produce thoughtful, well-constructed and interesting pieces of writing: Immersion, Investigation, Practise, Revision, Evaluation.

Handwriting

As part of the Early Years provision, children have access to numerous opportunities for mark making, across all areas of the EYFS curriculum. Children swiftly move onto the Read Write Inc program, and when children are deemed ready, teachers introduce formal letter formation. This is practised continuously throughout KS1. In Year 2, children embark on the journey of connecting letters through joined writing. This significant step is where they are introduced to the concept of entry and exit strokes, which play a crucial role in enhancing the flow and legibility of their writing. These writing sessions form part of Stage 2 of the BPA writing model. Moreover, in stage 5, as children prepare to exhibit their work for display, they further practise the skill of joined writing, ensuring that their final pieces showcase not only their creativity but also their proficiency in forming cohesive and coherent written compositions.

As children move into KS2, they are strongly encouraged to uphold cursive handwriting, with the support of teacher demonstrations and opportunities for refinement. The practice of handwriting is integrated into the spelling aspect of each writing session, fostering a seamless connection between language mechanics and presentation. Upon reaching the designated standard of presentation, students are awarded with a pen license as a symbol of their accomplishment. This milestone is commemorated in their English book, marking the transition to using blue ink across all subjects, barring mathematics which remains pencil-exclusive.

Spelling

During Read Write Inc sessions, children are systematically taught initial sounds, digraphs, trigraphs (special friends) and their alternatives. They are provided with ample opportunities to apply these spelling rules, known as green words, and equipped with the skills to confidently spell words that do not conform to phonetic rules, which are referred to as red words. 

In addition to the Read Write Inc. programme, children have daily opportunities to enhance their spelling skills through dedicated writing lessons. Spellings are carefully planned out using Purple Mash across all year groups from Year 1 to 6, ensuring a comprehensive coverage of spelling patterns and statutory words, and explicit grammar lessons will also incorporate teaching common spelling words that align with grammatical conventions, such as adding prefixes or suffixes. Pupils are encouraged to practise their spellings at home through Purple Mash.

Grammar