English

English

At Ravensworth Terrace, we teach our main English skills through a daily Literacy lesson. The lessons are planned around a quality text and teachers use the text to teach reading, writing and grammar. In addition to this, handwriting, spelling and phonics are taught as short separate sessions.

Writing

Our aim is to ensure that children enjoy writing and are given regular opportunities to develop and improve their skills. Throughout the school, we use a range of carefully chosen texts as the main stimulus for writing in Literacy lessons. This is supplemented with shorter texts in order to model and develop the children’s understanding of different genres. We analyse the structure and language features of the text and regular grammar and punctuation sessions ensure that children are well prepared for their own composition. Grammar, spelling and punctuation skills are constantly revisited in order to allow children to master and embed theses skills in their own written work.

1. modelling is an integral part of developing children’s writing. As well as this, children are also taught how to edit and improve their work and this is seen as a vital part of developing writing skills across the school. Feedback is provided through whole class peer and self-assessment as well as feedback from the teacher in order to move children’s learning forward.

Every classroom has an ‘English Working Wall’ which is designed to support children’s learning. Ideas, vocabulary, spelling patterns and work linked to the text they are studying are displayed in order to provide support to children in lessons.

Reading

1. Ravensworth Terrace, we aim to foster a love of reading through exposure to exciting and challenging texts. Across the school, our learning in English is based on high quality texts and reading, writing and grammar skills are taught linked to the text. Children also have a home reading book. In KS1, the home reading book is a scheme book and in KS2 the ‘Accelerated Reading Programme’ is used. Please see Reading Section for our full provision for teaching reading.

Speaking and listening

We believe that speaking and listening is an essential skill for all areas of the curriculum. Children are provided with a range of activities that are embedded across all areas of the curriculum including drama, role play, learning partner work, group and class discussion and debates. Children are encouraged to speak clearly and confidently, expressing their views and opinions as well as listening and respecting the views of others. In addition to work in class, children are also given the opportunity to develop their speaking and listening skills in school performances.

Our objectives are taken from the National Curriculum:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-english-programmes-of-study/national-curriculum-in-england-english-programmes-of-study