English
Our English curriculum is split up into the following areas: Reading, Writing, Spelling, Handwriting, Grammar, Spoken Language.
Spoken Language
The ability to communicate is obviously essential to us all as humans. At St. Francis, Language and Vocabulary is one of three fundamental elements, which, along with our vision, underpins everything we do at St Francis.
Speaking and listening activities are well-established in our Early Years class, with children encouraged to play and learn with their peers in a range of situations requiring them to name, describe, repeat and recall.
Our children are effective communicators and are able to use their language skills as part of their learning to listen, understand, talk, share, describe, question, explain, debate, justify and reason so that their learning is cemented within their long-term memory. Children develop and use a wide range of appropriate vocabulary, which in turn deepens their knowledge and understanding across all subject domains. Children forge meaningful relationships with peers and safe adults through their use of social language and non-verbal communication.
Reading
Reading is correctly recognised as one of the core aspects of learning as it permeates all other subject areas and it therefore has many strands to it: Phonics, Reading Practice sessions, Reading Fluency, Reading for Pleasure and Home Reading.
We follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised Phonics programme throughout school until a child is able to use their phonics skills to such an extent that they are able to read fluently.
Beyond Little Wandle we use Collins books as our Home Readers to ensure progression continues throughout KS2.
For Reading Practice sessions in KS2 and post-Wandle in Y2, we follow a bespoke reading spine of a range of genres: fairy tales, adventure stories, poems, biographies, contemporary fiction, classic fiction and fantasy stories. We have ensured that our children will experience a range of diverse and inclusive authors, characters and settings throughout their reading journeys.
Writing
Through quality texts and linking to children's oracy and reading skills, our children develop their love of writing so that they can write for a variety of purposes and audiences. Our children develop the necessary skills of handwriting, grammar, punctuation and spelling, which enables them to compose pieces of writing with increasing confidence and competence. To emulate excellent writers, our children critically analyse their own writing and continually edit and improve until the desired effect has been achieved.
Our writing programme has been devised by our Writing Subject Leaders in school, and includes spelling, handwriting and grammar. Please click on the links below for additonal information.
