At St Mary’s, English lies at the heart of our curriculum. Through speaking, listening, reading and writing, children learn to communicate confidently, understand the experiences of others and express their own ideas, feelings and beliefs.

Our English curriculum reflects our mission:

Rooted in Love • Faith in Action • Learning for Life

We want every child to become a fluent, enthusiastic reader; a confident speaker; and a thoughtful, accurate and imaginative writer. These essential skills enable children to access the whole curriculum and prepare them to participate fully in their community and the wider world.

English brings our curriculum golden threads to life:

• Belonging: stories help children understand themselves, their families, their faith and the communities to which they belong.
• Independence and Curiosity: reading, discussion and research encourage children to ask questions, explore ideas and think for themselves.
• Responsibility: spoken and written language gives children a voice and helps them communicate with empathy, purpose and respect.

Our teaching follows the statutory National Curriculum for English, while being carefully organised to meet the needs of our children and mixed-age classes.

The Importance of Rich Texts

High-quality texts are central to our English curriculum. Carefully selected stories, novels, picture books, poems, plays and non-fiction texts provide children with:

• windows into unfamiliar lives, cultures and places;
• mirrors in which they can recognise their own experiences;
• doors to new ideas and possibilities; and
• excellent models for their own speaking and writing.

Our texts are chosen to capture children’s imaginations, introduce ambitious vocabulary and connect meaningfully with learning across the curriculum. They reflect different cultures, families and experiences and help children develop empathy, curiosity and a wider understanding of the world.

Teachers read aloud regularly so that every child experiences the pleasure of hearing excellent literature, including texts they may not yet be able to read independently.

Vocabulary and Spoken Language

Vocabulary is a priority throughout our curriculum. Children need a rich knowledge of words to understand what they read, communicate their ideas and succeed in every subject.

Teachers explicitly introduce, explain and revisit important vocabulary through stories, conversation, explanations and purposeful activities. Children explore word meanings, make connections between words and learn to use increasingly precise language when speaking and writing.

Discussion is central to learning. Children are taught to:

• listen and respond attentively;
• explain their ideas clearly;
• ask and answer thoughtful questions;
• build upon the contributions of others;
• participate in discussions, debates and performances;
• speak confidently to different audiences; and
• justify their opinions using appropriate evidence.

A language-rich classroom benefits every child and is especially important for pupils with speech, language and communication needs and children who may have had less prior exposure to ambitious vocabulary.

Reading

We want every child to learn to read confidently and develop a lifelong love of books.

Reading teaching develops two closely connected areas:

• Word reading: accurately and fluently reading the words on the page.
• Language comprehension: understanding vocabulary, ideas and meaning.

Our approach reflects the National Curriculum and the principles of the Department for Education’s Reading Framework.

Further information about the systematic teaching of early reading can be found on our separate Phonics and Early Reading page.

Developing Fluent, Thoughtful Readers

As children become increasingly secure readers, teaching develops fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

Children encounter fiction, poetry, plays and a broad range of non-fiction. They learn to:

• retrieve important information;
• explain the meaning of words in context;
• summarise key ideas;
• make sensible predictions;
• draw and justify inferences;
• identify themes and make connections;
• consider an author’s choice of vocabulary and structure;
• distinguish between fact and opinion; and
• discuss and evaluate what they have read.

Fluency is developed through regular reading, teacher modelling, repeated reading and opportunities to read aloud with accuracy, appropriate pace and expression.

Children also read across the curriculum, recognising that reading is essential to learning in every subject.

Reading for Pleasure

Reading for pleasure is woven through school life. Welcoming classroom book collections, regular story time, opportunities to recommend books and whole-school celebrations help us build an active community of readers.

Children are encouraged to explore different authors and genres, talk about their reading and develop their own reading preferences. We want them to see reading as much more than a school task: books can offer comfort, knowledge, laughter, adventure and lifelong companionship.

Writing

Children learn to write clearly, accurately and creatively for a range of purposes and audiences.

Rich texts, meaningful curriculum experiences and purposeful discussion provide the stimulus for writing. Children write to:

• entertain;
• inform;
• explain;
• describe;
• persuade;
• discuss; and
• express ideas and opinions.

Where appropriate, writing is connected with subjects such as history, geography, science and religious education. This allows children to apply their subject knowledge and write for meaningful purposes.

Teaching helps children understand that successful writers:

1. consider their audience and purpose;
2. gather and rehearse ideas;
3. explore effective examples;
4. select suitable vocabulary and grammatical structures;
5. compose and organise their writing;
6. revise and improve its content; and
7. proofread spelling and punctuation.

Teachers model the writing process explicitly, helping children see how writers generate ideas, make deliberate choices and improve their work.

Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation

Spelling, grammar and punctuation are taught systematically and progressively. New knowledge is taught explicitly and then applied within meaningful reading and writing.

Children develop:

• secure phonics and spelling-pattern knowledge;
• an understanding of word structure and word origins;
• accurate sentence construction and punctuation;
• knowledge of appropriate grammatical terminology; and
• the ability to make purposeful language choices.

Grammar is taught as a tool for effective communication, not simply as a collection of isolated labels or exercises.

Handwriting and Presentation

Children are taught to form letters correctly and develop fluent, legible handwriting. Expectations build progressively from early mark-making and letter formation to an efficient joined style.

We encourage children to take pride in their work while recognising that presentation must not become a barrier to communicating ideas. Appropriate adaptations, equipment and alternative methods of recording are provided when required.

Assessment

Assessment is an integral part of teaching. Teachers use observation, questioning, discussion, reading with children and independent work to identify what pupils understand and what they need to learn next.

Children’s progress in reading, writing, spelling, grammar, punctuation and handwriting is reviewed regularly. Statutory assessments are completed at the appropriate points alongside the school’s ongoing formative and summative assessments.

Assessment informs future teaching and helps staff provide timely support or additional challenge. The most important evidence is what children can understand, explain and apply independently over time.

English Beyond the Classroom

We look for opportunities to bring English to life and give children authentic reasons to read, speak and write.

These experiences may include:

• author and poet visits;
• library visits;
• drama and performance;
• World Book Day;
• reading challenges;
• poetry recitals;
• writing competitions;
• theatre visits;
• whole-school productions;
• writing for real audiences; and
• links with other subjects, community events and our Catholic life.

Supporting English at Home

Families make an enormous contribution to children’s language and literacy development. The most valuable support is regular, enjoyable conversation and shared reading.

You can help by:

• reading to your child—even after they can read independently;
• listening to them read and giving them time to work out unfamiliar words;
• talking about characters, events, information and new vocabulary;
• visiting the library and allowing your child to choose books;
• sharing poems, magazines, recipes, instructions and information texts;
• telling family stories and discussing experiences;
• playing word and spelling games;
• encouraging purposeful writing, such as lists, cards, diaries or letters; and
• letting your child see adults enjoying reading and writing.

Reading at home should be a positive experience. Talk about the book, enjoy the time together and celebrate your child’s growing confidence.

Useful resources include:

• BookTrust: reading advice and recommendations
• Oxford Owl: support for reading and English
• Topmarks English games for ages 5–7
• Topmarks English games for ages 7–11

English Curriculum Documents

The following documents can be added as downloadable links at the bottom of the page:

• English whole-school overview
• Reading progression
• Writing progression
• Recommended reading lists
• National Curriculum for English
• Link to our Phonics and Early Reading page