The skills of reading, writing and communicating are at the heart of our curriculum. We intend to create a community of readers and writers who can confidently express their ideas, thoughts and feelings to a range of audiences.
Writing We provide daily opportunities for children to learn how to spell. Beyond this, we know that children need to learn the skills of being a writer and to allow this to happen, we run daily English lessons. Children are introduced to texts – fiction and non-fiction – around all sorts of themes and ideas. Any text is appropriate (including photographs and video clips) as long as it does one job in particular: inspire children to write. All children have writing targets which enable them to focus on the particular writing skills they need to develop. The teaching of these skills is at the heart of each literacy unit, with short writing opportunities throughout, building up to a final piece of writing inspired by the text/s studied.
Speaking and listening Opportunities to express points of view, challenge the views of others, listen respectfully and attentively and speak in extended sentences run through our entire curriculum. We know that children need to be able to communicate with each other at all phases of their lives and learning these skills as soon as possible sets them up for a successful future. In all subject areas, children are expected to justify and explain, reason and challenge. In addition, taking part in a half termly P4C discussion provides children with the opportunity to take part in an interesting debate. We are part of the Oracy Voice 21 Project.