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English

The study of English develops children’s ability to listen, speak, read and write for a wide range of different purposes, including the communication of their ideas, views and feelings. Children become empowered to interpret the world around them and to make sense of their experiences; in this sense, English is a tool for both our thinking and learning. Children are enabled to express themselves creatively and imaginatively as they become enthusiastic and critical readers of stories, poetry and drama as well as of non-fiction and a range of multimedia. Children gain an understanding of how language works by looking at its patterns, structures and origins; ensuring that they are at the heart of the learning experience. 

The aims of teaching English are: 

  • To provide a language rich environment that promotes a culture of reading and writing.
  • To enable children to speak with clarity, confidence and expression, and to take account of their audience, purpose and differing situations.    
  • To encourage children to listen, understand and respond thoughtfully to what they have heard. 
  • To use phonological awareness to decode and encode words.  
  • To value and use books as a basis for learning, pleasure, talk and play.
  • To develop in pupils an interest in and a love of books and literature that will not only support their learning across the curriculum but also enrich their lives.
  • To help the children to develop an understanding that writing is both essential to thinking and learning and enjoyable in its own right. 
  • To teach children the craft of writing in order to develop in children the confidence and skills to write well for a range of purposes and audience.  Teach the basics – spelling, handwriting and punctuation - to liberate creativity.  
  • To foster in pupils the confidence, desire and ability to formulate and express their views and opinions about the world around them both orally and in writing.
  • To value and celebrate diversity in culture and language.
  • To develop their powers of imagination, inventiveness and critical awareness through reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Please see below for an overview of the books we study.