At St Hugh’s we have developed a text based approach to teaching English. When appropriate, links have been made with other curriculum subjects. We feel that this enhances the experiences that the children have and provides meaningful opportunities for writing.
The teaching of writing at St Hugh’s develops the children’s competences in two dimensions:
- Transcription (spelling and handwriting)
- Composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing)
Spelling
In EYFS and KS1 spelling is taught in daily phonics lessons. Children are taught to segment words orally and then to write down the sounds they hear using their increasing phonic knowledge. We use the ‘Monster Phonic scheme’. In Years 3-6 spelling is taught using the ‘Super Hero’ spelling scheme.
Handwriting
In EYFS and KS1, children are taught to form letters as part of their phonic lessons using the Monster Phonic handwriting resources. In KS2, children use the ‘Letterjoin’ handwriting scheme to learn cursive handwriting. Handwriting is taught in discrete lessons in KS1 and KS2 and children are encouraged to transfer these skills into their independent writing.
Composition
Through listening to and studying class texts in their English lessons, children learn how different types of writing, including narratives are structured. Children draw upon these ideas in their own writing. These books are used to develop punctuation and grammar and to provide a stimulus for writing. Children are taught to think aloud to generate ideas and they learn to proof read and edit their own writing.
Class texts and writing opportunities are planned on a two year cycle to accommodate for mixed classes. Poetry plans also provide suggested poems for each year group. Teachers choose which of these to use with their class.
The teaching of reading at St Hugh’s develops the children’s competences in two dimensions:
- Word reading
- Comprehension
Word reading:
Children in EYFS and Year 1 learn to blend sounds to read words in daily phonics lessons. They learn concepts about print, develop comprehension and apply phonics through shared reading, guided reading and individual reading. Children in Years 3-6 continue to learn about words (e.g. prefixes and suffixes) through the ‘Super Hero’ spelling scheme.
Comprehension:
Comprehension is taught from the very beginning when children talk about books. In KS1 and KS2 reading is taught through a combination of whole class activities and small group reading sessions.
Research tells us that fluency is the bridge between decoding and comprehension. From Year 2 (Spring Term) – Year 6(when needed) children develop their fluency in specific fluency lessons where they reread shorter texts. Vocabulary, comprehension and a love of reading are developed in extended reading lessons where children read whole class age appropriate texts. Through close reading in Years 4-6, children begin to analyse meaning in a text. In these lessons, children evaluate how authors use language and consider the impact on the reader.
Home Reading:
In EYFS and KS1, children take home a decodable book matched to their phonic knowledge. In KS2, children take home books from the Oxford Reading Tree reading scheme and all children in KS1 and KS2 are timetabled to visit our school library which our children love to do. Whole school events such as World Book Day, National Poetry Day and the Scholastic Book Fair take place annually to raise the profile of reading and engage our children.
