English

‘If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.’  Martin Luther King

At Lady Katherine Leveson School, we foster confident learners.  We do not put ceilings on what pupils can achieve in reading and writing and we do not hold pre-conceptions about any pupils’ ability to make progress.  We acknowledge that Literacy not only changes lives but also life chances.

‘Children should be taught to use phonic knowledge and skills as the route to decode words.’  National Curriculum 2014

As global learners, we want our pupils to read their way to a better life using a carefully selected and sequenced collection of texts, which explore the diverse and multicultural society that we live in.   Reading and writing are inextricably linked therefore the LTP is built around a selection of outstanding texts which enable teachers to extract all aspects of English and that promote a love of reading.

Learning to write requires careful, deliberate and systematic teaching.  This is essential but alone will not guarantee success.  Good teaching of writing must enthuse and inspire children by developing their love of language. (Considine 2016)

Above all, our English Curriculum is designed so that all children can experience success and from this a true joy for Literacy.

The overarching aim for English in the national curriculum is to promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written language, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils:

  • read easily, fluently and with good understanding
  • develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
  • acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
  • appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage
  • write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
  • use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas
  • are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate  National Curriculum 2014

Our English Curriculum is driven through evidence based-resources, and research to ensure our literacy provision is highly effective.

Doug Lemov’s Reading Reconsidered has played a huge part when selecting texts and acknowledges the ideal that there are five types of texts children should have access to in order to successfully navigate reading with confidence.  These are complex beyond a lexical level and demand more from the reader than other types of books: archaic language; non-linear time sequences; narratively complex; figurative/symbolic texts; resistant texts.

The long-term plan is designed to meet the needs of the children in our school.  Therefore, it does not rely on one particular schema; resources from Jane Considine, Literacy Shed Plus and CLPE have all been used to help support staff through the teaching and learning journey.

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Early Reading

We teach early reading through the systematic, synthetic phonics programme Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised. Right from the start of Reception children have a daily phonics lesson which follows the progression for Little Wandle Letters and Sounds and this continues in Year One to ensure children become fluent readers.

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We teach phonics for 30 minutes a day. In Reception, we build from 10-minute lessons, with additional daily oral blending games, to the full-length lesson as quickly as possible. Each Friday, we review the week’s teaching to help children become fluent readers.

Children make a strong start in Reception: teaching begins in Week 2 of the Autumn term. We follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised expectations of progress (please see below for the progression). Four new phonemes and their corresponding graphemes are taught (GPCs) each week and they are then used in the final lesson of the week to review the week’s learning. Children will also learn tricky words during these sessions.

 

In the Autumn and Spring term, Reception learn phase 2 and phase 3 GPCs and then will spend the final term learning phase 4.

Year 1 begin the Autumn term with 3 weeks of revision of phases 2, 3 and 4 before learning phase 5, which will be completed by the end of the year. Year 2 children will begin the year by revisiting phase 5 and other previously taught phases to ensure all children are completely confident with applying these GPCs in both their reading and also their writing. (please see the overview here for what this progression looks like). Half termly assessments take place through Reception and Year 1 to help inform future teaching and help identify children who have gaps in their phonic knowledge and need additional practice. Daily assessment of learning also takes place within the classroom so staff can quickly identify any children who are in danger of falling behind and provide the appropriate daily ‘Keep Up’ intervention.

Little Wandle Programme Overview

Reading Practice Sessions

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Children in Reception, Year 1 and 2, read fully decodable books with an adult 3 times per week during our ‘Reading Practice’ sessions. These books are then sent home for children to build their reading fluency and showcase their developing skills and phonetic knowledge to their parents/carers. These 3 reading practice sessions each have a different focus; decoding, prosody and comprehension. Our reading books in Reception, Y1 and Y2: Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised Big Cat books

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Frequent Readers

Our lowest 20% are identified as frequent readers.  This means that in addition to their phonics and reading provision, they will have a daily 1:1 session where they will read to an adult.  We strive to ensure that no child is left behind and that every child is a frequent reader by the time they leave Year 2.

 

 

LADY KATHERINE LEVESON CE PRIMARY SCHOOL ENGLISH OVERVIEW
    Autumn 1 Autumn 2   Spring 1 Spring 2   Summer 1 Summer 2
Y1

 

 

  Ruby’s Worry

 

Narrative: Complexity of character

 

Outcomes: Order and sequence the events of the story – retell through role

Retell the story of Ruby

 

 

Beeju – Alexis Deacon

 

Narrative: complexity of plot

Outcomes: Letter writing; lost poster; character description

Firework Night – Andrew Collet

 

 

Poetry: Complexity of symbol

 

Outcomes: Multi-sensory poem based on Firework Night.

 

Pumpkin Soup: Helen Cooper

Narrative: Complexity of plot

Outcomes: Narrative retelling;  instructional writing

  Trip to the woods – Jane Considine unit

 

Non-fiction: write a recount

Outcomes: Compose a recount based upon forest school experience

Hibernation Hotel – John Kelly

Narrative: Non-Linear time sequence

Outcomes: Descriptive retelling; non-chron reports

By Myself – Elouise Greenfield

 

Poetry: Complexity of symbol

Outcomes: To write effective lines for a poem in the style of By Myself.

A Squash & a Squeeze J Donaldson

Narrative: Complexity of plot

Outcomes: write a recount

  CC Links with Geography

 

Songs of the Sea – Tomm More

 

Narrative: Visual literacy – Irish Myth

Outcomes: Write a description for under the sea.

The Way Back Home – Oliver Jeffers

Narrative: Resistant text

Outcomes: Descriptive Writing

Bold Woman in Black History – Vashti Hardy

 

Non-Fiction: Biographical writing

Outcomes: Write effective sentences for sporting biography.

Little Red Riding Hood – Lari Don

 

Narrative: Traditional tale

Outcomes: order and retell the plot points of LRRH

 

Y2

 

 

  The Colour Monster – Anna Llenas

 

Narrative: Resistant Text

Outcomes: Character description; 1st  person narrative

In My Heart – Jo Witek

Poetry: Complexity of symbol

Outcomes: Describe feelings based on a continuous theme.

The Owl Who was Afraid of the Dark – Jim Tomlinson

 

Narrative Genre: Complexity of plot

Outcomes: Retell an emotive story

Meerkat Christmas – Emily Gravett

Non-fiction: Non-linear

Outcomes: Write effective sentences for a postcard.

  CC Links to Geography

 

 

Where the Forest Meets the Sea- Jeanie Baker Australia

Outcomes: Non-chronological report; fact file

Bog Baby – Jeannie WIllis

Narrative Genre:  Complexity of character

Outcomes: Extended narrative retelling the story

The Dark – Daniel Handler

 

Narrative: Resistant text

Extended Unit

 

Outcomes: Write a poem based on one element of the book; plan a story based on fear with a B/M/E

  The Day the Crayons Quit – Oliver Jeffers.

 

Non-fiction: Complexity of narrator

 

Outcome: Persuasive letter

CC Links to D&T Making bird feeders Jane Considine

Non-Fiction: Instructional writing

Outcomes:  Write a set of instructions

A Crow’s Tale – Naomi Howarth

 

Narrative: fable – complexity of plot

Outcomes: Writing from a different viewpoint

CC Links Geography

All Kinds of Cars – Carl Johanson / William Bee’s Wonderful World of Tractors and Farm Machines

William Bee

Non-fiction: Explanatory texts

Outcomes: Explanation writing; non-chron report

Y3

 

 

  Stone Age Boy – Satoshi Kitamura

 

Narrative:

Non-linear time sequence

Outcomes: Adventure Story

Summer is Here! Jane Considine Unit

Poetry: Complexity of symbol

 

Outcomes: Gather language to describe Autumn; produce a poem about autumn in the style of Summer is Here.

Iron Man – Ted Hughes

 

Narrative: Archaic text

Outcomes: setting scene; diary; instructions;

How a Robot Dog works – Jane Considine

Non-Fiction: Information text

Outcomes: Writing to explain

  True Story of the Little Pigs – Jon Scieszka

 

Narrative:Tales with a twist – complexity of narrator

Outcomes: writing from a different view point

Jack and the Beanstalk – Raymond Briggs

Narrative: Tales with a twist – non-linear narrative

Outcomes: compose  a conversation; rewrite the story changing key components

The Secret of Black Rock- Joe Todd Stanton

 

Narrative: Surreal modern folktale – complexity of plot

Outcomes: Descriptive setting

 

The Dream Giver – Literacy Shed Film Unit

 

Narrative: Visual text

Outcomes: Setting description; character description; 1st person recount

  The Street Beneath My Feet – Charlotte Gullain

 

Non-Fiction: Mixing urban and rural settings, covering subjects such as geology, archaeology and natural history.

Outcomes: Explanation writing

 

CC Link – History

Meet the Ancient Egyptians – James Davies

Non-Fiction:  Information book

Outcomes: Non-chron reports; instructional writing;

Varjak Paw – SF Said

 

Narrative: Complexity of narrator

 

Extended Unit

Outcomes: Descriptive missing poster; extend the narrative.

Y4

 

 

  Tuesday – David Weisner

 

Narrative: Complexity of plot

Outcome: Description; newspaper report

The Lost Thing –Shaun Tan

Narrative: Fantasy – resistant text

Outcomes: Creature description; radio script; fantasy story.

Invite the Author

 

Non Fiction:

Outcomes: Persuasive Letter

Eye of the Wolf/Girl and the Fox: Daniel Panec

 

Novel: Non-linear time sequence

 

Outcomes: writing in the style of – retold narrative based upon the Girl and the Fox

  The Great Choco Plot: Chris Callaghan

 

Links to Geography – The Rainforest

Narrative: Complexity of plot.

Outcomes: Descriptive writing; dialogue; 3rd person narrative.

Pigeon Impossible: Literacy Shed Film Unit

Outcomes: Journalistic writing

The River – Poetry

 

Valerie Boom

Poetry: Resistant text

 

Outcomes: Poetry composition

 

Float – Aaron Becker

Narrative: Resistant text

Outcomes: Adventure story

CC Link: The Water Cycle

  The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane – Kate DeCamillo

 

Narrative: Complexity of character

 

Extended Unit

Outcomes:  Narrative writing and informal letter.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Shakespeare

 

Narrative: Archaic

Outcomes: Character description; writing in role

Feast – Disney Short Film.

Visual Literacy Unit

Outcomes: New viewpoint on the same plot: Retell from male owner’s perspective

Y5

 

 

  The Boy at The Back of the class Onjali Q. Raúf

 

Narrative: Complexity of character

Outcomes: Persuasive letter; diary entry

Refuges: Speech taken from Girls in Education

Non-fiction.

Outcomes: Write a persuasive Speech

The Explorers – Katherine Rundell

 

Narrative: Novel – Complexity of plot

Outcomes: Extended 3rd person narrative

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Non-Fiction: Little Leaders –Bold Woman in Black History: Vashti-Hardy

  Mars Transmission:

 

Non-Fiction – uses The Martian Trailer

Outcomes: Journal writing

Roads End – Literacy Shed

Narrative: Sci-Fi visual text / complexity of character

Outcomes: Internal monologue; first person narrative

The Present – Jacob Frey

 

Narrative: Film unit with link to PSHE – living with a disability.

Outcomes: 3rd person narrative

Non-Fiction: Screen Use: How healthy behaviour supports children’s wellbeing’ (Public Health England, 2013)

Outcomes: Compose a balanced  argument

  The Nowhere Emporium – Ross Mackenzie

 

Novel narrative: Non linea time sequence

Outcomes: Biography; setting description building to a 3rd person narrative.

The Highway Man – Alfred Noyes

Poetry: Archaic text

Outcomes: Poetry to prose.

Beetle Boy – MG Leonard

 

Narrative: Complexity of character

Outcomes: A non-fiction unit designed to be delivered after reading the novel. Create information texts and a formal letter.

Y6

 

 

   

 

Hansel and Gretel – Neil Gaiman

Narrative: Complexity of Narrator

Outcomes: Scene setting

Extended tale with a twist.

 

 

Arrival – Shaun Tan

Narrative: Resistant text/ graphic novel

Outcomes: Diary writing; extended narrative

Holes – Louis Sachar

 

Narrative: Non-linea time sequence

Outcomes: Descriptive writing; Letter; Non-chronological report

 

 

RE LINK: People who inspire us.

Non-Fiction: Little Leaders –Bold Woman in Black History: Vashti-Hardy

  Dulce et Decorum Est – Owen

 

Poetry: Archaic /

complexity of symbol

Outcomes: Responding critically to a text; converting poetry into prose.

The Watertower – Gary Crew

Graphic text: Resistant text

Outcomes: Police report; extended description.

CC Link – Climate zones and Biomes

 

Diary – Scott of the Antarctic

Non-Fiction: Archaic texts – Shackleton’s Journey: William Grill

Non Fiction: Pictorial representation

Frozen Planet – BBC

Outcomes: Non-chron report; first person account; writing in the style of; extended narrative based on events of Scott.

  The Graveyard Book  Neil Gaiman

 

Narrative: Mystery Novel – resistant text.

Outcomes: extended 3rd person narrative.

The Raven: Edgar Alan Poe

Poetry: Archaic/ complexity of symbol

Outcomes: Internal monologue; poetry to prose

Boy in the Tower – Polly Ho Yen

 

Narrative: complexity of narrator/ contemporary fiction

Extended Unit

Outcomes: Newspaper report; journal writing; continuing the chapter

NB: this text deals with themes such as young careers; dealing with mental illness