English

At Ormesby Primary School, we know that our children come from a variety of diverse backgrounds, and will have many different aspirations and ambitions. Therefore, we aim to prepare all of our children for their future by providing an English Curriculum, which enables every child to reach their potential as confident communicators in speaking, listening, reading and writing and for the children themselves to understand the importance of this.  

Our aim is that all pupils enjoy reading and we encourage reading for interest, information, entertainment and pleasure; therefore, fostering a life-long love of reading.  Reading in Early Years begins by using a systematic synthetic phonics scheme, leading to reading with fluency and, finally understanding from a range of different genres. We want our pupils to enjoy writing and to be able to write for a range of purposes, organising the content and style to fit the audience and purpose. 

Throughout a carefully planned curriculum, the children will be provided with a wealth of opportunities to develop their skills and implement these purposefully through a variety of enriching and engaging experiences. These experiences will be linked to our locality, including continuing the strong links with our local library.  We understand that the English skills children learn in their primary years will provide the stepping-stones for their Secondary Education and ultimately their chosen career. Through the implementation of these skills, every child that leaves Ormesby Primary School, will be well prepared for their future.

Phonics

Phonics is taught through the Read Write Inc Programme.

Phonics is a crucial component of early reading instruction, and Read Write Inc is our chosen phonics program used to teach children to read in at Ormesby Primary School. The program is centred around the belief that by understanding the relationship between sounds and letters, children can begin to decode words independently and develop a love for reading.

The Read Write Inc program is structured around three key areas: sounds, blending and reading, and writing. In the sounds portion of the program, children learn to recognise and pronounce individual sounds, beginning with simple sounds like “s” and “m” and progressing to more complex blends and digraphs. Sounds are introduced using pictures and mnemonics to help children remember them.

One of the key strengths of the Read Write Inc program is its multi-sensory approach to teaching phonics. Children learn through a variety of activities, including whole-class teaching, small-group work, partner work, and individual work. The program also incorporates movement, singing, and rhyming activities to engage children and help them remember the sounds they are learning.

Overall, the Read Write Inc program is a highly effective and engaging way to teach phonics, helping children to develop strong reading, writing, and spelling skills that will serve them well throughout their academic careers.

Lesson Structure

1. Speed Sounds: The lesson begins with the teacher revising the sounds that the children have already learned, using flashcards or other visual aids to help children remember and pronounce each sound correctly.

2. Word Time: Next, the teacher introduces a new sound, using visual aids such as picture cards to help children remember the sound. Children say the sound together, and then practice blending it with other sounds they have already learned using simple, decodable words.

3. Reading: After Word Time, the teacher reads a text containing the new sound, while the children follow along in their own books. They may take turns reading sentences or pages from the text, or the teacher may read the text aloud while the children follow along.

4. Comprehension: After the reading, the teacher asks the children a series of comprehension questions to ensure that they have understood what they have read. This helps to develop their language comprehension skills and also helps to consolidate their phonics learning.

5. Writing: The lesson concludes with a writing activity, where children write sentences containing the sounds they have learned, using their phonics knowledge to help them spell the words correctly. This helps to develop their writing skills and reinforces the link between phonics and spelling.

Reading

Reading is a fundamental skill that is essential for success across all areas of the curriculum. As teachers, it is our responsibility to help our students develop the skills they need to become confident and proficient readers.

Steps to Read Structure

The Steps to Read scheme is derived around a four-step teaching sequence:  

1.    Read: Vocabulary from the vehicle text is shared and discussed first to ease ‘cognitive load’ for children. Anchor Question(s), are shared which enable children to read for a purpose. Questioning and enjoyment with the text is important here. Choral reading is featured to develop fluency, which is an important step to comprehension. 

2.    Model: Teacher models reading skills and strategies explicitly demonstrating how these are applied when ‘being’ a reader. Teacher also models the important textual evidence required to answer Anchor Question(s). 

3.    Practise: Children explore new vocabulary and through paired and table discussion, read the text again. Children Text Marking is a common feature of this step of both new vocabulary and important evidence towards the Anchor Questions. 

4.    Apply: Children demonstrate how they have internalised new reading skills, strategies and their understanding of the vehicle text. Reading evidence may well be placed in Reading Journals. Formative assessments and bespoke feedback on learning help teachers plan for subsequent learning. Step 4 enables feedback on evidence against the Anchor Question(s) and the application of taught strategies and skills.  

Writing

Read to Write is a literacy program that encourages students to analyse high-quality texts and use reading as the foundation for writing. It is an excellent way to support both reading and writing development in students of all ages. In this section, we will explore how schools can use Read to Write and its structure throughout the school.

Read to Write Structure

The Read to Write structure is designed to support students as they move from being passive consumers of text to active producers of writing. There are four stages to the Read to Write structure:

1. Immersion: In this stage, students are exposed to high-quality exemplar texts and engage with them through various activities. This includes reading, discussing, and writing about the text to gain an understanding of its structure, style, and language features.

2. Planning: Once students have an understanding of the text, they move onto the planning stage. Here, they plan out their own writing using what they have learned from the exemplar text. This can include identifying key features, brainstorming ideas, and creating a writing plan.

3. Writing: In this stage, students use their plans to create their own piece of writing. They are encouraged to use what they have learned from the exemplar text, but also to bring their own voice and creativity to their writing.

4. Editing and Revising: Finally, students edit and revise their writing. This includes checking for spelling and grammar errors, as well as making revisions to improve the overall structure and clarity of their writing.

The benefits of using Read to Write throughout the school are numerous. It allows students to develop their reading and writing skills across multiple subject areas and provides them with a consistent structure and approach. This ensures that students feel supported and confident as they move through the different courses, building upon the skills they have learned previously.

Read to Write is an excellent way to support literacy development in students of all ages. By using the Read to Write structure, schools can provide a consistent approach to reading and writing development throughout the school. This ensures that students feel supported as they move through different courses and helps to promote a love of reading and writing among students.