English Intent and Implementation

At Barden Primary School we aim to provide our children with a quality curriculum that develops a love of reading, writing and discussion. We have created a curriculum that encourage our children to become enthusiastic and engaged with English. Our curriculum provides children with the opportunities to:

• Read and write with confidence, fluency and understanding, orchestrating a range of independent strategies to self-monitor and correct.
• Have an interest in books and read for enjoyment.
• Have an interest in words, their meanings; developing a growing vocabulary in spoken and written forms.
• Be developing the powers of imagination, inventiveness and critical awareness. 
• Have a suitable technical vocabulary to articulate their responses.
• Develop into enthusiastic and responsive readers and writers.

APPROACHES TO WRITING

Writing/Independent Writing

Writing is an integrated part of daily life at Barden, children are encouraged to write as often as possible in a range of situations. It is taught through units of work, we teach focus on a specific type of text, eg. recounts, instructions, fairy tales etc. The units take the children from reading and analysing examples of a particular text type, to developing their ideas and then writing their own. Teachers work with a small group to support their writing to help children make good progress by focusing on specific skills. Teachers model the writing process in lessons and show children that writing can always be improved. Children will experience a range a shared and guided writing on a regular basis. Children complete once piece of independent writing per week.

Children receive regular feedback throughout the writing process, both verbal and written, to help them to identify where they have done well and where their next steps in learning are. 

Cross-Curricular writing

Extended writing is planned for across the curriculum and children are expected to use the same skills as taught in English e.g. applying knowledge of recounts to writing in Creative Curriculum. 

Handwriting

Handwriting is taught using the Letter Join Scheme, children are encouraged to use a joined, cursive writing style. Different types of pens, paper and format are used to encourage good presentation and handwriting. Children are able to apply for a pen licence from Year 3 and are encouraged to work towards using an ink pen.