English Intent, Implementation and Impact
Intent
- We recognise that Reading is a preeminent skill as it unlocks all other areas of the curriculum and is a key indicator for future success.
- Speaking and listening proceeds reading and we emphasis the sharing of stories, audio books, video stories, rhymes and singing in EYFS and beyond.
- Aim aim is to develop fluent readers. Fluency is defined as reading with Expression, Automatic Word Recognition, Rhythm and phrasing, and smoothness (EARS)
- We want all children to develop into confident lifelong readers who start secondary school with at least the expected standard in reading fluency and comprehension.
- We aim to build a rich and meaningful vocabulary through reading and exposure to a broad and varied in our CRAVE curriculum.
- We read a range of texts across our CRAVE curriculum to broaden horizons, challenge perceptions, develop critical thinking and increase pleasure for reading.
- To ensure children can decode confidently by the end of KS1 using a recognised synthetic phonics scheme (RWInc).
- We aim to develop a reading culture in school, where reading for pleasure and valuing books is central to all learning.
Implementation
- Reading takes place every day and reading for pleasure is emphasised.
- Classrooms have a collection of books which children and adults manage and develop. The school also has a library.
- We have built and continue to review and enhance a reading spine, which is challenging, diverse and continuously updated with new and classic stories, poetry and nonfiction texts.
- We are working towards Communication Friendly Status and ELKLAN accreditation.
- Fluency is taught in RAT time and focuses on the need for expression, automatic word recognition, rhythm and phrasing, and smoothness.
- Children have choice and are involved in decision making around books they read.
- RWInc is taught with fidelity from Reception and until pupils are confident decoders. Intial sounds are taught in nursery and the correspondence between letters and sounds is introduced.
- Progress in decoding is tracked carefully and pupils are targeted who are at risk of falling behind.
- We focus on the bottom 20% of readers with additional reading opportunities, intervention groups and targeted 1:1 support.
- Comprehension skills are taught alongside fluency in RAT time, using quality extracts of texts and VIPERS, which help identify the skills within comprehension and understanding.
- VIPERS stands for skills needed in comprehension – Vocabulary, Inference, Predict, Explain, Retrieve and Summarise / Sequence • Children are heard on a 1:1 bases and these VIPERS skills are further discussed along with the development of fluency skills.
- We track progress in comprehension to support and challenge pupils from Year 1 onwards.
- New vocabulary is introduced in topics over the course of the school year and opportunities to use and embed language
Impact
- Children in EYFS are confident communicators who can use wide ranging vocabulary to express their understanding and knowledge.
- Children leave Key Stage 1 with at least expected outcomes in Reading Comprehension and secure decoding skills.
- Children will transition to Key Stage 3 as confident readers who can access a new curriculum confidently and have a wide ranging vocabulary
- Children read widely and express positive opinions about reading and read out loud with confidence and fluency.
- Children will leave Bramley Vale having read a wide range of stories, poetry, topic related non-fiction books.
- Children will confidently talk about books, citing loved authors, genres and memorable books as well as being able to critique books.
English Topic Overview
At Bramley Vale, we follow a two yearly plan to ensure the curriculum is fully covered. The outline plan for both Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 is listed below. Each half term, we try to have a school trip or experience linked to our topic for wider learning experiences. If you have any questions about this, please contact the school.
