Click on the sections below to explore and learn more about the English curriculum at St Teresa’s.
At St Teresa’s Primary School, the Catholic faith underpins every aspect of the curriculum and is at the centre of our learning. Children are actively encouraged to ‘Build God’s Kingdom’.
It is our intent at St Teresa’s RC Primary school to provide pupils with a high-quality education in English that teaches pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others, and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually.
At St Teresa’s RC Primary English is a crucial part of our curriculum. All children from Foundation Stage to Year 6 are provided with many opportunities to develop and apply their English skills right across the curriculum.
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.
Writing at St Teresa’s
We plan our English writing curriculum through Pathways to Write, which uses a text-based learning approach- all texts are current and up to date. Through this, various genres of writing are taught whilst taking into account all ability levels, learning styles, disadvantaged pupils and those with EAL. Pupils are expected to write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences. The process of the writing journey is clear to see- this consists of children collecting ideas, composing, drafting, and rereading to check their meaning is clear.
Grammar and punctuation skills are taught through writing and the exploration of texts read. Key vocabulary along with common exception words are displayed and children are encouraged to use a high level and rich variety of language within their writing. Pathways to Write ensures coverage and progression of skills providing opportunities to link to other subject areas.
Skills are assessed at the end of each unit against the feature and mastery keys. Feedback is provided using the keys as success criteria, which the children respond to in turn.
Poetry is also taught using Pathways to Write during which children read, enjoy, analyse, write and perform poetry.
Reading at St Teresa’s
Our aim at St Teresa’s is that every child should read for pleasure and enjoyment. It is a core life skill allowing children to access all areas of learning. Books are at the heart of our learning challenge curriculum. Every class has a library and we have a new school library, which is part of an ongoing project supported by our PTA-the library is available for whole class or group sessions.
We support the children on their reading journey through Guided Reading (KS1) and whole class (KS2), individual reading and phonics teaching (see phonics Intent and subject lead for more information.)
In Key Stage 1 during Guided Reading, the children are taught in small groups. Teaching is closely matched to the needs of the children and high quality texts are carefully selected from different genres of fiction and non-fiction. The weekly sessions are carefully planned and recorded whilst also giving the opportunity to read for pleasure.
In Key Stage 2, during our Whole Class Reading approach, children are taught using a whole class text using questioning through VIPERS (Vocabulary, Infer, Predict, Explain, Retrieve, Sequence or Summarise.). Children respond through discussion orally and record in the Reading Journal Book. Questions are carefully matched to the text and a range of comprehension skills are taught through VIPERS.
Skills are assessed using SSRT to find a child’s reading age, reading journal tasks using Guided reading objectives and VIPERS and termly NFER tests.
Reading Scheme-
In Nursery, children take home a reading book from our class library as well as a Firm Foundations language and communication pack to share with parents.
From Reception upwards the children will choose a book from the library but also from the appropriate Book Band-this could be online or a paper copy. Our books are colour coded to allow easy access for the children and are organised according to level of difficulty. This comprehensive scheme of fiction and non-fiction books includes: Oxford Reading Tree, Floppy’s Phonics and Songbirds phonics.
As the children become more confident readers, they move off the scheme books and onto Freedom Reads.
We also encourage reading at least 3 times a week at home and evidence of this is recorded in Homework Diaries. Volunteer readers are allocated to classes who feel they would benefit from extra reading support where possible.
Our English subject leader is Mrs McCann.
