The Development Matters statement, updated in 2021,  specifies what children should be able to do in terms of reading, writing, speaking and listening by the time they leave Reception.

Development Matters - Non-statutory curriculum guidance for the early years foundation stage (publishing.service.gov.uk)

The National Curriculum specifies the English content that should be taught for KS1 and 2.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335186/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_English_220714.pdf

Phonics

'Learning to decode words using phonics is an essential element of early reading instruction.'

Hulme, C. & Snowling, M.J

Phonics is an approach to teaching reading, and some aspects of writing, by developing learners’ phonemic awareness. This involves the skills of hearing, identifying and using phonemes or sound patterns in English. The aim is to systematically teach learners the relationship between these sounds and the written spelling patterns, or graphemes, which represent them. Phonics emphasises the skills of decoding new words by sounding them out and combining or ‘blending’ the sound-spelling patterns.

How we teach Phonics

In school, we teach phonics using the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds programme.

This is taught 5 times a week in Reception and Y1. 

Children are taught  Phase 2 phonics from when they start in Reception.  All staff teaching phonics are trained in the teaching of synthetic phonics. Phonic workshops are held for Reception parents in the Autumn term.

Children are assessed regularly at the end of each half term to ensure they are on track. Children who fall behind are quickly identified and extra support is put in place for them to catch up in terms of daily individual and/or group keep up.

In Year 1, children are taught the phonics according to the progression document and assessed half termly to ensure they are on track. Children who need extra support are identified quickly and have daily group or individual catch up. In June, children take a Phonics Screening check. This is a statutory test, set by the Government, to assess children's ability to decode words using phonics. 

in Year 2, the first half of the Autumn term is used to review Phase before before children move on to Little Wandle's spelling programme.

Any children in KS2 who are not secure in phonics have Rapid Catch up sessions 3 times a week to support their phonic, fluency and decoding skills.

For more information about this, please click the links below.

Little Wandle Parent page

For parents | Letters and Sounds (littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk)

Phonics Screening Check Year 1

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/194057/phonics_check_leaflet_2013_.pdf

https://www.readwithphonics.com/blog/parent-guide-what-phonics-screening-check

Reading

"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island." – Walt Disney

How we teach Reading

At The Round House, we believe it is important that all children learn to read from an early age and that they have the strategies to make this happen.  We try to ensure that the children have had as much experience as possible in reading a wide variety of reading material.  The creative curriculum offers a range of opportunities for different forms of reading, for a variety of contexts and audiences and helps to give purpose to their reading.  We want children to develop as confident, enthusiastic and independent readers who want to read for their own interest and pleasure.

Reception 

• Reading Practice sessions, in line with Little Wandle, are taught twice a week. Children read a book matched to the phonics they know. The first session is focused on decoding and the second focuses on reading with prosody and ensuring comprehension.

Year 1

• Year 1 have 3 reading practice sessions each week. Children read books matched to the phonics they know. The first session focuses on decoding, the second on reading with prosody and the the third on comprehension.

Year 2

• Year 2 use the same reading practice structure as  Year 1 for the Autumn term. They then progress to whole class reading. Any children who need to, also continue with Little Wandle reading practice sessions.

KS2

• Children receive an hour long, whole class reading lesson a week and an additional half an hour-long reading session a week. Where necessary, children continue with Reading Practice sessions. The structure for these lessons will include a quick recall of key information, the reading of the text itself, discussion around key vocabulary (with visual images where appropriate) and focused questions for children to discuss and answer both in groups/pairs and individually that include aspects of the key areas of retrieval, meaning of words, inference and authorial choice.
• The teaching of reading in these lessons could involve fluency practice and extended reading.
• Daily reading time – Class novels, picture books, poems, newspapers...all sorts of reading genres! These are recorded in a class reading journal that goes up with them through the school.
• Book Chat - children are chosen weekly to share their favourite books and recommendations with their class
• After School club Reading Gladiator sessions – small group led by a teacher for higher attaining children in Y2/3/4/5/6.

5 Plagues of Reading- throughout each school year, children will experience at least one text from each of the ‘5 plagues’: archaic, non-linear time sequences, narratively complex, figurative/symbolic and resistant texts.

Home Reading

Reception and Key Stage 1

The reading books that children take home to read will be one that they can read independently and should be around 95% decodable.  

In Reception, children take home 2 books to read at home – a book matched to their phonic phase and a reading for pleasure book to share with an adult.

In Year 1, children take home book matched to their phonic phase.

In Year 2, children take home a colour-banded book at their reading level or a book matched to their phonic phase if they are not yet secure in phase 5 phonics to support their decoding skill development. Some higher attaining children in Year 2 are moved onto the Accelerated Reader programme and take books home at their reading level, based on their reading age.

Key stage 2

Children continue to use the colour banded book schemes as necessary and then move onto a range of free reading books.  These are categorised according to the AR scheme used in school.

High interest/low level books are used for struggling readers.

Reading Plus, an online reading programme,  is used for specifically identified children in KS2. They complete 1 hour and 30 minutes of this each week.

Assessment

In Reception children are given a book that matches their current phonics phase and sounds they have been taught and are secure in.  

Fluency assessments are completed at the end of Phase 5 Little Wandle to ensure that children are reading with fluency and comprehending what they are reading.

Once children move to coloured banded books, they are also assessed using the PM Benchmark Kit which looks at accuracy, fluency, retelling, comprehension and analysis of children’s reading strategies in order to diagnose next steps in reading.

In Key Stage 2, children continue to use a structured colour band programme or move onto the Accelerated Reader programme.  This is a software programme used in school, designed to assess a student's reading level, suggest titles of books at that level, and then assess whether a student has completed reading the book by asking a series of questions. From the quizzes, the class teacher will be able to monitor progress, and target next steps. 

Assessment for reading is ongoing throughout the year as part of formative assessment. Assessment is completed by teachers for reading and children are tracked on online assessment grids at regular points throughout the year.  

Formal summative assessments are carried out at the end of Key Stage 1 and 2 as well as NFER tests which take place during assessment week each term. 

Book corners are accessible to children in each Reception and KS1 classroom. They include a variety of different texts, selected by the class teacher. Each year group has a carefully selected reading spine of core texts that will be read to the children as part of daily reading time and available in book corners for children to revisit independently. These include poems and cover different texts from the 5 plagues of reading.

100 Read Challenge at Round House

All children from Year 1 to Year 6 are invited to take part in the '100 Read Challenge'.

This challenge consists of 3 lists : Year 1 and 2, Year 3 and 4, Year 5 and 6. Within these lists are book titles which support and extend reading taught in school and promote a love of reading for pleasure through favourite and well known books for children.  The books were carefully chosen using resources and information from places like the CLPE (Centre for Literacy in Primary Education).

If a child manages to complete 100 titles from the list before they leave a key stage, they will receive a special award from the school, as well as having significantly improved their reading and overall academic performance.

There are regular opportunities for children to review the books and these are then displayed for people to read.  Each half term teacher's also read and review books from the 100 read selection.

We were able to purchase many books for this through our 'Fun and Fit' Read'a'thon and also through donations from local businesses.  

The book lists are attached below.

Writing

‘When I read great literature, great drama, speeches, or sermons, I feel that the
human mind has not achieved anything greater than the ability to share
feelings and thoughts through language.’
James Earl Jones

How we Teach Writing 

In Reception, children are given daily opportunities to develop their fine motor skills, pencil control and letter formation. Different genres of writing are introduced and modeled and the children are both supported and encouraged to write in these forms during their independent play.   A variety of opportunities are provided for the children to engage in writing activities in both the indoor and outdoor areas. These include: whole class teaching every morning, adult-led focus activities and child initiated learning (for example at the writing table, in the construction area and in the role-play area).

In Year 1, a ‘Writing Recovery’ approach is used to teach writing in guided groups. This approach teaches children how to orally construct and then write a sentence, with focus on using phonics, key words and basic punctuation.

In Key Stage 1 and 2, the teaching of writing forms a large part of the English lesson and within weekly planning there are opportunities for teaching transcription, composition, handwriting and vocabulary, grammar and punctuation. Children also have opportunities in the ICE Zones, and in foundation subject lessons in Year 5 and 6, for extended writing and cross curricular writing.

The school uses an amalgamation of the CLPE Power of Reading and the Write Stuff approaches, culminating in a bespoke writing structure to support the development of writing. The focus of this is the use of carefully chosen, high quality text to raise attainment in writing.

Children also have the opportunity to write at  length at the end of some foundation subject units. Although the ‘essay’ is used to assess their knowledge and understanding of the relevant foundation subject, it provides them with additional opportunity to write for a purpose.

We use a cursive style of handwriting, across the whole school, starting from Reception.

We follow the Letter-join scheme. 

https://www.letterjoin.co.uk/

Assessment

Assessment of pupil progress is on-going by the class teacher.  All children write independently in their Exciting Writing books on 2 week cycle. Week 1 is a write based on a genre they have been learning about in English lessons. The second week, children then edit and improve their work, following marking and feedback from the teacher.  The books are used to indicate pupil progress over time and will be used by the children as they go through the school. Teachers use a variety of evidence including Exciting Writing books, English books and cross curricular writing, to make attainment judgements about a child’s writing. 

Formative and summative assessments are carried out at the end of Key Stage 1 and 2. In Foundation Stage, ongoing observations take place which inform the completion of individual profiles.

Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation

How we teach Spelling

Children are taught to spell high frequency words from Reception.  In each phonic phase, high frequency words are identified that children need to be able to spell. From the Spring term in Year 2, daily phonics is replaced with daily spelling sessions.  Children in Year 2, who still need support with phonics, are taught spelling but also have extra catch up sessions for phonics. Year 2 follow the Little Wandle spelling programme.

From Y3, spelling lessons are taught for 20 minutes 4 times a week. We follow the Jane Considine 'The Spelling Book' programme for our teaching of spelling.  The programme is linked to the 2014 National Curriculum guidelines and statutory spellings and ensures all elements of spelling, grammar and punctuation are taught, as well as the ability to spell accurately within their everyday writing. Pupils are taught in year groups ,with smaller, more targeted groups, where appropriate. 

Spelling practice is included as part of homework across the school, using Spelling Shed (an online spelling programme) which is set weekly. 

Throughout school, grammar and punctuation is taught in  English lessons, either as the focus of the lesson, or discretely as part of the writing process .

Assessment

Assessment of pupil progress is, in the first instance, on-going by the class teacher as part of formative assessment. Half termly phonic assessments are completed in  Reception  and Y1, based on words that children have been taught that term.  Children are expected to apply their phonic knowledge in their reading and writing. This is monitored through guided writing.

Formal summative assessments are carried out each term from Year 1 to Year 6, alongside SATs tests at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Assessments from 'The Spelling Book' programme and carried out at the beginning of the Autumn term, as a baseline, and at the end of the Summer term.

Oracy

Oracy is the ability to articulate ideas, develop understanding and engage with others through spoken language.  In school, oracy is a powerful tool for learning; by teaching students to become more effective speakers and listeners we empower them to better understand themselves, each other

and the world around them.

How we teach Oracy 

From the first days in school, speaking and listening play a large part in a child’s progress in all curriculum areas and teachers plan to develop these skills in a wide variety of ways. We aim to develop and encourage fluent speakers, who are confident to operate in a wide range of situations.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-english-programmes-of-study/national-curriculum-in-england-english-programmes-of-study#spoken-language--years-1-to-6 

Pupils have a range of planned oracy experiences (this is not an exhaustive list), which include:

drama; circle time; talking partners; listening to stories; preparation for writing; visiting speakers; giving and receiving instructions; paired/collaborative work; problem solving in maths;  presentation of learning and also use current working walls to develop vocabulary for oracy.

At The Round House Primary we use the Oracy Framework that was developed by The University of Cambridge and Voice 21. This framework breaks oracy into four strands.

• Physical
• Cognitive
• Linguistic
• Social and Emotional

Assessment

This framework allows both staff and pupils to understand what makes good spoken communication. The four strands enable successful discussion, inspiring speech and effective communication. The framework is used by staff to give feedback and assess progress. Pupils use the framework to self-assess, peer-assess and talk about talk.

How can you help at home?
•    Encourage your child to speak in full sentences.
•    Encourage your child to give reasons for their choices.
•    Encourage your child to explain something to you as accurately as possible (the rules for a game, how to make a sandwich, how to solve a sum)
•    Encourage your child to read out loud using a confident voice and volume.
•    Encourage your child to make eye contact when they are talking.

School Closure- Remote Learning Opportunities

Below are a range of different links to a range of different learning opportunities to use during the school closures. Explore and enjoy!

The Oak National Academy have started a virtual library. Every week a popular children's author or illustrator will provide you with free books, exclusive videos and their top three recommended reads.

This author this week is Jacqueline Wilson.

You can access the library through the link below.

Virtual School Library | Oak Academy (thenational.academy)

Live streams:

https://www.thenational.academy/online-classroom - daily lessons for every year group.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/dailylessons - daily lessons for every year group.

https://radioblogging.net/ - Pie Corbett delivers live English lessons from 9.30-10.30 each day.

https://learnliveuk.com/learn-live-read-channel/ - this page will feature one LIVE Read every weekday at 10:00am. You can use this chat facility to ask questions and make suggestions for other books you would like to see on the Learn LIVE Read Channel!

https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com/elevenses/ - daily reading at 11.00 each day by David Walliams.

James Mayhew (links posted daily on his Twitter that link to Youtube) for a 3pm storytime every day.

https://www.oliverjeffers.com/abookaday/ - daily book reading.

https://www.youtube.com/theshowsmustgoon - full length West End shows available to stream for 48 hour windows.

https://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/find-out-more/help-during-school-closure/ - available from Monday 20th April. Films of well-loved stories read by Nick Cannon.

English (general):

http://www.pobble365.com/ - a daily stimulus picture with questions, story starters and sentence challenges.

https://www.spag.com - Year 6 have personal logins for this site.

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/ - a range of resources for all subjects (presentations, worksheets, etc.)- they are offering free logins to parents.

https://www.sirlinkalot.org/ 

https://www.questr.org/schoolclosure 

https://plprimarystars.com/resources?filter%5Bsubject%5D%5B%5D=English&viewSample=SamplePack - resources linked to the Premier League.

https://app.senecalearning.com/courses?Price=Free&Subject=English&Subject=English+Language&Subject=English+Literature&Subject=English+Literature+-+Quotations&Age+Group=Primary - several 'courses' of lessons.

https://www.discoveryeducation.co.uk/ - children can use the school login for this to access a range of activities, videos, etc.

http://www.lexonik.co.uk/home-study/ - looking at word level work.

https://authorfy.com/ - free author videos and writing resources.

https://www.literacyshedplus.com/browse/free-resources/key-stage-2-activity-packs -downloadable resource packs with tasks based on video clips. 

Reading:

https://subscribe.firstnews.co.uk/free-downloadable-issue/ - free children's downloadable newspaper.

https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/ 

https://stories.audible.com/start-listen- free stories to listen to  during school closure

https://www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading/bookfinder/ - a site with recommended booklists, categorised by age, range and topic.

https://theday.co.uk/subscriptions/the-day-home -a daily newsletter for parents and carers at home with children, helping to enrich learning with real-world knowledge and skills. 

https://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/ - games to support children's reading skills.

Phonics/Spelling:

http://www.lexonik.co.uk/home-study/ - looking into 'chunks' of words to help with spelling and reading- this links to some of the small group work that we do in school.

https://www.spellingshed.com/ - children have their own individual logins for this.

https://www.sirlinkalot.org/

https://new.phonicsplay.co.uk/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b01cz0p1/alphablocks - play along with the fun and friendly letters of the alphabet as they work together to make words and tell stories using phonics.

https://2simple.com/purple-mash/ - free during school closure. Daily activities on comprehension and grammar.

http://www.letters-and-sounds.com/ - activities and resources for all phases of phonics.