A command of English language enables self-expression and an understanding of the ideas of others through high levels of communication.

General Aims

To develop reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in line with the
National Curriculum.

We see English as putting language skills to use as well as developing them.

Timetable Allocation

Years 5 and 6:

Five hours per week

Years 7 and 8:

Three and a half hours per week (1/2 hour Knowledge About Language)

How are pupils grouped?

Years 5 and 6:

Mixed ability classes

Years 7 and 8:

Pupils are grouped by ability

What are the National Curriculum Attainment Targets?

The National Curriculum programme includes:

1. speaking and listening
2. reading (including comprehension and the study of Literature)
3. writing (including Spelling, Grammar and Handwriting)

How do we ensure your child is developing & progressing?

Work is marked regularly and progress monitored by continuous teacher
assessment.  Opportunities are given for personal assessment via pupil/teacher
discussion, discussion with peers and written response.  Additional teaching
support is provided for some teaching groups where there are pupils with learning
difficulties.

Homework

Years 5 and 6 receive weekly homework tasks e.g. learning spellings.

In Years 7 and 8 a variety of tasks are set each week including research, reading,
making notes, finishing work, etc.

Homework tasks are explained and deadlines made clear.  

Summary Overview

Pupils are encouraged to become confident and independent users of language.
Creative work is usually centred around a theme or class reading book and often
linked to other curriculum areas.  Work is based on the National Curriculum 
Literacy strategy.

Pupils in Years 5 and 6 follow a Spelling Programme and receive regular lessons
in basic language skills.

 

Year 5	Term 1	Term 2	Term 3
Fiction and poetry	novels, stories and poems by significant children's writers play-scripts concrete poetry	traditional stories, myths, legends, fables from a range of cultures longer classic poetry, including narrative poetry	novels, stories and poems from a variety of cultures and traditions choral and performance poetry
Non-fiction	recounts of events, activities, visits: observational records, news reports instructional texts: rules, recipes, directions, instructions, showing how things are done	non-chronological reports (ie. to describe and classify) explanations (processes, systems, operations, etc.). Use content from other subjects, e.g. how the digestive system works, how to find a percentage, the rain cycle, etc	persuasive writing to put or argue a point of view: letters, commentaries, leaflets to persuade, criticise, protest, support, object, complaining dictionaries, thesauruses, including I.T. sources

 

Year 6	Term 1	Term 2	Term 3
Fiction and poetry	classic fiction, poetry and drama by long-established authors including, where appropriate, study of a Shakespeare play adaptations of classics on film/TV	longer established stories and novels selected from more than one genre, e.g. mystery, humour, sci-fi, historical, fantasy worlds range of poetic forms, e.g. kennings, limericks, riddles, cinquain, tanka, poems written in other forms (as adverts, letters, diary entries, conversations), free verse, nonsense verse	comparison of work by significant children's author(s) and poets: (a) by same author (b) different authors' treatment of same theme(s)
Non-fiction	autobiography and biography, diaries, journals, letters, anecdotes, records of observations, etc. which recount experiences and events journalistic writing non-chronological reports	discussion texts formal writing: notices, public information documents, etc	explanations linked to work from other subjects non-chronological reports linked to work from other subjects use of reference texts, range of dictionaries, thesauruses, including IT sources

Years 7 and 8

In Years 7 and 8 pupils complete several units of work which each last between three and six weeks. These are not taught in any particular order and may be linked to novels being read in class. Grammar is taught alongside these units and pupils also read a number of novels/plays.

Year 7

• Short Story - including a study of traditional tales
• Poetry - this includes pre-1914 poets
• Non-fiction - eg. leaflets, instructions and magazine articles
• Persuasive Language - including argument and advertisements
• Novel Study - pupils are expected to use inference and deduction when discussing and
• comparing novels
• Play script - this includes the reading, writing and performing of scripts

Year 8

• Short Story - modern and pre-20th Century stories
• Poetry - includes the study of a modern poet
• Persuade and inform - this involves the research and presentation of a talk on an unfamiliar topic
• Pygmalion - a study of the play by G B Shaw covering character studies and diaries
• Shakespeare - the life and times of this famous playwright
• Continuity Project - this is usually a Shakespeare play and is continued at Corfe Hills in preparation for KS3 SATs