English is a vital way of communicating in school, in public life and internationally. Literature in English is rich and influential, reflecting the experience of people from many countries and times.

In studying English pupils develop skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing. It enables them to express themselves creatively and imaginatively and to communicate with others effectively. Pupils learn to become enthusiastic and critical readers of stories, poetry and drama as well as non-fiction and media texts.

The study of English helps pupils understand how language works by looking at its patterns, structures and origins. Using this knowledge pupils can choose and adapt what they say and write in different situations.

Subject Leader: Mrs Katy John

Our Commitment to Reading

Reading is a key indicator for future success in further education and employment. Our commitment at Stoberry Park is to ensure all children become fluent, engaged readers at the earliest stages through careful teaching and fluent practice. Children will be heard regularly in school by members of staff and this will be recorded in their reading diary.

Accelerated Reader

At Stoberry we use the comprehensive Accelerated Reader programme to monitor children’s reading – this involves children completing quizzes when they have finished a book. Children progress to Accelerated Reader when appropriate by completing a Star Reader test. This gives the children a reading range which matches up to all the books in our school library. Children in KS2 are set a personalised Accelerated Reading targets each term by their teachers. All teaching staff closely monitor children’s progress on Accelerated Reader and will put support in place when required. Children are also encouraged to read through competition with other classes, and can achieve 'word millionaire' status; class word counts and individual milestones are celebrated in assembly every Friday and published on our weekly planner which is sent home. 

Click on the website to complete a quiz: Welcome to Renaissance Place (renlearn.co.uk) 

Guided Reading

All children participate in daily guided reading sessions. This involves reading aloud, completing comprehension activities and reading for pleasure. Children read a wide range of books from comics to non-fiction. In Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 this progresses to whole class reading to prepare children for secondary school.

Reading Diaries

All children are issued with a reading diary to communicate their reading progress with parents and carers at home. In your child’s reading diary, you will find their passwords for our reading systems such as myON and Accelerated Reader as well as their Doodle log ins. School staff will hear children read regularly and record this in their reading diaries. Children and adults are encouraged to write in reading diaries to evidence reading at home.

Reading at Home

Reading with parents and carers at home is invaluable. Effective reading to an adult involves careful questioning about what the child is reading and how the story may develop. Click on the document below for prompt questions to help your child understand what they are reading. 

Equality and Diversity

We pride ourselves on having a range of books in our school library and classrooms that celebrate diversity and equality. These books are available to all children throughout the academic year in the library and we hope to continue to add more through funding and our wishlist page. If you are able to donate any books take a look at the latest newsletter for our current book wishlist.

SEN

As part of our SEN commitment at Stoberry Park we ensure children with additional needs make the best possible progress. This is supported by in-class support such as word mats including common misconception words and Read, Write, Inc. and commons misconception word mats. Interventions such as Individual Literacy Intervention (ILI) are also used to ensure progress with children. Interventions focus on phase 2 and 3 spellings and one to one reading for understanding. If you would like any further information on our SEN provision, please contact our SENCO Ms Kelly Thomas. 

Phonics - Read Write Inc.

Phonics is taught daily from EYFS and we aim for all children to master the phonetic code as soon as possible. Phonics is taught in whole year group or whole class groups following the Read Write Inc. scheme and the priority is that children develop their knowledge of the 26 letters in the alphabet, leading to the 44 phonemes and 140 letter combinations. At the end of Year 1 children undergo a statutory phonics screening check. Children who do not yet meet the expected threshold continue receiving RWI sessions.

Reading Levels and Book Bands

Following the Read Write Inc. Programme children will read books matched to their phonics level. Click the documents below to see how our reading books fall in line with the Read Write Inc. scheme of learning.

Our Library

In addition to books available in classes, our Library is packed with a variety of books for all levels and interests. Our librarian, Mrs Hodson, regularly updates the displays in the library to show what children at Stoberry are reading. Books in the library follow our Accelerated Reading levels and include quiz numbers in the front to help you complete your AR quiz after finishing the book.

Talk for Writing

As a school, we follow aspects of Pie Corbett’s Talk for Writing, alongside using high quality full texts as models for writing. Children learn to write through talk, language and vocabulary with a focus on children enjoying reading and a wide variety of literature from traditional tales to modern classics. Talk for Writing builds a rich vocabulary in children which they then include in their own creative writing. This is reinforced by the use of Magpie Books throughout the school. Magpie books are used by the children to note down amazing ideas and vocabulary and the books move up through the school with the children so they can call upon previous learning. Click the document below to see our 2-year rolling programme of texts children study and how you can support them at home.  As our English curriculum continues to develop and in response to new high quality texts and children's interests, we may change texts, to make sure we are staying up to date.

Fabulous Free Writing

These lessons will work on a three-week rota where children are given a writing prompt to inspire their creative writing. Week one will see children study the stimulus and plan their piece of writing, leading into week two where children will write a text of their choosing, week three will then give editing and redrafting opportunities; children will be given regular chances in week 3 to re-draft their writing using their chrome books to support typing fluency.

Spelling

At Stoberry Park School we focus on spelling using a range of methods. Children have log ins for Doodle spell which focusses on the National Curriculum common exception words. Children in Key Stage 2 are taught spelling discretely.  Children continually revise and re-learn previous phonics and spelling learning and are expected to apply these spelling patterns in all aspects of their writing.  Key Stage 2 spelling is an area of focus for our current School Development Plan.

Handwriting

Children are taught correct letter formation first in EYFS, learning how to form letters as part of their phonics teaching. This ensures that letters are formed accurately, before adding expectations for joining in to the mix.  Joined writing is taught when children are ready for it.  We aim for children use legible, joined writing as they move through the school with high levels of presentation encouraged. Fine motor activities and interventions are put in place if required.

Punctuation and Grammar

Children are encouraged to be aware of their punctuation and grammar targets which can be found in the back of all English books from Year 1. Children are required to evidence their punctuation and grammar skills across a range of writing opportunities. These technical terms can sometimes be confusing, click on the document below for a grammar Jargon Buster.