Why do we learn English?
The ability to read and write fluently and confidently is the absolute right of every child.
Our aim is to develop pupils’ cultural literacy through an introduction to the most powerful knowledge for continued engagement with the modern world, including through the importance of modern texts.
Our approach
From the Primary phase onwards, we aim to ensure that all of our pupils leave as fluent readers who can decode unfamiliar text, discuss and write about what they have read, and read for pleasure; and as writers who are able to express their ideas fluently and accurately, and enjoy writing for a range of purposes.
Our curriculum exposes pupils to diverse texts and authors, across a range of genres. It is also structured to ensure that they receive the explicit teaching required to ensure high levels of transcriptional accuracy, while fostering a sense of curiosity, wonder and joy.
As pupils move into the secondary, sixth form and then into adulthood, we want every member of our school to have the capacity to read any book they choose to, with the skills required to understand what they read.
Our vision is for a depth and clarity of thought made possible through rigorously taught adherence to grammar. This will enable all pupils to access our literary heritage and inspire them to explore that heritage for themselves. Classic texts are a springboard from which pupils can discover myriad areas of academic thought and artistic expression.
Reception
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Topic: Me and My World Writing: Recount |
Topic: Transportation Writing: Narrative |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
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Topic: Into the Woods Writing: Narrative |
Topic: Space Writing: Beegu |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
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Topic: Growing and Changing Writing: Non-fiction |
Topic: Minibeasts Writing: Non-fiction |
Year 1
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: Traction Man Writing: Monster Narrative; Recount |
Reading: The Queen’s Hat Writing: Letter; Instructions |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: Lost in the Toy Musuem Writing: Information |
Reading: Katie in... Writing: Instructions |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: Somebody Swallowed Stanley Writing: Narrative; Persuasive Letter |
Reading: Billy’s Bucket/Traction Man at the Beach Writing: Narrative; Recount |
Year 2
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Chalk Writing: Narrative, Recount, |
Reading: Amazing Grace Writing: Letters, Fact Files |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: The Twits Writing: Narrative; Instructions |
Reading: Diary of a Killer Cat Writing: Diary; Character Description; Poetry |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: Flat Stanley Writing: Letter; Persuasive |
Reading: Myths and Legends Writing: Narrative; Instructions |
Year 3
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: The BFG (Roald Dahl), Writing: Narrative opening, |
Reading: Cloud Beauty (Malory Blackman) Writing: Diary, Informal Letter |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: The Queen’s Nose (Dick King-Smith) Writing: Non-chronological Report; Persuasive Advert |
Reading: Various Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales Writing: Narrative |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: The Wild Robot (Peter Brown) Writing: Diary Entry; Biography |
Reading: Odysseus (Hugh Lapton) Writing: Myth Narrative |
Year 4
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: Charlotte’s Web (EB White), Writing: Persuasive Letters, |
Reading: Varjack Paw (SF Said) Writing: Narrative Build-up and Problem |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: The Explorer (Katherine Rundell) Writing: Diary; Non- chronological Report |
Reading: The Explorer (Katherine Rundell) Writing: Narrative |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: The Boy at the Back of the Class (Onjali Raút) Writing: Journalistic Writing; Formal Letter |
Reading: Race to the Frozen North (Catherine Johnson) Writing: Narrative; Big Question |
Year 5
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: Cogheart (Peter Bunzl) Writing: Diary |
Reading: Strange Star (Emma Carroll) Writing: Narrative |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: Goodnight Mr Tom (Michelle Megorian) Writing: Non-chronological Report |
Reading: Goodnight Mr Tom (Michelle Megorian) Writing: Newspaper |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare) Writing: Diary |
Reading: Fierce Fairytales (Nikita Gill) Writing: Poetry |
Year 6
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: The Other Side of Truth (Beverley Naidoo) Writing: Problem Narrative; Information Text |
Reading: The Boy in the Tower (Polly Ho-Yen) Writing: Diary, Newspaper |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: Phoenix (SF Said) Writing: Setting/Character Descriptions; Persuasive Brochure |
Reading: World War Poetry Writing: Poetry; Diary |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
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Reading: Macbeth (William Shakespeare) Writing: Poetry |
Reading: Everything All at Once (Steven Camden) Writing: Poetry, Letters |
Year 7
| Autumn |
|---|
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19th Century text: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens |
| Spring |
|---|
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Shakespeare text: A Midsummer Night’s Dream |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
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Selected poetry: modern and heritage |
Term 6: Ancient Tales |
Year 8
| Autumn |
|---|
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19th Century text: Sherlock Holmes selected short stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle |
| Spring |
|---|
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Shakespeare text: The Tempest |
| Summer |
|---|
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Novel study: Animal Farm by George Orwell |
Year 9
| Autumn |
|---|
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19th Century text: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
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Shakespeare text: Romeo and Juliet |
Modern Text: Small Island |
| Summer |
|---|
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Selected poetry on the theme of journeys, both metaphorical and physical: modern and heritage |
Year 10
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
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Language: Reading and analysing unseen fiction Literature: Modern text study, An Inspector Calls by J B Priestley |
Language: Comparing non-fiction texts Literature: Modern text study, An Inspector Calls by J B Priestley |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
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Language: Descriptive writing Literature: Shakespeare study, Macbeth |
Language: Composing formal non-fiction Literature: Shakespeare study, Macbeth |
| Summer |
|---|
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Language: Analysing lexis, comparing, writing creatively, understanding structures in fiction and non-fiction Literature: Poetry comparison study; love and relationships anthology, modern and heritage |
Year 11
| Autumn |
|---|
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Language: Analysing lexis, comparing, writing creatively, understanding structures in fiction and non-fiction Literature: Jekyll & Hyde |
| Spring |
|---|
| Consolidation, re-teach and revision |
| Summer |
|---|
| Consolidation, re-teach and revision |
Year 12
| Autumn |
|---|
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Drama study: Dr Faustus by Christopher Marlowe Novel study for comparison: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte |
| Spring |
|---|
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Shakespeare study and literary criticism: Hamlet Novel study for comparison: Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf |
| Summer |
|---|
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Coursework base texts: Identity theme Modern poetry: Poems of the Decade anthology |
Year 13
| Autumn |
|---|
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Romanticism: Anthology of Romantic poetry Coursework drafting and writing skills |
| Spring |
|---|
| Consolidation, re-teach and revision |
| Summer |
|---|
| Consolidation, re-teach and revision |