English

At Kingsthorne, it is our aim that children should have rich and varied learning opportunities that help them to become confident and enthusiastic learners. We believe that all pupils should be able to confidently communicate their knowledge, ideas and emotions through their spoken words and in their writing. Phonics is at the heart of reading and writing and we develop these skills from the beginning of their school journey. These form the foundation stones for their writing on which they build as their journey progresses. Reading is an important part of all children’s learning and progress. We want our pupils to become motivated and enthusiastic reading detectives with a lifelong love of literature through listening and engaging with books selected by adults, their peers and themselves. It is our intention to encourage an enjoyment of reading for pleasure. We also aim to use reading as a ‘passport to experiences, places and times’ and to provide the chance for every child to become a reader.

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. The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils:

  • read easily, fluently and with good understanding
  • develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
  • acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
  • appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage
  • write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
  • use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas
  • are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate

At Kingsthorne we follow the National Curriculum for all subjects. To view more information about the curriculum strategy for English, please click on the links below: