English

At Northstead Community Primary School, English education is designed to foster a love for literature and develop essential language skills across all year groups. The curriculum is structured to enhance both transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing), ensuring pupils become proficient in all aspects of English.

In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), children engage with the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum, which emphasizes learning through play and covers seven areas, including Communication and Language, and Literacy. This approach lays a strong foundation for language development.

As pupils progress to Key Stages 1 and 2, they follow the National Curriculum for English. The school has developed a comprehensive English Curriculum Map that outlines the themes and core texts for each term and year group. For instance, Year 1 explores themes like “Journeys & Exploration” and “Heroes & Villains,” engaging with texts such as “Naughty Bus” by Jan Oke and “Astro Girl” by Ken Wilson-Max. In Year 6, themes like “Migration & Movement” and “Evolution & Inheritance” are covered, with texts including “The Arrival” by Shaun Tan and “Windrush Child” by Benjamin Zephaniah.

The school places a strong emphasis on reading, writing, and spelling. Writing instruction focuses on developing transcription skills—spelling and handwriting—and composition skills, which involve articulating ideas and structuring them coherently. Students are taught to plan, revise, and evaluate their writing, fostering a comprehensive understanding of the writing process.

To support early reading development, Northstead Community Primary School implements the Read Write Inc. Phonics program, a structured approach to teaching phonics that aids children in developing reading fluency and comprehension skills.

Overall, the English teaching and learning at Northstead Community Primary School is thoughtfully designed to cultivate confident, articulate, and literate individuals, prepared for future academic challenges and lifelong learning.