Subject Intent

English is at the forefront of the curriculum at Fir Tree. We are committed to providing a high-quality English education that enables every pupil to become a confident reader, writer and communicator. We want pupils to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to communicate effectively and participate fully in society, while developing a lifelong enjoyment of reading and writing.

Our English curriculum is designed to develop pupils' reading, writing, spelling, handwriting, grammar, vocabulary, speaking and listening in an interconnected way. We recognise that strong language skills underpin learning across the whole curriculum, and therefore provide pupils with rich opportunities to read, discuss, write and communicate for a wide range of purposes and audiences.

We foster a culture of reading in which children encounter a wide range of high-quality literature, poetry and non-fiction. Through reading, pupils develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually, while broadening their vocabulary, knowledge and understanding of the world.

In writing, we aim for pupils to become thoughtful and increasingly independent authors who can make deliberate choices about language, structure, vocabulary and punctuation according to their audience and purpose. We place emphasis on depth and mastery, ensuring that pupils develop secure knowledge and are able to apply it rather than simply moving on to new content.

We want every child to leave Fir Tree able to read fluently and with understanding, communicate confidently, write clearly and effectively, and use the conventions of English accurately and purposefully.

Subject Implementation

English is taught through a rich combination of reading, writing, phonics and early reading, spelling, handwriting, grammar and spoken language. These elements are taught both explicitly and through meaningful contexts, with teachers making connections between them wherever possible.

Reading and Early Reading

Early reading begins with the systematic teaching of phonics. In EYFS and KS1, pupils follow Read Write Inc., developing secure knowledge of phonemes and graphemes, blending and segmenting skills and the ability to decode words accurately and fluently. Pupils practise their developing reading skills using appropriate decodable texts, with additional support provided for pupils who need further opportunities to secure their decoding and comprehension.

As pupils progress through KS1 and into KS2, reading develops beyond decoding towards increasingly fluent, expressive and independent reading. In KS2, pupils take part in whole-class reading, exploring sections and extracts from a range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Teaching develops pupils' vocabulary, retrieval, inference, comprehension, interpretation and ability to discuss texts using evidence.

Across the school, pupils encounter a wide range of high-quality texts, including classic and contemporary literature, poetry, picture books and non-fiction. Texts are carefully selected to provide appropriate challenge, broaden pupils' experiences and knowledge, and expose them to a range of voices, cultures, ideas and perspectives.

Writing

Writing is taught through purposeful units which expose pupils to a broad range of text types and purposes. High-quality texts may be used as models and stimuli, allowing pupils to explore how authors use language, structure and literary techniques to achieve particular effects. Pupils have regular opportunities to explore ideas through talk, drama and discussion before writing. This enables them to rehearse vocabulary, sentence structures, ideas and the features of a particular text type before putting them into writing.

Writing is also closely connected to the wider curriculum. For example, pupils may use their learning in science to produce an explanation, or their learning in history or geography to create a report. This provides authentic contexts in which pupils can apply their English knowledge and understand the purpose of writing.

Teachers model writing through shared writing and live modelling, including making decisions aloud and evaluating choices as authors. Pupils are encouraged to explain why they have selected particular vocabulary, sentence structures, punctuation or organisational features, developing an increasingly sophisticated understanding of audience and purpose.

Text types and writing skills are revisited throughout the school so that pupils can build on previous learning, deepen their understanding and apply their knowledge with increasing independence. Shakespeare is also woven through KS2, with each year group exploring a Shakespeare tale as a recurring literary thread.

Spelling

Spelling is taught progressively through No Nonsense Spelling, building on the phonics knowledge established in EYFS and KS1. Pupils develop their understanding of spelling patterns, common exception words, prefixes, suffixes, word endings, homophones and statutory spelling conventions.

Lessons follow a consistent Revise, Teach, Practise, Apply approach. Pupils are taught a range of strategies to help them understand and remember spelling patterns, including syllabification, word investigation, sorting, identifying patterns and proofreading. Spelling is then applied within pupils' wider writing so that they understand spelling as part of effective communication rather than as an isolated skill.

Handwriting

Handwriting is taught regularly through a consistent and progressive approach. Lessons include opportunities to warm up and strengthen the hands and fingers, revisit previously taught letter formations, explicitly model new formations and provide focused opportunities for practice and application.

Teachers closely observe pupils' formation and provide immediate feedback and further modelling where necessary. Pupils are encouraged to develop handwriting that is fluent, legible and increasingly efficient, with skills applied consistently across all areas of the curriculum.

Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary

Grammar and punctuation are taught explicitly and reinforced through reading, discussion and writing. Pupils learn how the English language works and how grammatical and punctuation choices can affect meaning, clarity and impact.

Rather than teaching grammar solely as a set of rules, teachers provide opportunities for pupils to identify, discuss and apply grammatical structures within meaningful texts and their own writing. Pupils are encouraged to explain the choices they make as writers and to recognise how authors use language and structure.

Vocabulary development is central to this work. Through high-quality texts, subject-specific learning and explicit vocabulary teaching, pupils develop a broad and increasingly sophisticated vocabulary which they can understand and use accurately.

Spoken Language

Speaking and listening are integral to English at Fir Tree. Pupils are given regular opportunities to discuss ideas, rehearse language, perform, ask and answer questions, explain their thinking and respond to the ideas of others.

Discussion, drama and oral rehearsal are particularly important in developing pupils' confidence and supporting them to organise their thoughts before writing. Pupils are taught to listen carefully, communicate clearly and adapt their language for different audiences and purposes.

Assessment and Measuring Progress

Assessment in English is ongoing and embedded within teaching. Teachers use questioning, discussion, observation, reading aloud, pupils' independent work and ongoing feedback to identify what pupils know, understand and can apply.

In early reading and phonics, assessment identifies pupils' knowledge of sounds and graphemes, ability to blend and segment, accuracy of decoding and developing fluency. This enables teachers to identify pupils who require additional practice or targeted support.

In reading, teachers assess pupils' fluency, vocabulary and comprehension, including their ability to retrieve information, make inferences, explain ideas, discuss themes and characters, and support their thinking with evidence from a text.

In writing, pupils' independent writing provides an important opportunity to assess how effectively they can apply taught knowledge and skills. Teachers consider pupils' ability to write for different audiences and purposes, organise ideas, select vocabulary, use appropriate grammar and punctuation, spell accurately and develop their own authorial voice. Independent assessed writing takes place regularly, including an assessed write each term.

Spelling and handwriting are assessed through pupils' everyday work as well as focused activities. Teachers identify common errors and misconceptions and use these to inform subsequent teaching and intervention.

Assessment is used to inform teaching rather than simply measure attainment. Teachers revisit prior learning, address misconceptions and provide appropriate challenge so that pupils can develop depth, fluency and independence. Progress is considered across the different strands of English, ensuring that pupils are not only acquiring knowledge but are increasingly able to apply it accurately, confidently and purposefully.

School Library

One of the most important rooms in our school is the library. We have a huge variety of books that we add to with recent and current books to keep our library up to date. We also have three diligent librarians who keep our library in shape by organising and sorting the books; they are also very good at making recommendations to anyone needing some inspiration for their next book choice. If you have your own suggestions or recommendations for books that you would like to see included in the library, please speak to either the librarians or to Mr Wilcox. Have a look below at some of the more recent additions to the library:

Useful Links for Parents: