Literacy

Why our Literacy Curriculum looks like this?

At St Mary and St John, from EYFS to Year 6, we aim to develop children’s love of reading, writing and discussion. Our curriculum aims to motivate and inspire pupils through a high standard of language and literacy skills. It aims for childrento be able to read easily, fluently and with good understanding. We aim to ensure that children read widely and often both for pleasure and for information. Building from learning how to decode specific phonemes and the importance of story time, to nurturing pupils who are confidence in both word reading and language comprehension. 

We recognise the importance of nurturing a culture where children take pride in their writing, can write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of contexts. We want to inspire children to be confident in the art of speaking and listening and who can use discussion to communicate and further their learning; from understanding the importance of listening and turn-taking in EYFS, to creating a vocabulary-rich environment built on the art of discussion, debate and speaking with confidence as they move through school.good understanding. We aim to ensure that children read widely and often both for pleasure and for information. Building from learning how to decode specific phonemes and the importance of story time, to nurturing pupils who are confidence in both word reading and language comprehension. We recognise the importance of  nurturing a culture where children take pride in their writing, can write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of contexts. We want to inspire children to be confident in the art of speaking and listening  and who can use discussion to communicate and further their learning; from understanding the importance of listening and turn-taking in EYFS, to creating a vocabulary-rich environment built on the art of discussion, debate and speaking with confidence as they move through school.

How Literacy is taught at St. Mary and St John Catholic Primary School?

• Our Literacy curriculum provides a clear and comprehensive scheme of work that will show progression of skills from starting points in EYFS and across all key stages within the strands of Literacy and provides purposeful opportunities for reading, writing and discussion. 

• Our curriculum allows children write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences. 

• A range of stimuli to inspire writing is used: from books, films, topical news as well as cross curricular to other subjects. 

• Spelling, grammar and punctuation are embedded within our Literacy curriculum as pupils are introduced to, and apply, grammar terms within their Literacy.

• Spelling in our school follows the ‘Little Wandle’ phonics approach where pupils are introduced to a range of graphemes and phonemes in EYFS before using them to understand and spell age-appropriate words. This phonics approach is developed further during KS1 and KS2 classes as pupils are introduced to different graphemes that show all the different phonemes at age-appropriate standards. 

• Handwriting has a large focus in school through our handwriting scheme of work that allows pupils to develop their own handwriting style whilst being able to write fluently, legibly and, eventually, speedy handwriting. 

• Pupils develop their love of reading through the use of the online ‘Reading Plus’ program which is an adaptive literacy intervention that develops the fluency, comprehension, and motivation students need to be successful readers.

• In EYFS and Key Stage 1, children improve phonics knowledge through ‘Little Wandle’ where they focus on blending and segmenting new sounds, decoding and developing in early reading through reading practice sessions. These reading sessions involve books that are pitched to match the phonic stages of the pupils to work on decoding, prosody and comprehension of texts. 

• In Key Stage 2, reading adopts a whole-class approach where children are immersed in class novels that stretch their imagination and support the improvement in comprehension through discussions, book talk and independent work. Texts used in reading lessons are focused on different themes to link with other curriculum areas as well as topical issues. A range of reading styles are used in lessons from independent reading, echo reading and reading aloud. 

• Children are given opportunities to read for pleasure through a bank of age appropriate texts that push children’s imaginations in a range of reading genres.

• Reading and writing is celebrated in school through weekly and termly reading and writing awards that are given to pupils who have excelled over a period of time. 

• Whole-school reading challenges take place throughout the year to develop a love of reading. Extreme reading challenges ensure that pupils are reading for pleasure outside of school as well as during class-based activities. 

• Writing challenges such as poetry competitions allow pupils to take part in intra-school and inter-school activities, giving the opportunity for pupils to excel in a range of writing contexts.

• The art of positive talk and discussion is focused upon in all year groups through turn-taking and agreeing and disagreeing in EYFS and KS1 to using debating topics to challenge thinking and creating a safe and challenging environment of discussion.

• At St Mary and St John Catholic Primary School, we have devised a Literacy specific framework that is used to assess writing across school. 

• Reading and SPAG is assessed on a termly basis to monitor impact and progression across school.

• This is completed on a termly basis by the class teacher, and is shared with Subject Leaders and SLT. 

• Writing moderations are carried across EYFS and Key Stages to monitor the impact and progression of writing, as well as attending cluster writing moderations with neighbouring schools to ensure accurate assessment of writing in all year groups. 

• Action Plans are reviewed termly by Subject Leaders and shared annually with Governors.

• Subject Leaders also carry out regular learning walks, Book Looks, lesson observations and pupil discussions. Book Swaps are a regular feature in our Staff Meeting time

We have a community of enthusiastic readers and writers who enjoy showcasing their developing literacy knowledge and skills. They are confident to take risks in their reading and writing, and love to discuss and share their ideas. Our attainment at the end of EYFS, KS1 and KS2 is above that of the local and national average in reading, writing and SPAG. At St Mary and St John we aim to support the children in their Literacy journey, starting from EYFS, give them a love of the subject as well as providing the building blocks which will enable them to pursue a wide range of interests and vocations in the next stage of their lives.