English
Developing Confident Readers, Writers and Communicators
At Winford Church of England Primary School, we believe that English is at the heart of children's learning. Being able to read, write and communicate confidently opens doors to new opportunities and helps children succeed across the curriculum and beyond.
Our English curriculum aims to develop enthusiastic readers, imaginative writers and articulate speakers who can express their ideas, understand others and enjoy the richness of language.
Through engaging texts, purposeful writing opportunities and a strong emphasis on communication, we encourage every child to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to flourish.
Reading
Learning to read and developing a love of books
Reading is a fundamental skill and a key priority at Winford.
From their first days in Reception, children develop the foundations of reading through systematic phonics teaching, storytelling, rhymes, songs and sharing books.
As children become more confident readers, they develop fluency, comprehension and the ability to understand and discuss an increasingly wide range of texts.
Our reading curriculum focusses on:
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Early reading and phonics – Building secure knowledge of sounds and letters so children can decode words confidently.
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Reading fluency – Developing accuracy, expression and automatic word recognition.
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Reading comprehension – Understanding, retrieving, interpreting and discussing information from texts.
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Vocabulary development – Exploring new words and developing understanding of language.
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Reading for pleasure – Encouraging children to discover authors, genres and books they enjoy.
We value reading as both an essential life skill and a source of enjoyment.
Our wonderful school library and classroom reading areas help children explore books, share recommendations and develop their own reading interests.
Reading is taught through whole class work, discreet guided reading sessions both whole class and group. Children work through our reading scheme up through the levels until they have enough decoding and comprehension knowledge to become ‘free readers’. Our core reading scheme is based on phonetically decodable books from a number of suppliers to offer breadth and difference.
Our reading spine is designed using books – written by inspirational authors – which we value and want the children to have read by the time they leave primary education. The texts are purposefully selected to take the reader on a journey, from sharing picture books, to sharing a range of chapter books that gradually expose the reader to beautifully crafted storylines with evermore intriguing and challenging themes. Research shows that sharing quality narratives, which children would not necessarily choose to read for themselves, develops not only a love of reading but improves vocabulary development and language skills, develops imagination and empathy, and enables children to learn about people, places and events outside their own experience.
The Reading Curriculum at Winford School
Writing
Developing creativity, accuracy and confidence
At Winford, we want children to see themselves as writers who have something worthwhile to say.
Our writing curriculum provides opportunities to write for different purposes and audiences, including stories, poetry, explanations, reports, instructions and persuasive texts.
Children learn to plan, draft, revise, edit and present their writing, becoming increasingly independent as they move through the school.
We focus on developing:
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Composition – Organising and communicating ideas clearly and creatively.
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Vocabulary – Choosing language that is precise, interesting and appropriate for the reader.
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Sentence structure and grammar – Understanding how language works and using it effectively.
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Punctuation – Applying punctuation accurately to support meaning.
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Spelling – Developing secure spelling knowledge and strategies.
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Handwriting – Building fluency, consistency and pride in presentation.
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Editing and improvement – Reviewing writing and making thoughtful changes.
High-quality texts and meaningful experiences provide inspiration for writing. Wherever possible, children have opportunities to apply their writing skills across other subjects.
We encourage children to take pride in their work and develop the confidence to experiment with language and express their ideas.
Link to Winford English Intent and Implementation
Spoken Language
Learning to listen, speak and communicate effectively
Speaking and listening are essential parts of learning and are developed throughout the school day.
We provide regular opportunities for children to explain their thinking, ask questions, discuss ideas, listen to others and develop confidence when speaking to different audiences.
These include:
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Partner and group discussions.
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Storytelling, drama and role play.
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Presentations and performances.
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Explaining and justifying ideas.
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Asking and answering questions.
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Listening respectfully to different viewpoints.
We want every child to develop the confidence to contribute, communicate their needs and participate fully in school life.
Phonics and Early Reading
In Reception and Key Stage 1, children receive systematic phonics teaching to help them understand the relationship between letters and sounds.
We begin teaching phonics in the first few weeks of term 1 in Reception and children make rapid progress in their reading journey. Children begin to learn the main sounds heard in the English Language and how they can be represented, as well as learning ‘Common Exception’ words for Phases 2, 3 and 4. They use these sounds to read and write simple words, captions and sentences. Children leave Reception being able to apply the phonemes taught within Phase 2, 3 and 4.
In Year 1 through Phase 5a, b and c, they learn any alternative spellings and pronunciations for the graphemes and additional Common Exception Words. By the end of Year 1 children will have mastered using phonics to decode and blend when reading and segment when spelling. In Year 1 all children are screened using the National Phonics Screening Check.
In Year 2, phonics continues to be revisited to ensure mastery of the phonetic code and any child who does not meet age-related expectations will continue to receive support to close identified gaps.
Children are given opportunities to practise and apply these skills through reading and writing activities.
Regular assessment helps teachers identify children who may benefit from additional practice or support.
As children develop fluency, teaching increasingly focusses on comprehension, vocabulary and reading for meaning.
For further details please see the Unlocking Letters and Sounds progression:
Unlocking Letters and Sounds Progression
Phase 2 Actions, Images and Handwriting
English Across the Curriculum
English is not confined to English lessons.
Children use reading, writing and communication skills throughout their learning, including researching in history, explaining ideas in science, interpreting information in geography and presenting their understanding in religious education.
We encourage children to use their English skills confidently and purposefully in a wide range of contexts.
Supporting Every Learner
We recognise that children develop their English skills at different rates and may need different levels of support or challenge.
Teachers use assessment to identify gaps in learning, adapt teaching and provide additional support where needed.
Targeted interventions may include phonics, reading, spelling, handwriting or other aspects of literacy.
We also ensure that children who are ready for greater challenge have opportunities to deepen their understanding, explore ambitious vocabulary and develop increasingly sophisticated reading and writing skills.
Our aim is for every child to make progress and experience success.
How Parents Can Help at Home
Families play an important role in helping children develop confidence and enjoyment in English.
Some simple ways to help include:
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Read together regularly. Share books, talk about stories and enjoy reading for pleasure.
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Talk about books. Ask questions about characters, events and what might happen next.
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Encourage conversation. Give children opportunities to explain ideas, describe experiences and ask questions.
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Make writing meaningful. Encourage children to write cards, lists, stories, letters or instructions.
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Celebrate effort. Praise children's ideas, creativity and progress as well as accuracy.
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Visit the library. Help children discover different authors and books that interest them.
Your child's class teacher can offer guidance about appropriate reading materials and ways to support learning at home.
Curriculum Information
Our English curriculum follows the requirements of the National Curriculum for England, with learning carefully sequenced to build knowledge and skills as children progress through school.
Further information about what children learn in each year group can be found in our curriculum overviews.
View Year Group Curriculum Overviews
English programmes of study: key stages 1 and 2
Together we Flourish
Aspire • Belong • Care
Inspiring confident readers, creative writers and thoughtful communicators.
