St Nicholas Church of England Primary School

English

At St Nicholas CE Primary School we believe that a quality Literacy (English) curriculum should develop children’s love of reading, writing and discussion.  We have a rigorous and well-organised English curriculum that provides many purposeful opportunities for reading, writing and discussion. Our curriculum closely follows the aims of the National Curriculum for English 2014 to enable all children to:

  • 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; and
  • are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

These aims are embedded across our literacy lessons and the wider curriculum. We will provide the means for children to develop a secure knowledge-base in Literacy, which follows a clear pathway of progression as they advance through the primary curriculum. Rigorous assessment and review will ensure that we are able to provide targeted support so that all children experience success in literacy; we believe that a secure basis in literacy skills is crucial to a high quality education and will give our children the tools they need to participate fully as a member of society.

Priorities 23-24

Overarching priority:

  • To provide all pupils with a progressive, high-quality reading and writing curriculum. 

Priorities for this academic year:

  • To improve writing outcomes across the school in line with the School Improvement Plan 2023-2024 
  • To further promote writing across the school, improving engagement of all learners.  
  • To audit and improve guided reading to ensure a consistent approach across the whole school.  

Click here to view the whole-school Progression map for English.

Click here to view the whole-school Long Term Plan for English.