English Policy

Due to the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy this policy is under review

Language is the means of learning throughout the school curriculum. For the purpose of the National Curriculum it is separated into five Attainment Targets, speaking and listening (AT1), reading (AT2), writing (AT3), spelling (AT4) and handwriting (AT5).

This document summarises our policy towards the teaching of English.

Oracy (AT1)

Oracy is the active control of the spoken language involving the skills of comprehension and speaking as opposed to literacy.

Most children start school with an extensive knowledge of the spoken word. We aim to build on this knowledge through offering a wide range of structured opportunities for our children to participate as both speakers and listeners in school. Children are encouraged to adjust the language which they use and the delivery to suit particular audiences, purposes and contexts.

We continually assess a child's development in this area through daily interaction within the classroom. This is especially important in the 'early years' when literacy skills do not provide a true indication of a child's achievement in other areas of the curriculum.

Formal summative assessment takes place at the end of each Key Stage.

Reading (AT2)

Reading is the accurate interpretation of the written word. As well as being a means of gaining information it is also a source of enjoyment and pleasure. Children start school with a knowledge of how the English language works. All children will have been exposed to the printed word both in the environment and, hopefully, through good quality children's books. We aim to build on their experience by providing a literate environment in school.

Our policy towards the teaching of reading is based on the belief that children best learn to read through a structured programme which encourages the development of a sight vocabulary before children progress onto phonic based reading activities. A variety of approaches is then used to assist the children's development as they progress through our reading scheme.

From the time they start to take their reading books home, in the Reception class, all children should take reading material home every day in all but exceptional circumstances.

We aim to foster a love of books amongst our children. As well as material from the reading scheme children are able to choose a library book to take home each week.

We assess our children's reading development continually through daily reading sessions in the Infant years. We aim to listen to children in Years 3 and 4 at least three times per week. In Years 5 and 6 the assessment of reading progress is more commonly made through structured reading activities rather than by the teacher listening to a child on a 1-1 basis. Children who are experiencing difficulties, however, will be heard at least twice a week by the class teacher as well as receiving support from 'special needs' staff. Class teacher's listen to other children in Years 5 and 6, on a 1-1 basis, at least once every two weeks. Class teachers keep a record of the books which children in their class have read.

Formal, external, assessment takes place at the end of Key Stage 1 and, from July 1994, at the end of Key Stage 2. Junior children are also assessed using the Salford Reading Test each Summer term. The NFER test in English takes place at the end of Year 3, 4 and 5.

Parents are encouraged to support their child(ren)'s reading development and we also have a group of adult helpers who come into school on a regular basis to listen to children reading.

Writing (AT3)

Children enjoy "mark making" from a very early age. Many children will have developed a bank of knowledge about the purpose of writing before they start school. Through experimentation, and appropriate adult intervention, children begin to differentiate between drawing and writing. The 'early years' classroom has enormous potential for developing writing activities through role play in shops, clinics etc.

Once a child starts in the Reception class, we use a combination of methods to support his/her writing development. In order to assess a child's progress it is essential that he/she is encouraged to write independently. A child's unaided writing is a valuable source of evidence for the progress which he/she is making. For certain activities, however, the teacher acts as a scribe. The child then 'copy writes' over the teacher's script. Once the child has become proficient at this he/she writes below the teacher's writing. The next stage involves the child copying words from a 'sentence book'. The child's rather than the teacher's words are used throughout this process.

It is important that all children are encouraged to write independently and for a wide variety of purposes. It is not good practice for children to copy out unstructured passages of text, which they have not themselves created, for any purpose.

We collect one piece of unaided writing per child per term to assess against National Curriculum Statements of Attainment. Formal 'external' assessment takes place at the end of each Key Stage.

Spelling (AT4)

Spelling makes the connection between the sounds which we speak and the symbols which we write. Recognising sound-symbol relationships is at the heart of early spelling development.

Individual letter names and sounds are introduced simultaneously but the emphasis is placed on the sound which the letter (usually) makes. Lower and upper case letters are also introduced together. The sound-symbol relationship is stressed at all times.

The amount of teacher intervention required depends very much on the level of confidence and stage of development of the child. As children become more competent as independent writers it is vital that they do not rely too heavily on teacher support for spellings. Children are encouraged to attempt spellings in 'have a go' books or on special slips of paper. If a spelling is given the child is encouraged to look, remember and then write, rather than merely copying a word which has been given to him/her. "Draft" books are provided for certain writing activities so that children are encouraged to concern themselves more with content than correct spelling in the first draft. This approach also helps children's editing skills.

Reference should be made to the school's marking policy with regard to the marking of children's spellings.

Children in Junior classes take home weekly spellings (no more than 20 words). These words are selected according to spelling patterns within the words rather than their relevance, for example, to a topic. Children are thus encouraged to look for letter patterns within words and to listen to their associated sound.

We collect one piece of unaided writing per child per term to assess against National Curriculum Statements of Attainment.

Handwriting (AT5) (See supplementary section on handwriting style.)

Fluent and legible handwriting is crucial to a child's academic progress. Correct letter formation is extremely important. Mistakes in letter formation which are made in the early stages of a child's writing development are difficult to correct later. In the 'early years' classrooms children are encouraged to develop correct letter formation through activities which encourage top-bottom, left-right orientation. Children are taught to overwrite their own words which have been written by the teacher.

Children begin to learn the cursive style by the middle of Year 4.

Short handwriting practise sessions should occur regularly, at least three times per week. Children should practice groups of letters with similar structures and scripted patterns which relate to these letter groups.

Children are allowed to use pens once they have developed a legible cursive script. All children are encouraged to use pens during Year 6.

Equal Opportunities and Special Needs

Children with special educational needs are involved in all areas of English at a level which is appropriate to their needs.

Those children for whom English is not their first language receive extra support, twice a week, from a "Section 11" classroom assistant. Support is also provided for those children who are on 'Statement Level 3' and above by staff from the Salford Support service. A number of adult helpers are also timetabled to provide regular support.

Cross curricular Issues

We aim to provide opportunities for our children to develop their learning through language, about language and as users of language, in all areas of the curriculum.

This policy will be reviewed and updated in the light of statutory requirements and school needs.