--- title: "English" url: "https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/english" school: "St Peter's C of E Primary School" --- # English ## English We believe that a strong foundation in spoken language, reading, and writing is crucial for every child's learning journey and personal growth. Our English curriculum is designed to ensure every child becomes a confident communicator, a fluent reader, and a skilled writer. We follow the latest guidance from the DfE *Reading Framework 2023* and the *Writing Framework 2025*. Our approach is underpinned by the Lancashire Talk Scheme, which promotes high standards and inclusive practices for all pupils. Through our English curriculum, we aim for all children to: - Develop a lifelong love of reading and a desire to write for pleasure and purpose. - Read and write with confidence, fluency, and a strong understanding across all areas of the curriculum and for a range of purposes. - Develop a secure and automatic mastery of transcription skills (spelling and handwriting), freeing up their working memory to focus on composition. - Develop a rich vocabulary and a strong understanding of sentence structures to express themselves effectively. - Master the art of composition, including generating and structuring ideas for a range of purposes and audiences. - Understand the function and importance of Standard English. - Have a genuine interest in books and read for enjoyment. - Understand the purpose of writing and develop a positive attitude towards it. ### The English Curriculum at St Peter's We use the Lancashire Talk Units as a structured and sequenced framework to support the teaching of English across all year groups. These units are designed to embed quality teaching and learning through a strong emphasis on spoken language, which underpins all aspects of literacy development. English is taught following a teaching sequence that moves from reading through to writing. This sequence involves: - Creating interest in a chosen focus text. - Reading, responding to, and analysing the focus text. - Planning and gathering ideas for writing. - Progressing from scaffolded to independent writing outcomes. - Teaching grammar skills through warm-up activities alongside English lessons, providing opportunities to apply these skills in context. ### Foundation Stage (Reception) In the Foundation Stage, our priority is building strong foundations for future learning. We do this by: - Fostering a love of reading aloud and singing songs and rhymes. - Beginning daily Systematic, Synthetic Phonics (SSP) instruction early. - Teaching oral composition, handwriting, and spelling. - Beginning daily handwriting instruction, focusing on correct letter formation, pencil grip, and posture. - Encouraging children to compose sentences orally before writing them down. - Having children practise writing dictated sentences to reinforce transcription skills. - Providing regular opportunities for conversation to develop vocabulary as part of a language-rich environment. - Immersing children in an environment rich in print and possibilities for communication. - Giving them opportunities to decode unfamiliar words and read familiar words with automaticity. - Developing age-appropriate skills in transcription and composition. - Developing motor control skills to enable them to hold a pencil correctly and form letters. ### Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) In Key Stage 1, we build on the strong foundations established in the Foundation Stage. Our approach includes: - Continuing daily SSP, with the aim of all children becoming fluent decoders by the end of Year 1. - Using engaging texts for guided and independent reading to build a love of reading, knowledge, and vocabulary. - Teachers modelling fluency and expression during read-aloud sessions. - Building fluency in transcription while introducing more complex forms with varied vocabulary and punctuation. - Introducing a simplified writing process, including planning (talking and drawing), drafting (writing sentences), and editing (checking for sense). - Teaching children to write for a range of purposes and audiences in a meaningful way. - Using oral rehearsal of sentences before writing them. - Teaching sentence construction through talk and modelled writing. - Teaching phonics-led spelling and handwriting instruction. - Teaching grammar in context. - Fostering independent and enthusiastic reading and writing. - Encouraging pupils to use language to explore their own experiences and imaginary worlds. - Using the Little Wandle and Red Rose spelling schemes (Year 2) and the Little Wandle handwriting scheme and Letter Join (Year 2). - Developing fluent readers through the Little Wandle Guided Reading Scheme. ### Key Stage 2 (Years 3–6) In Key Stage 2, we continue to prioritise reading fluency development. - **Reading:** Comprehension is developed through rich discussion and teacher modelling. The Fantastic Book Awards promote reading for pleasure and allow pupils to recommend and discuss books. - **Writing:** The focus shifts to pupils refining their transcription skills while concentrating on composition, coherence, and developing a personal voice. Sentence-level teaching continues, focusing on varying sentence types and structures to enhance meaning and impact. - **The Full Writing Process:** We teach the full writing process, including planning, drafting, revising, editing, and sharing. Pupils learn to write for meaning, structure, and impact. - **Meaning and Impact:** Lessons focus on how grammatical and vocabulary choices affect meaning, tone, and the reader's response. - **Cross-Curricular Value:** Writing is taught and valued across all subjects. - **Skills in Focus:** Children should read a range of texts and respond to different layers of meaning in them. They will also explore the use of language in literary and non-literary texts and learn how to adapt their speech and writing for different purposes and audiences. - **Language Structure:** Pupils learn how the structure of language works. - **Spelling and Grammar:** We use the Lancashire I model for grammar instruction (taught in context) and the Lancashire Red Rose scheme for spelling. - **Handwriting:** Handwriting is taught using the Letter Join scheme. Whole School Spelling Policy 2025 (1) 44 KB [Open for printing](https://files.schudio.com/st-peters-ce-primary-school/files/documents/Whole_School_Spelling_Policy_2025%20(1).docx) Handwriting Policy 2025 (4) (1) 63 KB [Open for printing](https://files.schudio.com/st-peters-ce-primary-school/files/documents/Handwriting_Policy.docx) english-policy-25 (1) 653 KB [Open for printing](https://files.schudio.com/st-peters-ce-primary-school/files/documents/english-policy-25%20(1).docx) ### Curriculum - [Curriculum](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/curriculum) - [Early Years](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/early-years) - [English](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/english) - [Maths](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/maths) - [Religious Education](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/religious-education) - [Design & Technology](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/design-technology) - [Art](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/art) - [Online Resources](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/online-resources) - [PSHE](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/pshe) - [Phonics](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/phonics) - [History](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/history) - [Geography](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/geography) - [Music](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/music) - [Foreign Languages](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/foreign-languages) - [PE](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/pe) - [Computing](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/computing) - [Science](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/science) ![St Peter's C of E Primary School](https://files.schudio.com/st-peters-ce-primary-school/images/logo/st-peters-primary-footer-logo.png) ### St Peter's C of E Primary School Cartmel Avenue Accrington BB5 0NW 01254 233513 ### Useful Links - [Contact Us](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/contact) - [Curriculum ](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/curriculum) - [Newsletters](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/newsletters) ### Social Media - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/stpetersceprimary) ### Translation © Copyright 2025–2026 St Peter's C of E Primary School School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://st-peters.lancs.sch.uk/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/)