English

Speaking and Listening 

The development of talk underpins all learning at Charlotte Sharman School. Through targeted teaching of vocabulary and key knowledge, we aim to develop speaking and listening mental processes. We understand that high quality writing comes from high quality speech. We plan for these opportunities within our curriculum whenever possible allowing children to formulate ideas, speculate and focus on language acquisition. We do this by:-

• Encouraging pupils to speak in full sentences, using technical vocabulary where possible. 

• Holding children to account when they speak and hold up the best models and examples. 

• Exposing children to the toughest vocabulary from an early age. 

• Engrain a fascination with words. 

• To help pupils understand that it is important to be heard and to hear others. 

• To help pupils recognise that through listening to their own knowledge and understanding grows. 

• That teachers and adults in school listen to what children are saying. 

Reading  

We strongly believe that through reading pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature, and rich texts especially, plays a key role in such development. Reading is a gateway into unfamiliar places, other people and alternative experiences. At Charlotte Sharman there are three aspects to reading in school: the first is the teaching of reading, the second is the reading in subjects beyond English and the third is reading for pleasure. We also believe that reading enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. We also believe that reading is at the core of knowledge-based learning and enables pupils to make connections. We recognise the responsibility to send children to secondary school having mastered at least the basic elements of reading. We aim to ensure that all children have the chance to follow an enriching curriculum by getting them reading early: learning to read → reading to learn. 

Across Key Stage 1 and Reception, phonics is taught daily from 9 till 9.30. Children are taught using Letters and Sounds to support planning. In Years 1 - 6 Reading is taught through whole class reading lessons and it becomes a part of our daily English lessons.

Writing

Writing is critical to pupils’ success in education and beyond. At Charlotte Sharman we value the process of writing and practice regularly to build strong, confident writers over time. Good thinking is the foundation of good writing, and high quality class texts linked to our curriculum allow children to develop their ideas and authorial voice around key concepts. Ambitious vocabulary is explicitly taught to enable children to express themselves creatively as well as to consolidate learning. Spelling, punctuation and grammar are the tools with which language is given depth and punch. At Charlotte Sharman these are taught through key texts and models so children learn in a meaningful context which they can apply to their own writing. Writing opportunities are purposeful and engaging, with a focus on the audience to shape the style and tone of the text. The process of writing allows children to build their knowledge and understanding and explore ideas creatively before their first draft, which they will then use self, peer and teacher feedback to refine and redraft before their final draft. Publishing opportunities illustrate the importance of presentation and writing from every child is celebrated in class and school displays.