English

Click on the links below to find out more about reading and writing at South Wootton Junior School: 

Reading

 

Intent

Vision and Aims

• To cultivate a lifelong love of reading, instilling a passion for books that enriches students’ lives and learning experiences.
• To ensure all students develop critical reading skills, enabling them to engage deeply with texts and comprehend a wide range of genres and themes.
• To create an inclusive reading environment that opens up a world of learning, making the wider curriculum accessible and relevant to all learners.

Knowledge and Skills Focus

• Development of reading comprehension skills through the VIPERS framework (Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explanation, Retrieval, and Summarising).
• Understanding of various text types and genres, fostering the ability to analyse and evaluate literature critically.
• Acquisition of strategies for independent reading and research, promoting lifelong learning and curiosity. We encourage a focus on reading for understanding through use of the Accelerated Reader programme.
• Enhancement of vocabulary and language skills to articulate thoughts and ideas effectively.

Curriculum Progression

• Key Stage 2: Focus on developing fluency and comprehension skills, with an emphasis on inference and critical thinking.
• Transition to Key Stage 3: Preparation for more complex texts and deeper analytical skills, ensuring readiness for secondary education.

Inclusion and Accessibility

• The curriculum is designed to be ambitious for all students, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Adaptations and scaffolding strategies are employed to maintain high expectations while providing necessary support for diverse learners.

Key Priorities

• Foster a lifelong love of books and a passion for reading.
• Develop a range of reading skills through the VIPERS framework.
• Open up a world of learning and enable accessibility of the wider curriculum.

Implementation

Teaching Approaches

• Use of explicit instruction and modelling to teach reading strategies and comprehension skills, ensuring clarity and understanding.
• Incorporation of guided reading sessions to provide targeted support and foster collaborative learning, allowing for differentiated instruction.
• Engagement in ‘book talk’ to promote critical thinking and peer interaction, enhancing comprehension through dialogue.

Curriculum Delivery

• Our reading curriculum teaches the National Curriculum and builds upon the KS1 experiences of our children to ensure that all pupils are successful and able to access the wider curriculum during their years with us and beyond.
• During the first half term in Year 3 there is an emphasis on consolidating the children’s phonic knowledge and other decoding skills and where appropriate, we use the ‘Monster Phonics’ resources which our infant school uses. Some children will continue to receive support and intervention beyond this time to ensure they are able to establish a secure understanding of phonics.

• A structured reading programme that integrates diverse texts, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and plays, ensuring a rich literary experience.
• Cross curricular texts that connect reading to other subjects, enhancing relevance and engagement, and allowing students to see the interconnectedness of knowledge.
• In addition to supporting children to read to learn, we encourage children of all ability levels to read for pleasure. Challenging and engaging texts are available to all in our Accelerated Reader books in the school library.  We also promote a love of reading through special reading events and celebrations  including visiting story tellers, poets and authors. 
• Classrooms have dedicated book corner/areas and teachers share a class novel with children. 

Assessment Approaches

• Regular formative assessments to monitor progress in reading skills and comprehension, allowing for timely interventions.
• Use of summative assessments (PIXL tests) administered at regular intervals during the year to evaluate understanding and application of reading strategies, ensuring accountability and progress tracking.

Resources and Staff Development

• Access to a diverse range of high-quality texts and reading materials that reflect students’ interests and cultural backgrounds, promoting engagement.
• Ongoing professional development for staff to enhance teaching practices and stay updated on effective reading instruction strategies, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Supporting All Learners

• Differentiated instruction tailored to meet the varying needs of students, including extension tasks for advanced learners and targeted interventions for those needing additional support.
• Use of assistive technologies and resources to support diverse learning needs, ensuring all students can access the curriculum effectively.

Impact

Knowledge and Skills Evaluation

• Evaluation of students’ reading comprehension and fluency through standardised assessments and teacher observations, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of progress. PiXL assessments are administered at regular points throughout the year and results are used as a measure of a child’s progress, to identify gaps in understanding and to inform necessary interventions. 
• Ongoing assessments are made of every individual’s progress using Accelerated Reader quizzes, teacher judgements and guided reading outcomes.
• Use of reading logs/Seesaw by children to track independent reading habits and preferences, informing future instruction.
• Analysis of student engagement and enthusiasm for reading through surveys and feedback, providing insights into the effectiveness of the curriculum.

Assessment Impact

• Track student progress in reading against national curriculum standards and use  Accelerated Reader Star Tests throughout the year to provide reading ages and identify areas for improvement.
• Identification of gaps in learning to inform targeted interventions and support, ensuring that all students can achieve their potential.
• Regular analysis of formative assessment data to adjust teaching strategies and address specific student needs.

Wider Impact Indicators

• Increased student participation in reading-related extracurricular activities, such as book clubs and reading challenges, fostering a community of readers.
• Positive feedback from parents and the community regarding students’ reading habits and achievements, reinforcing the value of reading in students’ lives.
• Monitoring of students’ reading choices and preferences to assess cultural capital development.

Quality Assurance

• Regular monitoring and evaluation of the reading curriculum through lesson observations, student work scrutiny, and feedback from stakeholders, ensuring high standards are maintained.
• Continuous reflection and adaptation of the curriculum based on assessment data and emerging educational research, promoting a responsive and effective reading program.
• We work in close collaboration with staff at South Wootton Infant School to ensure our children receive the best possible journey from Reception through to the end of Key Stage 2. 

By the time children leave South Wootton Junior School, they will be able to read with accuracy, speed, confidence, fluency and understanding to enable them to access the secondary school curriculum.  Most importantly, pupils will develop a life-long enjoyment of reading and books.

 Writing

Intent

Our Vision and Aims

• To empower children to become confident and articulate writers who can express their ideas effectively for a variety of audiences and purposes.
• To foster a love for writing through exposure to high-quality text models that inspire creativity and imagination.
• To instil a sense of pride in handwriting and presentation, ensuring that children value the aesthetics of their written work.

Knowledge and Skills Focus

• Familiarity with the writing process, including drafting, editing, and refining, to cultivate a growth mindset towards writing as a craft.
• Development of a secure understanding of spelling conventions and grammatical structures to enhance clarity and coherence in writing.
• Encouragement of independent evaluation of their own work and that of peers, fostering critical thinking and self-improvement.
• Exposure to diverse writing styles and genres to broaden children’s understanding of writing’s purpose and audience.

Curriculum Progression

• Key Stage 2: Our writing curriculum teaches the National Curriculum and builds upon the KS1 experiences of our children to ensure that all pupils are successful. We focus on narrative, non-fiction, and poetry.
• Emphasis on increasing complexity in sentence structure and vocabulary as children progress through the year groups.
• Regular opportunities for cross-curricular writing to reinforce skills and contextual understanding.

Inclusion and Accessibility

• The curriculum is designed to be ambitious for all students, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Adaptations and scaffolding will be provided to ensure all children can engage with the writing process while maintaining high expectations.

Key Priorities

• To provide children with the skills to become confident writers who can express their ideas for different audiences and purposes.
• To use high-quality text models to inspire creativity and guide writing development.
• To ensure children have a secure understanding of spelling conventions and grammar.
• To promote pride in handwriting and presentation, encouraging children to take ownership of their work.

Implementation

Teaching Approaches

• Use of explicit instruction in writing techniques, including modelling writing processes and providing guided practice.
• Incorporation of collaborative writing activities to enhance peer learning and feedback.
• Implementation of ‘writing conferences’ that focus on specific genres and skills, allowing for targeted development.
• Creative opportunities for writing for pleasure in our ‘South Wootton Writes’ and ‘Free Write Fridays’.

Curriculum Delivery

• We teach writing through a text-based approach. A clear link is fostered between reading and writing with most English lessons structured around ‘good quality’ reads. The writing curriculum will be delivered through a structured framework which  includes regular writing opportunities across subjects. Coverage of writing genres, and skills and knowledge progression are mapped out across each year group and across the key stage.
• Pupils are taught punctuation and grammar skills appropriate to their year group within our text-based approach wherever possible. However, additional focused lessons may be necessary to reinforce specific skills. 
• Spelling is taught regularly in focused lessons three times a week using the ‘Learn, Build, Apply’ approach. Weekly spellings (differentiated for ability) are sent home to learn.
  The words chosen link to the week’s learning in each year group and also include Year 3/4 or 5/6 National Curriculum statutory words and, where appropriate for individuals, high frequency words/common exception words.
  Handwriting is taught alongside spellings/phonics. Handwriting, including letter formation and joins, are reinforced throughout the curriculum.

Assessment Approaches

• Formative assessment strategies, including peer and self-assessment, to encourage reflection and growth.
• Continuous teacher assessment is supported by summative tests. These assessments allow analysis of an individual’s progress, inform the direction of teaching to cover any gaps in understanding and identify pupils needing targeted support.  
• Spelling – Once a term, children are given the SWST (Single Word Spelling Test) which generates a spelling age. Once a term a PiXL test on Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling (GPS) is completed.
• Transcription and Composition – end of unit pieces of writing are assessed against agreed success criteria.  One piece of writing per half term is assessed using the End of Year expectations.
• Moderation –This is moderated within year groups. Whole school moderation meetings take place to ensure consistency in judgements and progression in writing across the federation. Where possible, teachers also engage in moderation meetings with other local schools.

Resources and Staff Development

• Access to a range of high-quality texts and writing resources to support teaching and inspire students.
• Ongoing professional development for staff to enhance their understanding of effective writing instruction and assessment practices.

Supporting All Learners

• Differentiation strategies, such as tailored writing prompts and varied support levels, to meet the diverse needs of learners.
• Use of assistive technology and resources to support children with specific learning difficulties in their writing.

Impact

Knowledge and Skills Evaluation

• Regular assessments of spelling, grammar, and composition through standardised writing tasks.
• Use of writing rubrics that align with curriculum expectations to provide clear feedback on student progress.

Assessment Impact

• Use of a tracking system to monitor individual student progress over time, identifying trends and areas for improvement.
• Analysis of formative assessment data to inform instructional adjustments and targeted interventions for struggling writers.

Wider Impact Indicators

• Surveys and interviews gauge student engagement and motivation in writing, measuring changes in attitudes towards writing tasks.
• Observation of classroom dynamics to assess the development of a positive writing culture, including peer collaboration and support.

Quality Assurance

• Scheduled curriculum reviews involving staff and leadership to ensure alignment with Ofsted expectations and best practices.
• Participation in external moderation sessions to validate assessment outcomes and ensure consistency in writing standards across the school.
• We work in close collaboration with staff at South Wootton Infant School to ensure our children receive the best possible journey from Reception through to the end of Key Stage 2. 
• By the time children leave our school, they will be able to write and edit independently with confidence and clarity with a clear sense of audience and purpose.   Pupils will write for personal pleasure and purpose.

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