Our aim is for our children to be able to read and write, and speak with confidence, fluency and understanding. Through reading, writing, role play and drama they should develop their powers of imagination, inventiveness and critical awareness.
The school follows the National Literacy Strategy Framework for Teaching, and teachers endeavour to make their lessons lively and interesting. We aim to encourage creativity and self-expression both within writing and oral work including drama. Dramatic productions are staged throughout the year, through assemblies and our calendar of festivals and celebrations and we aim to include all children- they gain so much from working together to demonstrate their many talents.
We aim to foster a love of reading and to this end we encourage the children to read widely. We have a well-resourced library and rich book corners in each classroom, which the children are encouraged to use- they may change their books whenever they wish but teaching staff support them with their choices of books to take home. We have a number of reading volunteers who give of their time to support both individual children and small groups. These helpers are a very valuable addition to reading support.
Annual "Book Week" has become a popular event and usually includes a "dressing-up" day, when the children and staff dress as favourite characters from books! We have visits from children’s authors, illustrators and theatre companies and the children visit the local Pleasance Theatre annually.
The creativity of our English curriculum is underpinned with well thought out phonics, handwriting and reading programmes. We use these fundamentals to remove barriers to learning and strive to the highest achievement for all our learners.
We are a school with a lively and enthusiastic approach to the teaching of English and are constantly updating teaching techniques in order to deliver the curriculum in the most effective and exciting way.