English at Rossmere Academy

Reading Time

Children read every day after lunch. From the end of Year 1 to Year 6, the children read an Accelerated Reader (AR) book that is at their appropriate level. The children are assessed termly to ensure their AR book is at the appropriate level.

If the children are not accessing an AR book, they will read their correctly levelled Read Write Inc book or a book for pleasure. The children read for twenty-five minutes, during this time class teachers and learning mentors listen to every child read at least once a week. The lowest performing readings are listened to three times a week. Teachers record their assessments after they’ve listened to children read on Boom Reader.

Reading at Rossmere Academy – Intent Statement

Early reading in Rossmere

Whole School Reading Curriculum

Year 1 Book List

Year 2 Book List

Year 3 Book List

Year 4 Book List

Year 5 Book List

Year 6 Book List

English Lessons

Staff follow their detailed, writing progression document, reading progression document and CMAT (Comparative Milestone Assessment Tool) sheet to help them plan their reading lessons in English. The reading progression document and CMAT sheet ensures that all reading domains are covered and that the children are prepared for their next stage in learning. Texts are updated each year and matched were possible to curriculum outcomes and show cultural diversity. English lessons are one hour long each day.

Staff read one or two books every half term that support the teaching of writing. At the beginning of every unit, staff meet to have a planning meeting. During this planning meeting, staff follow a detailed teaching sequence that allows for several reading opportunities that build up to two longer writing outcomes. The reading opportunities are presented in various ways such as SATs and PIRA style questions along with other ways for the children to demonstrate they are making progress within the different reading domains.

Fluency is taught using echo reading, choral reading and popcorn reading. Where a child is struggling with a word, they are reminded to break a word up into syllables and use their knowledge of special friends to help them read an unknown word.

Staff read their class novel, which if it is a lengthier book is the same as the book they are covering in English lessons. This ensures that the class novel reading time is purposeful to learning. Class novel time is fifteen minutes at the end of each day.

In addition to this, two additional reading lessons are covered outside English lessons. They are using the same book that is being covered in English. These lessons are used to teach fluency and the different reading domains using PIRA and SATs style question stems.

There are also lots of cross curricular reading opportunities provided for the children during maths and their foundation subject lessons.

Writing

Writing is taught during English lessons that are one hour long. Staff use the writing progression document, reading progression document and CMAT sheet to plan a half term unit of work that is linked to one or two books. During the teaching sequence, children are taught all the punctuation, grammar and writing objectives in order for them to make progress and be at the appropriate level of attainment in writing.

The unit of work provides several writing opportunities and two longer pieces of writing for the children to apply what they have learnt in English. Children are also taught to proof read and edit their work. This allows staff to assess and set achievable targets for our children.

Writing is taught at various points throughout the day at Rossmere. The children write during maths to explain their problem solving and reasoning. They write several times a week during their foundation subject lessons.

Writing at Rossmere Academy – Intent Statement

Early writing in Rossmere

Year 1 Writing Overview and Progression

Year 2 Writing Overview and Progression

Year 3 Writing Overview and Progression

Year 4 Writing Overview and Progression

Year 5 Writing Overview and Progression

Year 6 Writing Overview and Progression

Punctuation and Grammar

Children are taught the punctuation and grammar for their appropriate level of attainment at several points during a half termly unit of English work. It is expected that the children apply everything they have been taught in their writing. Each year group start their lessons with an explicitly taught, progressive grammar starter activity. In addition to this, the children are taught a discrete five to ten minute grammar starter based on the coverage needed for their year group. Children in Year 6 carry out a Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar assessment in May each year.

Spelling

Staff plan spelling lessons three times a week for fifteen minutes. We have a spelling document which maps out all the spellings that the children need to learn in every year group. The spellings are taken from the National Curriculum list. At the beginning of the week the children are taught the specific pattern or rule. The children must be able to read and understand all the words. Throughout the week, the children are given spelling assignments using Ed Shed for them to practice and apply their spellings every day. At the end of the week, the children are assessed using a Hive on the website Ed Shed. From this, staff can analyse spelling data and see where there may be some gaps in their spelling knowledge.

Spelling

Handwriting

Handwriting is taught three times a week for ten minutes. Staff use Letter Join to support their planning to ensure children can form and join all their letters at the appropriate stage of their learning. Staff may need to use planning from previous years to support any children who are finding letter formation difficult.

Early Years

Children in early year and two-year-old provision children are exposed to reading and writing at multiple times throughout the day. There are mark making opportunities using lots of different mediums. Children follow the Earth program to support letter formation. Children are read to every day in Early Years and the books that they are read always follow a theme, additionally the books that are read to them have lots of repetitive language so the children can join in with reading. Children in Early Years have book bags where they can take a book for please and/or their appropriate Read Write Inc book to read at home.

In Reception where children may not be confident writers yet, aspects of the writing curriculum will be implemented by the support of adults and the intended opportunities given as part of curriculum coverage. Children will be taught the expectations of early writing through fine and gross motor activities underpinned by the Future Steps Earth Handwriting Programme. Learning as such will include sufficient practise to develop their upper arm and shoulder strength alongside opportunities for children to move their lower arms and wrists independently. This will then move into ensuring a wealth of opportunities for the children to make representations, freely mark make and draw and write and copy when guided.

In Reception where children may not be fluent readers yet, aspects of the reading curriculum will be covered by an adult reading to the children and books being shared. Children will be taught the expectations of careful listening and why this is important helping them to engage in story time. They will be encouraged to use a wider range of vocabulary that is influenced by fiction, non-fiction, rhymes and songs.

In Nursery/Sparkles children will be taught the expectations of careful listening and why this is important helping them to engage in story time. They will be encouraged to use a wider range of vocabulary that is influenced by fiction, non-fiction, rhymes and songs.

Read Write Inc

Starting in nursery, our children follow the Read Write Inc scheme, with additional reading and writing opportunities. The children learn to read the 44 phonemes in different stages. These are taught through speed sounds lessons and appropriately staged books, depending on the level of development. From the start of the Reception year children will be grouped accordingly following Read, Write Inc. screening every half term.

Read Write Inc Phonics is taught to all children (From Spring 2 in nursery) until they successfully complete the programme (usually by Summer Term Year 1, although may be also taught in Year 2 and 3 if needed). Children grouped by ability after screening every 6 weeks.

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