Birchwood School

ENGLISH POLICY STATEMENT.

September 2008.

ETHOS:In Birchwood School we give high priority to the teaching of English. This is reflected in:

The time we devote to developing language skills The funding we have invested in resources for literacy The priority we give to SEN support for underachievement in

language development The training that all staff have received in this area

Learning to read fluently, to write confidently and to express oneself well orally are essential skills that underpin all other learning.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:The study of English develops children’s abilities to listen speak, read and write for a wide range of purposes, using language to learn and communicate ideas, views and feelings. It enables children to express themselves creatively and imaginatively, as they become enthusiastic and critical readers of all genres of texts. Children gain understanding of how language works by looking at its patterns, structures and origins. Children use their knowledge, skills and understanding in speaking and writing across a range of different situations.Through our teaching of English we aim to:

Help children enjoy writing and recognise its value Develop confident, independent readers through an appropriate

focus on word, sentence and text level knowledge Enable children to speak clearly and audibly in ways which take

account of their listeners Encourage children to listen with concentration in order to be able

to identify the main points of what they have heard Enable children to adapt their speech to a wide range of

circumstances and demands Develop each child’s ability to reflect on their own, and other’s,

contributions and the language used Give opportunities where possible, for children to express

themselves through a range of drama activities Encourage children to become enthusiastic and reflective readers

through contact with challenging and increasingly lengthy texts

Enable children to write with accuracy and meaning in fiction and non-fiction

Increase the children’s ability to use planning, drafting and editing to improve their work

TIME ALLOCATION:In line with the P.N.S superseding the N.L.S. there is a minimum equivalent, daily requirement of at least one hour per day. There can also be 2 ½ hours set aside for literacy related activities. This includes the provision of the wider English curriculum e.g. drama, extended writing, guided and independent reading, story time, library time, spelling and handwriting.

THE PRIMARY NATIONAL STRATEGY:From Sept’ 2008 the Primary National Strategy (P.N.S.) is statutory in all schools. We follow planning tools, advice and the general scheme of work from the online services provided by the Literacy strand of the PNS.

HOW DO WE DELIVER THE PNS:The PNS is in its early stages at Birchwood but well set for Sept’08. We have already conducted Professional Development Meetings for both maths and english strands of the PNS. Each class in the school has carried out and reviewed at inset 1 literacy unit and 1 maths unit. This has enabled staff to plan from the PNS for all planning from Sept’08. We are still looking for best practise within the PNS and seek this through shared observations focusing on PNS delivery by the Headteacher, observing ‘outstanding practise’ in other school settings and termly staff meetings regarding the two subjects within the PNS. Please refer to PNS for timings and objectives etc.

THE EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE:We teach English in EYFS as an integral part of the school’s work. Children’s work is governed by objectives set out in the EYFS which underpin the curriculum planning for the children, and is directly linked to the PNS. Within this stage, a daily commitment to phonics teaching is given linked to Letters and Sounds scheme of work. We give all children the opportunity to talk and communicate in a widening range of situations, to respond to adults and to each other, to listen carefully, and to practise and extend their range of vocabulary and communication skills. They have the opportunity to explore, enjoy, learn about, and use words and text in a range of situations.

RESOURCES:There is a range of resources to support the teaching across the school. Classrooms have a range of dictionaries, thesauri and word banks. Guided Readers are located centrally in the Y1/2 library for KS1; they are book banded as linked to the schools grading system. KS2 Guided Readers are located in each classroom as are individual graded readers, and Big Books. We are proud of our ICT capabilities for Literacy teaching, including an IWB with internet access in every classroom. Our New laptop trolley provides a minimum of 3 additional online computers per class, enabling at least one group per literacy session to work at a laptop. In addition, each class has 3 timetabled teaching slots in our ICT suite. Each class also has access to a wealth of multi-sensory literacy resources through their internet access and class CD ROMs.

MONITORING AND REVIEW:Monitoring of the standards of children’s work and the quality of teaching in English is the responsibility of the Headteacher, Literacy subject leader and Senior Management Team. The role of the subject leader also involves supporting colleagues in the teaching of English, being informed about current developments in the subject and providing a strategic lead and direction for the subject in the school. The subject leader will have the opportunity to evaluate the Literacy SEF and indicate areas for further development impacting upon the SDP. They also monitor the quality of teaching and learning through observations, work scrutiny ands pupil interviews. The named governor meets with the subject leader in order to review progress. The Literacy leader also manages the budget for resources.

LINKED POLICIES:Special needsEqual opportunitiesTeaching and LearningAssessment and recordingHomework

ENGLISH TEACHING

English teaching is taught by a combination of PNS and additional English teaching. The arrangements for these across the school are:

EYFS Key Stage 1 Key stage 2Guided and independent

reading

Guided reading session with

teacher, TA or trained adult twice weekly

after Autumn a.Ind. Reading,

each child heard once a week by TA/Teacher on

fortnightly rolling programme

Guided reading session with

teacher, TA or trained adult once

weeklyReading- each

child heard once a week by

TA/Teacher on fortnightly rolling

programme

Guided reading session with

teacher, TA or trained adult once weekly

Each child heard independently at

least per half term, more if below nat. av

Guided and independent

writing

Writing is modelled, shared and guided on a

daily basis

Writing is modelled, shared and guided on a

daily basis

Writing is modelled, shared and guided on a daily basis

Spelling Based upon letters and sounds

phonics objectives for the week and HFW

Weekly test, based upon letters

and sounds phonics

objectives and spelling rules

within that objective

Weekly test, based upon

spelling rules taught in that

weeks spelling session

Skills practise handwriting Explicit H/W

skills taught, modelled and

shared and opps. Provided for on a

daily basis

Explicit H/W skills taught at

least weekly and modelled in daily

literacy

Explicit H/W skills session taught weekly

Drama Opps. For role play and

speaking/listening provided on daily

Opps. For role play and

speaking/listening provided at least

Speaking and listening

objectives addressed

basis weekly within unit objectives of

PNSWave 2

interventionELS begins Sept of new year and

continues as prescribed throughout

ALS and FLS is timetabled and carried out as prescribed by

specific teacher for this

interventionDancing Bears

programme

Library Chn choose from class library at least weekly

Half termly SLS visit to support individual/topics

Focus for Spring’09

Half termly SLS visit to support

individual/topics

Focus for Spring’09

Half termly SLS visit to support

individual/topics

PhonicsLetters and |

SoundsExplicit daily 20

min phonics session taught in

line with new ‘Letters and

Sounds’ prescriptions

Explicit daily 20 min phonics

session taught in line with new ‘Letters and

Sounds’ prescriptions

Phonics teaching

incorporated within Grammar

teaching

Extension/extra curric

Writing Challenges/World

Book Day/Sponsored

Reads/Book review display on

rolling program/Book of the week/refer to MAGAT learning

plans