Here, you will find details about the National Curriculum for English and how we integrate English into our learning here at  Anston Hillcrest Primary School.

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Our Goals

 

At Anston Hillcrest, we aim to nurture a deep appreciation for language and communication through our English curriculum, which emphasises reading, writing, and oracy. We strive to develop confident and articulate communicators, growing a love for reading and enabling children to explore diverse texts that broaden their understanding of the world. Our writing curriculum encourages creativity, clarity, and accuracy, helping children express their ideas with purpose.  We also place a strong focus on oracy, promoting effective speaking and listening skills to enhance dialogue, debate, and collaboration. 

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Why?

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Our English curriculum enriches children's educational experience by equipping them with essential skills in reading, writing, and oracy for success both in school and beyond. Developing literacy, confidence in communication, and a love for language is vital to their holistic development. Our curriculum develops a deep understanding of texts, encouraging children to become thoughtful readers and expressive writers. Through a focus on oracy, children build strong speaking and listening skills, enabling them to articulate ideas clearly and engage in meaningful discussions.

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Our English Curriculum

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Our English curriculum has been carefully crafted to meet the needs of the children at Anston Hillcrest Primary School.​

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Reading

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At Anston Hillcrest Primary,  Little Wandle is used in EYFS and KS1  to provide a structured, systematic approach to teaching phonics and developing early reading skills. This programme ensures that all children build a strong foundation in phonics through daily lessons, where they learn to recognise grapheme-phoneme correspondences, blend sounds to read words, and segment them to spell.

Little Wandle is embedded into the daily routine, with regular practice to support reading fluency and comprehension. Children are grouped according to their progress, allowing for targeted teaching that meets individual needs. The programme also includes decodable books aligned with phonics stages, ensuring children practise reading with texts that match their level of understanding.

This approach enables children to develop confidence in their reading ability, developing a love of reading while ensuring they are well-prepared for the next stage of their learning journey into KS2.

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As children move into KS2, whole class reading is a structured approach designed to improve reading comprehension by exposing children to challenging, high-quality texts with rich vocabulary. This involves clear modelling of reading skills by our adults and explicit instruction in comprehension techniques.

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Texts are carefully selected to meet the needs of all children. Weekly plans involve a gradual deepening of understanding, starting with familiarising children with the vocabulary and context on Monday, followed by whole-class and paired reading from Tuesday to Thursday. Each day builds on the last, with Wednesday and Thursday focusing on targeted comprehension questions aligned with content domains, modelled and practiced through teacher guidance. Friday provides an opportunity for independent practice and assessment, with feedback sessions to reinforce learning. Throughout the week, children engage in paired and independent reading, learning vocabulary through fun, interactive methods like games and discussions. Special focus is given to fluency, decoding, and comprehension. Teachers monitor progress through fluency grids and class discussions, ensuring ongoing development and planning adjustments where necessary.

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Writing​

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At Anston Hillcrest, writing is taught through a structured, multi-stage approach that emphasises modelling and guided practice.

The process is broken down into four main steps, however is flexible and adapted where necessary to meet our children’s needs.

We use Spelling Shed to support vocabulary and spelling.

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Modelled Write: The teacher explicitly demonstrates the writing process, during this stage, our teachers "think aloud" to show good writing habits, such as using varied sentence structures e.g making precise vocabulary choices, and checking grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Shared Write: Teachers lead this stage by taking suggestions from the children in their class, this helps develop good habits for collaboration. Teacher’s might ask questions like, “What’s the best word to use here?” or “How could I start this sentence differently?” this helps to guide children in making thoughtful writing decisions.

Paired Write: Children might discuss and collaborate in pairs, sharing ideas about what to include and how to phrase their writing. It is common for their work to closely mirror that of their partner, which helps build confidence and develop writing skills.

Independent Write: Children will then work independently, applying the strategies and skills they’ve practiced in previous stages. This stage is used for assessment purposes, allowing children to demonstrate their individual writing abilities.

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Oracy

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​Speaking and listening are essential components of our curriculum. We  encourage our children's communication skills through collaborative thinking and discussion opportunities. We enhance comprehension, and promote confidence in self-expression. By engaging in discussions and presentations we want our children to  develop their ability to articulate ideas, understand other perspectives, and build meaningful connections, preparing them for real-world interactions.

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Long Term Planning​

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Adaptations

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Our English reading curriculum for disadvantaged children, including those with SEND is adapted where necessary through the use of visual aids, audiobooks, and multi-sensory reading activities. Interactive story sessions, such as using props and puppets, engage children and bring texts to life. Simplified texts, visual prompts, and targeted reading strategies, like phonics games, support comprehension and fluency, ensuring all children can enjoy and participate in reading.

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Our English writing curriculum for disadvantaged children, including those with SEND is adapted through the use of word banks, and visual prompts to support the generation of children's ideas.

Where this is necessary, children have access to adapted resources that ensure the highest levels of independence and enable children to work at the same level as their peers.

Multi-sensory activities, such as using sand or clay for letter formation, enhance fine motor skills. Simplified writing tasks, structured templates, and collaborative writing projects encourage self-expression and confidence, ensuring all children can develop their writing abilities effectively.