English
English has a major role in education and in society. A strong command of spoken and written word will help all pupils later in life. At Merrow Schools Federation we believe that a high quality education in English will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate effectively with others. There is a strong focus on the teaching of English across both schools. Skills are taught in specific English lessons and then used in other areas of the curriculum. Reading is championed as it gives pupils a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually.
Intent:
At Merrow Schools Federation we believe the development of literacy skills underpins all other areas of our curriculum. We provide a wide range of experiences in reading, writing and speaking and listening to enable all children to become adept communicators. Developing the two key reading skills of decoding and comprehension, enables pupils to acquire knowledge and make links with the world around them. We promote an enjoyment and love of English and literature through high quality texts and other media; using these to inspire writing. We actively embed the skills of spelling, grammar, handwriting and punctuation throughout all areas of the curriculum. We appreciate the importance of drama which encourages the development of an active, vivid imagination.
A successful learner at our schools will:
- Be a confident writer and able to write effectively in a range of genres with a sound understanding of purpose and audience, to equip them for real life situations later in life;
- Write in standard English with a secure understanding of grammatical features in writing.
- They will be able to independently reflect, edit and improve their writing;
- Have a good grasp of expected spelling rules, punctuation and be able to write legibly;
- Have an appreciation of a variety of genres and be able to creatively apply this skill to other subjects;
- Have an understanding of the joy of reading;
- Have appropriate decoding and comprehension skills;
- Feel a sense of pride and accomplishment when they have finished a book;
- Recommend books, explain their reasons why and be able to make choices based on preferences;
- Speak with clarity and use a wide and interesting vocabulary and be active listeners.