Our Vision for English
Pupils at Castle Newnham can expect to experience a rich and engaging English curriculum. Our intention is that the skills students acquire will help them to unlock the curriculum in school and life skills beyond the school setting. Quality oral communication is modelled by teachers and expected by students in school. The curriculum provides opportunities to experience a rich and diverse collection of texts and inspiration to read independently. We teach English in order to develop our young people into confident and fluent readers and writers, which will allow them to read and write widely and confidently to develop their ability to understand their world. The curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to develop their ability to understand the world around them, listening to a range of voices and perspectives and explore what it means to be human. We teach our pupils English in order to help them find their own answers to the ‘big questions’ relating to the human condition, and help our young people to define their own experiences of the world around them.
Curriculum Implementation
We will deliver this vision in the following ways:
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Regular focussed writing and editing training throughout Primary & Key Stage 3, followed by the intensive practice of extended responses in an exam style format to build on the foundations in KS3.
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Clear modelling throughout to build confidence and develop knowledge of editing and improving writing
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Reading a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts with increasingly challenging narratives and plot structures as pupils move up through the school
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Respond and reflect on the ‘big questions’ raised in the texts studied.
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Growing and developing an individual perspective after exposure to a wide range of literary voices throughout our curriculum.
Special Educational Needs Disability (SEND) / Pupil Premium / Higher Attainers
All children will have Quality First Teaching. Any children with identified SEND or in receipt of pupil premium funding will have reasonable adjustments made that are additional to or different from their peers in order to support them to access the curriculum. All reasonable adjustments made are based around the individual and their needs.
As well as this, our school offers a demanding and varied curriculum, providing children with a range of opportunities in order for them to reach their full potential and consistently achieve highly from their starting points.
Year Group Content
In Reception our ‘English’ equivalent would be ‘Literacy’ : Comprehension, Word Reading, Writing.
We also have ‘Communication and Language’: Listening, Attention and Understanding.
Twinkl Phonics:
Drawing Club: “Based around the Golden Blend of picture books, tales and animations, it involves a short period of Time Together as a whole class followed by time with children exploring their ideas and creativity”
Our Curriculum is informed by but not limited to the Statutory Educational programmes:
Literacy: “adults talk with children about the world around them and the books (stories and non-fiction) they read with them, and enjoy rhymes, poems and songs together. Skilled word reading involves both the speedy working out of the pronunciation of unfamiliar printed words (decoding) and the speedy recognition of familiar printed words. Writing involves transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech, before writing).
Communication and Language: “The quality of the conversations children have with adults and peers throughout the day in a language-rich environment is crucial. By commenting on what children are interested in or doing, and echoing back what they say with new vocabulary added, practitioners will build children’s language effectively. Reading frequently to children, and engaging them actively in stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems, and then providing them with extensive opportunities to use and embed new words in a range of contexts, will give children the opportunity to thrive. Through conversation, storytelling and role play, where children share their ideas with support and modelling from their teacher, and sensitive questioning that invites them to elaborate, children become comfortable using a rich range of vocabulary and language structures”
And Development Matters:
Children will be learning to:
Read individual letters by saying the sounds for them.
• Blend sounds into words, so that they can read short words made up of known letter sound correspondences.
• Read some letter groups that each represent one sound and say sounds for them.
• Read a few common exception words matched to the school’s phonic programme.
• Read simple phrases and sentences made up of words with known letter-sound
correspondences and, where necessary, a few exception words.
• Re-read these books to build up their confidence in word reading, their fluency and their
understanding and enjoyment.
• Form lower-case and capital letters correctly.
• Spell words by identifying the sounds and then writing the sound with letter/s.
• Write short sentences with words with known letter-sound correspondences using a
capital letter and full stop.
• Re-read what they have written to check that it makes sense.
Please see our long-term plans below, including curriculum objectives:
English Year 1
Non-Fiction Texts: Dinosaurs
- Explanation Texts
Lost In The Toy Museum
- Instruction Writing
- Character Descriptions
A Range Of Poems
- Poetry
Dragon Post
- Re-telling
- Letter Writing
The Queen's Hat
- Non-Chronological Reports
The Queen's Handbag
- Re-telling
- Character Descriptions
- Persuasive Letters
- Innovating A Story
The Magic Paintbrush
- Re-telling
Lila and the Secret Rain
- Diary Writing
Please see our long-term plans below, including curriculum objectives:
English Year 2
Wombat Goes Walkabout
- Narrative - Stories from another culture
The Great Fire of London
- Non-Fiction: Recount
Jack and the Beanstalk
- Narrative - Traditional Tales
Recipes
- Non-Fiction - Instructions
The Own Who Was Afraid of the Dark
- Narrative - Animal Stories
Non-Fiction Texts - Africa
- Non-Chronological Reports
George and The Dragon
- Narrative - Legends
The Day the Crayons Quit
- Persuasive Letters
The Building Boy
- Narrative - Fantasy
In My Heart
- Lyrical Explanation
Please see our long-term plans below, including curriculum objectives:
English Year 3
How to wash a Wooly Mammoth
- Instructions
Stone Age Boy
- Adventure Stories
The Firework Maker's Daughter
- Setting Description
- Newspaper Report
Escape from Pompeii
- Newspaper Report
Volcano
- Poetry
The Diver's Daughter
- Persuasive Formal Letter
The Prince, The Book and The Cunning King
- Character Description
Lights on Cotton Rock
- Narrative - Short Stories
Bedford Chronicles
- Non-Chronological Report
Please see our long-term plans below, including curriculum objectives:
English Year 4
Still I Rise
- Poetry
Dragon Slayer (Video)
- Narrative - Dilemas
Recipes
- Instructions
Taking Flight (Video)
- Playscripts
Odd and The Frost Giant
- Poetry
- Narrative - Myths and Legends
How To Train Your Dragon
- Newspaper Report
The Explorer
- Persuasive Writing
- Non-Fiction Reports
- Narrative - Setting Descriptions
- Advertisement
Please see our long-term plans below, including curriculum objectives:
English Year 5
Once
- Instructions
- Setting Descriptions
- Character Descriptions
- Biographies
- Diaries
Who Let The Gods Out
- Autobiographies
- Argument and Debate (Single Sided)
- Character & Setting Description
- Narrative (Spooky Stories)
Trash
- Explanation Text
- Narrative
- Poetry
- Persuasive Writing
Please see our long-term plans below, including curriculum objectives:
English Year 6
Stormbreaker
- Narrative
Something Fishy
- Informal Letter
Street Child
- Newspaper Report
- Setting Description
- Narrative - Story Ending
Holes
- Diary Entry
- Persuasive Writing
- Balanced Argument
The Dream Giver
- Narrative
Boy at the back of the class
- Poetry
- Letter of complaint
Year 7 is a transitional year for our pupils, and the year is spent laying the foundations for their further study in English. Pupils experience a variety of standard, linear narratives and character archetypes. We build on the writing and editing process that pupils have developed in KS2, supporting pupils to be confident and reflective writers. We intervene swiftly and purposefully to fill gaps and support pupils to make good progress and catch up to their peers.
Pupils will study the following units:
7.1 Wolves of Willoughby Chase
- (Reading Assessment)
7.2 History of the English Language
- (Writing assessment)
7.3 Cultures Poetry
- (Comparative essay)
7.4 When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit / Much Ado About Nothing
- (Reading assessment)
7.5 When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit / Much Ado About Nothing
- (Reading assessment)
7.6 Tales of Greek Heroes
- (Writing assessment)
Pupils who meet age related expectations will be able to:
Writing
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Structure and paragraph written work
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Sentences are sometimes varied for effect
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Use tenses appropriately
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Use a variety of conjunctions correctly
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Use punctuation marks with accuracy including apostrophes for possession and omission
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Punctuate dialogue correctly
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Spelling is mostly accurate except for some words with complex spelling patterns
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Writing matches the purpose of the task and vocabulary is chosen for effect
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Structure sentences to add to the effect of the writing on the reader
Reading comprehension
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Select quotations and embed them in sentences when answering a question about a text
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Responses often demonstrate inference has been used to show a greater understanding of a text
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Explain some reasons for the structure of a text and how it impacts on the reader
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Comment on some structural features of a text
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Identify the effect of words, sentences and some stylistic features used in a text
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Show an understanding of a writer’s main purpose in a text by making reflective comments
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Show an awareness of the effect a writer is trying to create and explain this in their response
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Compare texts from different eras and demonstrate an awareness of contextual features that may have influenced the writing of a text
In year 8, we begin to introduce context and explore how this impacts on the way that texts are written and received by audiences. We teach texts from a range of time periods alongside building their knowledge of the writers’ experiences and contexts, so that they begin to understand the impact that this can have on the ways that texts are written and received. We also use this opportunity to introduce texts from a more diverse and varied writers as KS3 is a time where we have more freedom of choice in terms of content.
Pupils will study the following units:
8.1 Private Peaceful
(Reading assessment)
8.2 Voices Poetry
(Comparative essay)
8.3 Non-Fiction: Human Survival
(Writing assessment)
8.4 Animal Farm / Romeo and Juliet
(Reading assessment)
8.5 Animal Farm / Romeo and Juliet
(Reading assessment)
8.6 The Crucible
(Writing assessment)
Pupils who meet age related expectations will be able to:
Writing
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Their writing is shaped and organised competently.
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They consistently set out their writing in paragraphs correctly.
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In their writing, effective links between paragraphs are evident.
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Their sentences are varied and ideas are developed in paragraphs using a variety of devices.
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They are able to use a range of conjunctions within and between paragraphs.
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Their writing shows a wide range of punctuation marks used correctly.
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They are able to use tenses are accurately.
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Their spelling is mostly accurate although a dictionary may have to be used for complex spelling patterns.
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Their writing matches the purpose of the task with vocabulary and sentence lengths chosen for effect.
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They use an appropriate style when writing with figurative language used effectively.
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Their writing engages the reader.
Reading comprehension
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They are able to embed quotations in sentences when answering a question about a text.
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Their responses often show inference and deduction has been used to show a greater understanding of a text.
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They can give some reasons for the overall structure of a text and explain its impact on different readers.
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They can comment on the structural features of a text.
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They can explain the effect of vocabulary and sentence structures in a studied text.
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They are able to identify and comment on a variety of stylistic features.
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They can understand and explain a writer’s main purpose for writing a text.
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An awareness of the effect a writer is trying to create is evident in their responses to a text.
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They are able to compare and deconstruct texts from different eras and show an awareness of contextual features that may have influenced the writing of a text.
Year 9 is a year where we are beginning to move more explicitly towards GCSE skills and knowledge. The contextual knowledge delivered here is explicitly designed to support their understanding of KS4 texts and units of work. Assessments completed are more in the style of KS4 (although about different texts) in order to effectively prepare them for the challenges they will face in the coming years.
Pupils will study the following units:
9.1 Macbeth
(Reading assessment)
9.2 Diverse Literary Short Stories
(Writing assessment)
9.3 Non-fiction: The London Poor
(Writing assessment)
9.4 Blood Brothers / Lord of the Flies
(Reading assessment)
9.5 Blood Brothers / Lord of the Flies
(Reading assessment)
9.6 War Poetry (From P&C Cluster)
(Comparative essay)
Pupils who meet age related expectations will be able to:
Writing
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Work is thoughtfully shaped and organised
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Effective links are made between paragraphs using a variety of more complex connectives
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Ideas are skilfully developed into paragraphs using a variety of linking devices
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A variety of sentence types are used with confidence
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A range of punctuation marks are used accurately and with increasing confidence in creating effects for the reader
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Tenses are confidently handled
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Vocabulary is varied and spelling is accurate, except for unusual words
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An appropriate style is used in writing and stylistic features are used effectively
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Writing is engaging for the reader.
Reading comprehension
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Quotations are competently embedded with a confident explanation of how meanings are created
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An understanding of structure and its impact is demonstrated
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The impact of a writer’s choice of words, sentences and stylistic features is identified and explained with some confidence
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The purposes and effects of a text are explained
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An awareness of the writer’s viewpoint is demonstrated
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A grasp how context may influence a text is clearly identified.
Year 10 is very much focused on delivering knowledge and textual content. they key here is supporting pupils to understand plot, character, thematic and contextual links for the Literature texts, and providing experience of the style of extracts and questions that pupils will face in the Language exams. In Year 11, we follow a spaced practice model in order to reinforce knowledge retention. We provide wide ranging opportunities for practice responses and feedback to improve outcomes for our pupils.
Pupils will study the following units:
10.1 Language Paper 2
(Spoken language assessment)
10.2 A Christmas Carol (Literature)
10.3 Merchant of Venice (Literature)
10.4 Finish Lit Poetry (Literature)
10.5 Language Paper 1 (Language)
10.6 An Inspector Calls (Literature)
11.1 Language Paper 2 - Section B followed by Spoken Language
11.2 Spaced Practice Revision
Pupils who meet age related expectations will be able to:
Writing
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communicate effectively, sustaining the reader’s interest
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produce coherent and well-structured texts
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vary sentence types and structures and use vocabulary/language devices appropriate to purpose and effect
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spell, punctuate and use grammar accurately with occasional errors
Reading and comprehension
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summarise and evaluate with accuracy and understanding
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understand and make valid responses to explicit and implicit meanings and viewpoints
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analyse and evaluate relevant aspects of language, grammar and structure
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support their understanding and opinions with references to texts make credible links and comparisons between texts