English at All Saints’
At All Saints’, we want every pupil to become a confident speaker, fluent reader and purposeful writer. Our English curriculum reflects our Christian vision, ‘All Believing, All Achieving’, and introduces pupils to rich, diverse literature that helps them understand themselves, our community and the wider world.
Our main approaches are:
- Literacy Tree Writing Roots – writing
- Literacy Tree Reading Leaves – reading comprehension and fluency
- Read Write Inc. (RWI) Phonics – phonics and early reading
- Literacy Links – oracy in EYFS and Key Stage 1
The following information should appear on, or be linked clearly from, this English curriculum page.
1. Phonics and Early Reading
We teach phonics and early reading through Read Write Inc. (RWI) Phonics. In Nursery, children develop the listening, language and sound-awareness skills that prepare them for systematic phonics. In Reception and Key Stage 1, pupils receive a daily RWI lesson and are taught in groups matched closely to their current stage of reading.
Through RWI, pupils learn to:
- recognise the sounds represented by letters and groups of letters;
- blend sounds to read words accurately;
- read carefully matched decodable books;
- re-read familiar books to build fluency, accuracy, confidence and expression;
- spell words using the sounds they know; and
- develop handwriting, vocabulary and spoken language.
Children take home books that are matched to the sounds they have been taught, so that they can practise successfully rather than guess unfamiliar words. Pupils’ progress is assessed regularly. Any pupil who is at risk of falling behind receives prompt, targeted practice or tutoring and continues to receive support for as long as it is needed, including in Key Stage 2.
Teaching is adapted so that pupils with SEND, pupils learning English as an additional language and pupils who join the school at different times can participate and make progress. Expectations remain ambitious for every pupil.
Scheme used: Read Write Inc. (RWI) Phonics.
Further information for families: Ruth Miskin Training parent films and resources – www.ruthmiskin.com/parents/
2. Reading at All Saints’
Reading is central to learning at All Saints’. Pupils encounter high-quality stories, poetry, non-fiction and texts that reflect varied cultures, backgrounds, families and experiences. Teachers read aloud regularly and explicitly teach vocabulary, fluency and comprehension.
After pupils have secured the early reading skills taught through RWI, reading lessons are supported by Literacy Tree Reading Leaves. These sequences help pupils explore whole texts and carefully chosen extracts while developing retrieval, inference, prediction, summarising, comparison, vocabulary and discussion skills.
The books below are examples of core reading texts shown in our current English curriculum map. They are reviewed annually and may be adjusted to meet pupils’ needs, curriculum links and the availability of high-quality new literature.
Nursery and Reception: Traditional tales, nursery rhymes, poems and high-quality picture books, including Where the Wild Things Are, Izzy Gizmo, The Magic Paintbrush, The Tiny Seed, So Much and Oi Frog!
Year 1: Cave Baby; Beegu; The Magic Bed; Iggy Peck, Architect; Yeti and the Bird; Lost and Found; and The Ride-by-Night.
Year 2: A Walk in London; Rosie Revere, Engineer; The Street Beneath My Feet; Fanatical About Frogs; A Book of Bears; The Magic and Mystery of Trees; and There’s a Rang-Tan in My Bedroom.
Year 3: The Lost Spells; Earth-Shattering Events; Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats; I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree; Africa, Amazing Africa; and The Pied Piper of Hamelin.
Year 4: Letters from the Lighthouse; The Undefeated; Annie Lumsden, the Girl from the Sea; Poems from a Green and Blue Planet; The Last Firefox; and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Year 5: Who Let the Gods Out?; The Listeners; Cosmic; The Race to Space; Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; and Black and British: A Short, Essential History.
Year 6: Fly Me Home; Poetry for Kids: William Shakespeare; The Invention of Hugo Cabret; Darwin’s Voyage of Discovery; Poetry for Young People: Langston Hughes; and Politics for Beginners.
Choosing additional books
Alongside core curriculum texts, pupils should read widely for pleasure. Class and library collections include fiction, poetry, traditional tales, graphic texts and non-fiction at different levels of challenge. Staff help pupils select books that interest them while also encouraging them to try new authors, genres and viewpoints.
Families may ask the class teacher for recommendations suited to their child’s age, reading stage, interests and additional needs. The school can also provide this information in an accessible format or discuss suitable alternatives where required.
3. Supporting Reading at Home
Reading regularly at home makes a significant difference. Aim for a short, calm reading time on most days. Ten to fifteen focused minutes can be more helpful than a longer session when a child is tired.
For children learning phonics
- Listen to your child read the RWI book sent home. This book is matched to sounds already taught in school.
- Encourage your child to say the sounds and blend them to read an unfamiliar word.
- Re-read the same book. Re-reading develops fluency, confidence and expression.
- Praise effort and accurate reading. If a word is difficult, allow thinking time and then help without turning reading into a test.
- Use the RWI sound pronunciation guidance so that sounds are said clearly and without an added ‘uh’.
For all readers:
- Read to your child as well as listening to them read. Children benefit from hearing books that are more challenging than those they can yet read alone.
- Talk about the title, cover, illustrations, characters and new vocabulary.
- Ask open questions: What happened? Why do you think that? Which words helped you? What might happen next?
- Ask your child to summarise a section or explain their favourite part.
- Let your child see adults enjoying books, newspapers, magazines, recipes and information texts.
- Visit and join your local library. Borrowing books is free.
- Continue to share stories in your home language. Strong talk and storytelling in any language support understanding, vocabulary and identity.
Reading records and communication
Please record home reading in the way requested by your child’s class teacher and return books on the agreed days. Contact the teacher if the book seems consistently too easy or too difficult, if your child is anxious about reading, or if you need advice or accessible resources. The school will work with families to provide appropriate support.
Questions you can use
- What does this word mean here?
- How is the character feeling? What makes you think that?
- What is the most important information on this page?
- Can you find a word or sentence that supports your answer?
- Does this book remind you of another story, experience or topic?
Finding out more
Parents, carers and members of the public can find out more by viewing the English Curriculum Map on the school website or by contacting the school. Paper copies and accessible formats are available free of charge on request.
Telephone: 0208 771 9388
Email: admin@allsaintsschool.croydon.sch.uk
