English

Reading and Writing

We use Read Write Inc. Phonics which is a complete literacy programme for 3 to 6 year olds that are learning to read and write.  The programme uses synthetic phonics to teach reading and it covers all of the National Curriculum requirements for literacy and language. 

This approach:

• Gets children decoding and comprehending quickly.  The special 'three reads' approach ensures that all children gain accuracy, fluency and a good understanding of the text.
• Ensures children read storybooks and non-fiction books matched to their growing phonic knowledge.
• Leaves no child behind.   Initial and on-going assessment to track every child's progress.
• Prevents downtime.  Direct teaching followed by partner practice means that every child participates in the whole lesson.

We begin using Read Write Inc. when our pupils are in nursery and they start by learning the first 30 sounds in short, daily sessions.  When pupils move into reception year, they begin to read storybooks and non-fiction books that are closely matched to their developing phonic knowledge.  The sessions are lively and interactive and our pupils make rapid progress.  They begin to write confidently and learn to spell using sounds that they know.  Their progress is assessed at the end of every half term and they are grouped according to the level they are working at.  This ensures that teaching is always focused precisely on what pupils need and the pace of learning is fast.  If we are ever concerned about a child's progress in reading, we provide 1:1 intervention for 15 minutes a day to address this and accelerate their progress.  These sessions are delivered by highly skilled support staff who have received specific Read Write Inc. 1:1 intervention training.

Once our children have completed the RWI Phonics programme, our English lessons are taught using the CUSP Reading and Writing curriculum. CUSP Reading and Writing is an evidence informed, carefully sequenced English curriculum, which maps core content in reading and writing across the primary journey, ensuring that learning is taught and revisited over time so that pupils commit their understanding to the long-term memory.

At Orgill we strive for conceptual fluency. We want pupils who work through the curriculum journey of CUSP to develop both procedural and conceptual fluency. In CUSP writing, for example, we have reduced the number of text types that each year group studies in order to move the emphasis away from the memorisation of text conventions and focus on developing procedural and conceptual fluency about the mechanics and processes of writing as a craft. We also have a whole school reading spine, which complements units in our wider curriculum. Our aim is to immerse children in rich literature to help develop and widen their vocabulary and inference skills. Our curriculum also has explicit vocabulary instruction which is helping to shape the structure and language provision throughout our curriculum. Ultimately, we want to raise confidence, enthusiasm and standards in reading and writing across the curriculum so that all children are able to be successful and flourish. 

Spelling

Discrete spelling sessions are taught from the end of Y1 to Y6 using the CUSP Spelling curriculum which is organised into 2-week blocks, with each block covering a particular set of key concepts.  These include: spelling patterns, etymology and morphology and reasoning about spelling.  These blocks are made up of three lessons per week: 2 x 15minute (minimum) discrete Spelling lessons and 1 x Spelling starter for the final Writing lesson of the week,

Handwriting

Handwriting is taught in separate sessions every day from R to Y6.