Intent
Through studying literature, pupils’ eyes are opened to the human experience; they are given the opportunity to explore meaning and ambiguity as well as the beauty and power of language. Literature presents a gateway for pupils to engage with and understand the everchanging world around them.
At Daven Primary School, we believe that writing and oracy are key life skills, which is why our writing curriculum utilises Talk for Writing. We aim for all of our children to be able to write independently, in a variety of genres, and for a range of purposes with fluency, accuracy and enjoyment. We believe children should understand that from an early age, their writing needs to be accurate, legible and clearly organised. It is our hope for them that they will enjoy writing, see the value of it and for them to leave us as confident, accomplished writers.
Implementation
At Daven Primary School, we follow a writing process, which is outlined below. This writing process allows pupils to explore the themes and vocabulary in a text; learn the author's craft; identify the purpose and audience for a range of text types; write - using what they have learnt through reading and 'incidental writes; and edit their work as they go.
As part of our writing process, specifically during the read and analyse phase, Talk for Writing (T4W) principles are embedded. The T4W approaches, enable children to read and write independently for a variety of audiences and purposes within different subjects. A key feature is that children internalise the language structures needed to write through ‘talking the text’, as well as close reading. The approach moves from dependence towards independence, with the teacher using shared and guided teaching to develop the ability in children to write creatively and powerfully.
Our writing LTP has established a core English reading spine of quality fiction, poetry and non-fiction texts that all children experience and draw upon in their writing sessions. Imaginative units of work are developed to create a whole-school plan. Within the LTP, you will see how key writing skills are mapped out over time so children get to recap these skills throughout the primary phase. This is to ensure learning is successfully transferred into children's long-term memory.
Impact
At Daven Primary School, we want all of our children to develop a love for writing, using what they have learnt through reading a range of texts and what they have explored during writing sessions. We want them to feel confident in sharing ideas and expressing opinions, as well as being brave to write things they have never written before. The writing curriculum aims to ensure children have the skills and knowledge needed so that they are ready for the next stage in their learning journey.
Children’s progress in writing is tracked through regular summative and formative assessment. We utilise incidental writes for children to create their own 'toolkit' that they can look back on when it comes to writing the final piece. Writing is marked regularly and misconceptions addressed rapidly. As a school, we complete whole-school writing moderations three times a year, using the teaching assessment frameworks for each year group.
Intent
At Daven Primary School, we value reading greatly. We aim to inspire a love of reading through the introduction of high-quality, exciting texts spanning a range of genres, including stories, poetry and non-fiction texts. We want children to be confident readers, who enjoy reading a wide range of texts and learn new vocabulary from a range of authors.
We recognise the vital role reading can have on language development. Pupils are taught strategies to independently deduce the meaning of new words they encounter – such as through considering context cues. We also explore the morphology of words which allows for direct links to be made with spelling and grammar. To promote curiosity in reading, children also learn about the etymology of words and their relationships with other languages.
Implementation
At Daven Primary School, we understand the importance of children getting off to a successful start with reading. We follow a synthetic phonics programme to support this rapid development of reading skills – Read Write Inc. All teaching staff are fully trained in this programme. Children participate in daily phonics sessions and the phonics books sent home to read are matched to their point of reading development. These books contain only sounds they have previously learned, increasing their likelihood of success, which increases their motivation to read. Regular assessments take place to ensure children are closely tracked in terms of their phonics skills, enabling children who are falling behind.
In addition to phonics in KS1, 'Steps to Read' is utilised to deliver daily whole-class guided reading sessions. The Steps to Read progamme, follows a similar set of principles as KS2. Children are read to, the class teacher models key skills, children are able to practise comprehending and the children apply their learning.
In KS2, whole class guided reading sessions are used as a means for teachers to develop children’s reading fluency, comprehension and book talk. A range of texts are studied as children move through the school. We use Accelerated Reader programme to ensure children read books that are appropriate for their point of reading development. We have a dedicated library, and non-fiction zones throughout the school, with books from a range of authors, writing styles and genres to encourage a broad diet of literature for every child. The Accelerated Reader programme allows us to closely track the progress of children’s reading, enabling us to identify children who may need additional teacher support or guidance and to celebrate success. To see how these texts are mapped out, please refer to each year group's LTP, which can be found on each class page.
Our KS2 guided reading approach focuses on the seven key reading objectives, shown below. Teachers use assessment from NFERs and daily guided reading to plan questions which will support the pupils in making progress.
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Our guided reading sessions, for fiction, follow the steps below to ensure learning is effectively scaffolded before children apply skills and knowledge independently.
Impact
At Daven Primary School, we aim for every child to be ready for their next phase of education. Those that are not, are supported appropriately to ensure they can catch up with their peers.
Accelerated Reader parent guide: https://www.renaissance.com/family-resources-accelerated-reader/
Phonics parent guide: https://www.ruthmiskin.com/parentsandcarers/
At Daven Primary School, developing children's oracy is vital to ensure our pupils can 'take on the world'. Across the curriculum, we have selected a range of activities to develop children's ability to articulate ideas, develop understanding and engage with others through spoken language.
We know that in school, oracy is a oracy is a powerful tool for learning; by teaching students to become more effective speakers and listeners, we empower them to better understand themselves, each other and the world around them. It is also a route to empower all students, not just some, to find their voice to succeed in school and life.
We are developing deliberate, explicit and systematic teaching of oracy across phases and throughout the curriculum, which will support children and young people to make progress in the four strands of oracy outlined in the Oracy Framework (shown below).
Download our overview to see how we develop oracy from EYFS to Y6. You can also download each of the subject LTPs to see how we develop oracy through subject-specific activites.