English
All things are possible for one who believes – Mark 9:23
English Vision Statement
At Waverley Abbey we recognise the central importance of English as a medium for thought, learning and expression across the curriculum and also as a subject in its own right. We believe that children need to develop their use of language in order to learn and to play a full and active role as individuals within society. We see the need to acquire and develop language skills as a major part of the school curriculum. We believe that, through English lessons, children can develop a positive growth mind-set as they begin to relish challenges and are guided to self-reflect. English is taught daily in every class.
Curriculum Intent
We aim to ensure that our pupils develop a love of language through a range of high-quality texts. We see the need to acquire and develop language skills as a major part of the school curriculum. We want our children to be able to write for a range of purposes and audiences and take ownership of their writing. Careful links are made across the curriculum to ensure that writing is meaningful and skills are transferrable. We aim to make reading and writing an enjoyable experience which develops our pupils into thoughtful, creative and confident writers. English is a multi-dimensional subject and at Waverley Abbey Junior School we provide a curriculum that successfully encompasses each individual’s needs.
Curriculum Implementation
Reading (including phonics)
Reading is taught in the week following the VIPERS acronym (vocabulary, inference, prediction, explanation, retrieval and summarise). Each session focusses on developing one or more of these skills whilst also allowing children to develop fluency and accuracy when reading. A wide range of effective questioning is used during class discussions to challenge and extend a pupil’s understanding. All classes have dedicated quiet reading time to allow pupils to enjoy reading for pleasure. Throughout the week, pupils are encouraged to share their book recommendations and talk about what they are reading. Every child is invited to take part in our school’s reading challenge, there will be a winning class from each year group, who will win the year group’s reading trophy that week. High quality texts are read and studied throughout school during reading and English lessons. These texts are key to unlocking a world of wonder for our pupils. They aim to inspire and motivate all learners. Each class has a reading area which inspires pupils to read a wide range of high-quality, diverse texts. All children are encouraged to read at least 3 times a week at home either to themselves or to an adult. Reading at home is recorded in the children’s reading records or homework diaries/planners. Story time is part of every class’ timetable. During story time, pupils are encouraged to listen to their teacher read a whole class text that all learners can enjoy. When pupils start in Y3, their phonics knowledge is assessed. Those that require further phonics instruction will have phonics lessons, following the Monster Phonics programme. These pupils are given decodable Monster Phonics books to take home and read. They will also read 3-5 times a week to an adult in school. Following this, children may be assessed for reading fluency and accuracy and may receive a book-band reading book before becoming free readers. For children who need further support in reading, they may join a fluency intervention or have 1:1 explicit instruction through an intervention programme.
Handwriting
All pupils are expected to write using a joined – up handwriting style. This must be legible and from Year 4 onwards it is expected that pupils will write in ink pen. Handwriting is taught and practiced in all year groups.
Writing
At Waverley Abbey, we teach writing through a clear process of planning, drafting, revising, editing and sharing. Pupils explore high-quality examples of different text types, considering their purpose, audience, structure, vocabulary and language choices before applying these features in their own writing.
Writing units typically include shorter opportunities to practise specific skills alongside a longer piece of writing. Pupils are taught to develop and organise their ideas, craft their writing and make purposeful improvements. As they progress through the school, pupils become increasingly independent in revising and editing their work for meaning, grammar, punctuation and spelling.
Grammar, spelling and handwriting are taught explicitly and systematically, with opportunities for pupils to apply these skills within their writing. We aim to develop fluent, confident and independent writers who can communicate their ideas effectively for a range of purposes and audiences.
Oracy
We prioritise the development of pupils' speaking and listening skills, recognising their importance in effective communication. Opportunities for class discussions, debates, and presentations are embedded across the curriculum. We encourage active listening, mutual respect, and effective communication skills, nurturing pupils' confidence and ability to express their ideas articulately.
Curriculum Impact
Pupils at Waverley Abbey demonstrate strong academic outcomes in English. They make excellent progress in their reading, writing and oracy skills throughout their time with us. Pupils display a high level of engagement and motivation in English. They actively participate in lessons, develop a love for reading and demonstrate enthusiasm for writing tasks. Pupils develop a wide vocabulary at Waverley Abbey. They have a secure understanding of grammar, punctuation and spelling rules which is reflected in their writing. Our English curriculum fosters confident, resilient and independent learners who take pride in their work and apply their skills across the curriculum. Pupils are reflective and have a desire to continuously improve.
If you would like to find out more about the curriculum please make an appointment to see your child's teacher who will be happy to discuss this with you, you can do this by contacting school through the office via - info@waverley-abbey.surrey.sch.uk.
Children at Waverley Abbey are taught the skills of reading through the use of VIPERS.
What are Vipers?
VIPERS is a mnemonic to aid the recall of the 6 reading domains as part of the UK’s reading curriculum. They are the key areas which we feel children need to know and understand in order to improve their comprehension of texts.
VIPERS stands for:
