English
If I work hard in English, I could be…
English is the foundation of our Curriculum
At D’Eyncourt Primary School, English and the teaching of English is the foundation of our curriculum. We believe that English underpins the school curriculum by developing students’ abilities to speak, listen, read and write for a range of purposes, using language to learn and communicate, to think, explore and organise. Helping students to express themselves clearly in writing enhances and enriches teaching and learning in all subjects.
We believe that a quality English curriculum should develop our children’s love of reading, writing and discussion. Our main aim is to ensure every single child becomes primary literate and progresses in the areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening. We believe that the ability to write with confidence and accuracy is an essential life skill. Writing is a complex process that draws upon more than handwriting and spelling. It is the ability to effectively communicate ideas, information and opinions through writing in a wide range of contexts. Successful writers understand the social function and characteristics of writing in order to use different genres appropriately, matching it to audience and purpose. We aim to equip children with the skills necessary to achieve this, throughout the curriculum.
We follow the National Curriculum which ensures that a range of genres are covered, including narrative (e.g. extended stories, stories by the same author, myths and legends, adventure stories and traditional stories), non-fiction (e.g. persuasive texts, non-chronological reports, information texts, recounts, reports and letters) and poetry (e.g. rhyme, nonsense rhymes, shape poems, acrostic and descriptive poetry).
In order to expose children to a variety of genres which helps to utilise and embed the writing skills, teachers use a writing journey to plan, structure and teach their English lessons. This journey is designed to show progress, teach the pertinent year group objectives, apply and consolidate these skills and develop vocabulary. Writing is taught through the use of a quality texts and videos, which exposes the children to use inference skills, high-level vocabulary, a range of punctuation and characterisation. Each text is purposefully selected in order to promote a love of reading, engagement and high-quality writing from each child.
For reading across Key Stage One – please visit the Phonics (Reading) page for further details.
Aims
At D’Eyncourt we aim to provide children with:
- The ability to write with confidence, clarity and imagination
- A language rich curriculum and environment that encourages the use of ambitious vocabulary.
- A love of writing, and knowledge of genres and authors.
- An understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions of writing.
- Progression of writing skills across the school.
- An understanding of how to write in a range of genres (including fiction, non-fiction and poetry), using the appropriate style, structure and features.
- High quality teaching that models high standards in writing to secure high expectations and inspire writers.
- The ability to be independent writers who can plan, draft, revise and edit their own work, and learn how to self- and peer-assess against the success criteria;
- Opportunities to write for pleasure for a variety of different purposes
- The opportunity to become confident spellers.
Reading at D’Eyncourt
At D’Eyncourt Primary School, we aim to equip our children with the passion and skills to be successful at reading.
Reading is a top priority and is a key driver for our curriculum. We believe that reading is central to our ability to understand, interpret and communicate with each other and the world around us. Success in reading has a direct effect upon progress in all areas of the curriculum; therefore, reading is given a high priority. We want the children to become enthusiastic, independent and reflective readers across a wide range of literature, including different text types and genres, books, posters, magazines, labels and newspapers.
It is our intention to ensure that by the end of their primary education, all pupils are able to read fluently and with confidence, in any subject in their forthcoming secondary education. We therefore intend to encourage all pupils to read widely across both fiction and non-fiction to develop: knowledge of themselves and the world in which they live; to establish an appreciation and love of reading; to gain knowledge across the curriculum; and develop their comprehension skills. We are committed to providing vocabulary rich reading material. We want our children to be ‘readers’, not just children who can read.
Our children in EYFS and KS1 follow the scheme of Read Write Inc. to help start their journey of learning to read. The scheme is well structured and has a levelled set of books written specifically to ensure that every child can take steady and progressive steps towards reading success. To support their learning, we also follow RWI’s decodable Book Bag Books. Your child will be given a book, which is tailored to their needs, and take it home to read with you. Furthermore, each child is provided with a reading diary as a means of encouraging communication between parent and teacher.
Each child is also given a second book, which will be from the class library, that they have chosen as a ‘reading for pleasure’ book. This is a book that you can share and read with your child. Please make every effort to read with your child on a regular basis and fill in their reading record.
As your child progresses through the school and they leave the Read, Write, Inc scheme, they will be immersed in a curriculum that creates and celebrates a pleasure for reading. Children will be able to choose books of their choice from the library and within their class library. They are a whole range of genres available in our school library which are available for the children to self-scan out using their unique code. They are also encouraged to read within class as well as enjoy story times with their teacher’s favourite books and take part in whole class guided reading sessions.
Guided reading lessons take place through the school. Teaching in these sessions focuses on developing pupils’ competence in both word reading and comprehension as outlined in the national Curriculum Programmes of Study for reading. 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. Underpinning both is the understanding that letters on the page represent the sounds in spoken words. This is why at D’Eyncourt phonics is emphasised in the early teaching of reading. Good comprehension draws from linguistic knowledge ( in particular of vocabulary and grammar) and on knowledge of the world Comprehension skills develop through pupils’ experience of high-quality discussion with the teacher, as well as from reading and discussing a range of stories, poems and non-fiction. In reading sessions, we use the Twinkl Reading Dogs ‘Totally Pawsome Reading Gang’ to share the reading domains in a fun way.
Guided reading is taught in 3x 30–45-minute sessions per week The teacher has an explicit teaching role. There must be a clear focus to the lesson.
In addition to the taught skills, there is an aim to develop efficiency, independence and breadth. Therefore, short text extracts from a range of genres and classic texts as well as class readers are the basis for independent comprehension tasks; these also form the basis of vocabulary work within a pre-read to widen their knowledge. Again, consistent approaches are reinforced in these sessions, initially through the highlighting of key words and moving on to summarising. In addition, the element of efficiency increases throughout the Key Stage with the tracking of reading speed, fluency and subsequent intervention work is given
At D’Eyncourt Primary School, reading is at the heart of everything we do. We believe that learning to read and developing a lifelong love of reading opens doors to success across the entire curriculum and beyond. Our approach combines high‑quality teaching with rich, engaging literature to ensure every child becomes a fluent, confident and enthusiastic reader.
From early phonics (Read, Write, Inc) in EYFS and Key Stage 1 through to advanced comprehension skills in Key Stage 2, pupils are supported to read widely, think deeply and enjoy books of all types. We expose children to a diverse range of authors, genres, and texts to broaden their vocabulary, inspire their imaginations and help them understand the world around them.
Reading is taught consistently across the school through structured lessons, story time, book talk, guided and whole‑class reading, and opportunities to read for pleasure. We also work closely with families to promote reading at home, ensuring every child is supported on their reading journey.
By the time they leave D’Eyncourt, our children read with fluency, accuracy and enjoyment, equipped with the essential skills they need for future learning—and a love of reading that lasts a lifetime.
School Reading List Recommendations
Storybook Online Stories
Books for Topics Recommended Reads
KS2 Question Starters to help with Reading at Home
Writing at D’Eyncourt
At D’Eyncourt Primary School, we believe that writing is a vital life skill that empowers children to communicate ideas, express creativity and succeed across the curriculum. Our writing curriculum is built on high‑quality teaching, rich literature and a commitment to developing confident, imaginative and accurate writers.
From the early stages of mark‑making in EYFS through to crafting extended pieces in upper Key Stage 2, pupils are taught to plan, draft, edit and refine their writing for a range of audiences and purposes. Grammar, punctuation and vocabulary are taught progressively and meaningfully within each unit so that children understand how to make effective language choices.
We provide a language‑rich environment where ambitious vocabulary is encouraged and celebrated. High‑quality texts inspire pupils to develop their writer’s voice, while modelling, shared writing and independent practice ensure every child builds the skills they need to succeed.
Writing at D’Eyncourt is purposeful, engaging and woven throughout the wider curriculum. Children learn to take pride in their work, present it with care and apply their writing skills confidently in all subjects. By the time they leave our school, pupils are secure, enthusiastic writers, ready to communicate effectively in the real world.
Oracy at D’Eyncourt
At D’Eyncourt Primary School, oracy is a key driver of our curriculum and an essential part of our ambition for all pupils to become confident, articulate communicators. Our approach emphasises high‑quality communication, rich vocabulary development, personal confidence, and the ability to express and justify ideas clearly.
We believe spoken language forms the foundation for learning across the curriculum. Through a structured and progressive oracy curriculum, pupils develop the physical, linguistic, cognitive, and social‑emotional skills needed for effective communication. Purposeful talk is embedded in every classroom from turn‑taking and storytelling in EYFS to confident presentations, debates and structured discussions in Key Stage 2.
Children are taught how to listen actively, speak clearly, collaborate, reason and engage respectfully with different viewpoints. This focuses on developing pupils’ character, confidence and readiness for future learning. Across the curriculum, pupils rehearse ideas orally, use vocabulary with increasing precision and participate in rich dialogue that strengthens understanding and deepens thinking.
We provide a wide range of meaningful speaking opportunities, including drama, role‑play, storytelling, presentations, group problem‑solving, debates and performances. Technology is used to record and celebrate pupil talk, helping children evaluate and improve their spoken language. These experiences support the expectation that pupils communicate confidently and develop the language they need for learning and life.
Our high expectations for talk ensure that every child – regardless of background- develops essential communication skills. Oracy teaching is explicitly planned, modelled and scaffolded by staff, and closely monitored to ensure strong progress. By the time children leave D’Eyncourt, they speak with confidence, clarity and purpose, able to adapt their language to different audiences and context.
Policy
Useful Links
Oxford Owl Reading/ RWI Books- Oxford Owl for School and Home
Oxford Reading Buddy/ Free Reader Books- Oxford Reading Buddy – Log in
Letter Join Handwriting- Letter-join whole school handwriting scheme
