English
At Jessie Younghusband Primary School, we believe that English is at the heart of learning. Through reading, writing, speaking and listening, children develop the knowledge, vocabulary and communication skills that enable them to access the wider curriculum and engage confidently with the world around them.
Our English curriculum is designed to inspire a lifelong love of language and literature whilst ensuring that all pupils develop the essential skills they need to become confident readers, writers and communicators. Rooted in our values of Aspire, Respect and Enjoy, we aim to nurture children who communicate effectively, think critically and express themselves with confidence.
Reading
Reading is a priority across the school and is recognised as the foundation for learning in all subjects.
We want children to develop both the skills to read fluently and the desire to read for pleasure. Through exposure to high-quality texts, engaging discussions and carefully planned teaching, pupils develop a rich vocabulary, strong comprehension skills and a genuine enjoyment of reading.
In Reception and Key Stage One, children begin their reading journey through our structured phonics programme. As they progress through the school, reading is taught through whole-class reading sessions using a range of high-quality texts and resources, including materials from The Literacy Tree and PiXL.
Reading lessons focus on developing:
- Reading fluency and expression.
- Vocabulary development.
- Retrieval skills.
- Inference and deduction.
- Prediction.
- Summarising.
- Understanding author choices and intent.
- Discussion and reasoning about texts.
Children are encouraged to discuss books, explore different viewpoints and develop a love of reading that extends beyond the classroom.
Writing
At JYS, writing is taught through The Literacy Tree, a literature-based approach that places high-quality children's books at the heart of learning.
Using carefully selected texts, children are immersed in rich language, vocabulary and meaningful writing opportunities. Writing units are designed to inspire creativity whilst systematically developing the skills and knowledge required by the National Curriculum.
Throughout the writing process, children are supported through:
- High-quality teacher modelling.
- Shared and guided writing.
- Structured discussion and oral rehearsal.
- Explicit vocabulary instruction.
- Purposeful opportunities to write for different audiences and purposes.
- Opportunities to edit, improve and reflect on their work.
We aim to develop confident writers who can communicate effectively, write creatively and apply their skills across the curriculum.
Speaking and Listening
We believe that high-quality talk is essential for learning.
Children learn best when they are actively involved in discussion, explanation and reasoning. Structured classroom talk is embedded across our curriculum and plays a central role in English lessons.
Teachers use approaches such as:
- Think-Pair-Share.
- Talk Partners.
- Sentence stems and talking frames.
- Discussion and debate.
- Collaborative learning activities.
These strategies help children develop confidence, articulate their ideas clearly, listen respectfully to others and build vocabulary. We encourage all pupils to participate actively and ensure every voice is heard.
Spelling
Spelling is taught through a systematic whole-school approach using the Twinkl Skip Into Spelling programme.
Lessons build progressively on prior learning and enable children to develop a secure understanding of spelling patterns, rules and strategies. Children are given regular opportunities to practise and apply their spelling knowledge both within English lessons and across the wider curriculum.
Our aim is to develop accurate, confident spellers who understand how words work and can apply this knowledge independently in their writing.
Handwriting
Handwriting is taught using the Twinkl Handwriting Scheme, providing a consistent progression from Reception through to Year 6.
Children are taught correct letter formation, joins, presentation skills and handwriting fluency through regular, structured lessons. High standards of presentation are encouraged across all areas of the curriculum, helping children take pride in their work and develop effective written communication skills.
Vocabulary and Language Development
Developing children's vocabulary is a key priority throughout our English curriculum.
Teachers explicitly teach and revisit ambitious vocabulary across reading, writing and spoken language activities. Through exposure to high-quality texts and rich discussion, children develop the language they need to communicate effectively and access increasingly challenging learning.
Assessment and Support
Assessment is an ongoing part of teaching and learning at JYS. Teachers continually monitor pupils' progress through observation, discussion, questioning and review of work. This enables misconceptions to be addressed quickly and ensures teaching is adapted to meet the needs of individuals and groups.
We have high expectations for all learners and provide carefully planned support and challenge so that every child can make strong progress and achieve success.
English at JYS
Through our English curriculum, we strive to develop children who:
- Read fluently and widely.
- Enjoy books and reading.
- Write with confidence, creativity and accuracy.
- Speak clearly and respectfully.
- Listen thoughtfully and respond intelligently.
- Possess the vocabulary and communication skills needed for future success.
By combining high-quality texts, structured teaching, purposeful discussion and a rich reading culture, we aim to develop confident communicators and lifelong learners who truly embody our values of Aspire, Respect and Enjoy.
