At Thorndon Primary, we strive to ensure that high-quality education in English will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. We maintain through each key stage and year group that we want our children to develop their vocabulary understanding, write in a range of different genres and continuously develop their spelling, grammar and punctuation skills. As well as this, we want our children to understand the spoken word, use expression and participate as a member of society by speaking fluently and articulately.

To enable our children to write effectively and coherently, we teach writing through the “Writing for pleasure” approach. This leads all children to become authors, editors and publishers. Throughout the year we will make a series of books; in making these books, we will cover all areas of the writing curriculum. Children will learn, through careful learning, planning, preparation and making of the books, all aspects of the English writing curriculum. Children will be able to use their creative flair to make books, they will develop a sense of purpose and style in their writing.

Spelling

We use Spelling Shed to teach the children their spellings. Based on phonics, morphology and etymology, it includes main teaching inputs, which can then be followed up with additional activities that can be carried out immediately after the input during an extended session or revisited throughout the week in order to consolidate the learning further. There is also an online platform for the children to access which will consolidate their spellings through games.