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Belmont Community Primary SchoolAchieving excellence, putting children first

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Welcome toBelmont Community Primary SchoolAchieving excellence, putting children first

English

Reading - Hooked on Books

Reading opens the door to learning. A child who reads a lot will become a good reader. A good reader will be able to read more challenging material. A child who can read more challenging material is a child who will learn. The more a child learns, the more he or she will want to find out. We know that every child reading well by the end of Year 6 is essential for them to achieve highly at secondary school (DfE Reading Framework 2023). Therefore, we have adopted two rigorous and systematic approaches across the school.

 

In EYFS and Year 1, we use the Read Write Inc. systematic synthetic phonics programme - see below for more details. In Years 2-6, we teach reading using the Jane Considine ‘Hooked on Books’ approach. This ensures that all children have consistent and clear expectations. We are also working with LEAD on a ‘Fluency Project’ which improves fluency in those children who have graduated phonics but are still not fluent readers. Children in Years 2 and 3 are part of this program. 

 

Reading for pleasure is a vital part of our curriculum and children read their own reading books daily. The ‘Accelerated Reader’ scheme for children in Years 2-6 supports children to become more avid readers.

 

Phonics - Read Write Inc.

The Government strongly recommend the use of synthetic phonics when teaching early literacy skills to children. Synthetic phonics is simply the ability to convert a letter or letter group into sounds that are then blended together into a word.

 

Here at Belmont, we are using the DfE validated Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) programme, Read Write Inc. (RWI), which uses a whole school approach to teaching early reading and writing. The children are assessed regularly and grouped according to their ability. They will work with a RWI trained teacher or teaching assistant.

 

For further details, including how to help your child at home, please click on the page link below.

Writing - Read Write Inc. & The Write Stuff

Children who are in EYFS and Year 1 use the Read Write Inc. writing program which is closely aligned to their phonics learning.

 

In Year 2 and above, we use Jane Considine’s ‘The Write Stuff’ to inspire writers and equip them with the skills needed to succeed. We are passionate about using ‘experience days’ to engage and inspire children and give them a purpose for writing. Experience days often include drama activities, the school grounds, music or even tasting ice-cream. This is combined with high-quality grammar teaching that uses effective modelling. The grammar is taught in ‘chunks’ that are manageable for all children and help them to feel successful.

 

Spelling & Handwriting

Spelling is initially taught through Read Write Inc. lessons. We move on to the online Spelling Shed lessons in Year 2 and above.

 

Handwriting lessons are taught using the Nelson handwriting scheme. Children are initially taught how to form each letter of the alphabet correctly, before moving on to joining letters and fluent cursive handwriting.

 

Details of the English curriculum including how it is taught can found in the document below.

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