English

Intent

Our intent is to deliver an inclusive, ambitious English curriculum that meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum while inspiring a love of reading, writing, and language. We aim to provide a literacy-rich environment with cross-curricular opportunities that enable every child to communicate effectively and creatively.

We strive to:

• Ensure high standards of English across all subjects.

• Immerse pupils in high-quality texts and vocabulary-rich learning experiences.

• Build strong foundations in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

• Challenge all learners, including the most able, while supporting those who need additional help.

Implementation

• Daily Discrete English Lessons complemented by English embedded across the curriculum.

• Use of high-quality texts to inspire writing and develop comprehension.

• Regular review of prior learning and clear progression in skills and knowledge.

• Quality First Teaching supported by ongoing professional development for staff.

• Enrichment opportunities such as outdoor learning, author visits, and educational trips to enhance engagement and cultural capital.

• Cross-curricular links to apply English skills in other subjects (e.g., using Venn diagrams in comprehension or pie charts in science reporting)..

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Impact

• Pupils achieve in line with or above national expectations in reading and writing at the end of KS2.

• Children demonstrate confidence and creativity in spoken and written language.

• Pupils develop a love of literature and lifelong learning habits.

• Assessment shows secure knowledge and skills progression, enabling pupils to communicate effectively across the curriculum.

• Pupils leave Springdale equipped with the literacy skills needed for the next stage of education and life beyond school..

Reading

At Springdale, our aim is for all children to read well, quickly. We prioritise early reading and invest in high-quality phonics teaching to ensure every child learns to read fluently with strong comprehension skills.

Children will:

• Engage with a wide range of genres, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

• Develop a love of reading and a thirst for exploring different authors and styles.

• Explore our literary themes that are linked to our shine values and context:

  • Tradition – appreciating classic texts and cultural heritage.

  • Imagination – fostering creativity through stories and ideas.

  • Diversity – celebrating voices from different cultures and backgrounds.

  • Displacement & Journeys – understanding movement, migration, and change.

  • Natural World – connecting with nature through literature.

  • Courage – exploring bravery and resilience in characters and narratives.

• Participate in meaningful discussions about texts, exploring language choices and the impact of words on the reader.

• Read for pleasure and purpose, using books to research and deepen knowledge across the curriculum.

When children leave Springdale, we want them to be avid readers—fluent, confident, and enthusiastic—able to express preferences and opinions about the texts they read and equipped with the skills to be lifelong learners.

​Writing

Our curriculum is designed to ensure that children enjoy writing and develop passion and enthusiasm for expressing themselves. We aim for pupils to:

• Write clearly, accurately, and coherently for a range of contexts, purposes, and audiences.

• Use different styles and genres confidently.

• Develop a wide vocabulary and a secure understanding of grammar rules and terminology appropriate for their age.

• Apply spelling patterns correctly and present work with neat, joined handwriting by the time they leave for secondary school.

We want children to write with confidence and creativity, developing their own individual flair while communicating effectively. Our curriculum exposes pupils to high-quality vocabulary and encourages them to use it meaningfully in both formal and informal writing.

We teach spelling and grammar discretely and through text analysis, providing opportunities for pupils to apply these skills in their own writing. We believe that all good writers refine and edit their work, so we teach children to identify areas for improvement and edit effectively during and after the writing process.

Ultimately, we want children to understand the craft of writing—to plan, produce, and publish work they are proud of.

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Speaking and Listening

At Springdale, we believe that speaking and listening are central to learning and essential for success across the curriculum. From EYFS onwards, we nurture these skills so that children can express themselves clearly and confidently in a safe and supportive environment.

Our aim is for pupils to:

• Communicate effectively in all areas of school life.

• Explore ideas through talk, challenge opinions, and develop reasoned arguments.

• Speak in full sentences with clarity and confidence.

• Listen actively and respond thoughtfully to others.

We include speaking and listening in all subjects because good communication supports learning. Through discussions, teamwork, and questioning, children learn to share ideas, explain opinions, and talk confidently.

Kinetic letters Handwriting

At Springdale Primary school we follow the Kinetic handwriting scheme. Kinetic Letters uses specific language to help aid the formation of each letter. The letters are arranged into families.

At Springdale we will support our children to achieve fluency in their transcription skills through:

• Correct formation, orientation and placement of letters.

• A comfortable and efficient pencil hold and working position.

• Developing fluent, legible and speedy handwriting that can be performed automatically.

• The ability to write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences.

  Children Will follow the scheme learning a letter formation each day. After Year 2 the children will begin to join their letters.

Phonics

Children follow the Ruth Miskin Read Write Inc programme for phonics and spelling.

Children who are still working at EYFS or Year One literacy objectives follow the Phonics programme. Children are grouped according to their phonic knowledge and complete the reading activities within the programme. They apply their phonic skills through their literacy lessons.

Children who are working at Year 2 or above will start formal spelling lessons. Those who do not achieve a pass in their phonics check by Year 3 will enter the Read writ Inc Fresh Start programme.