Curriculum – English

At Lumley Junior School, we teach the National Curriculum for English so that pupils

• read easily, fluently and with good understanding for both pleasure and information
• acquire a wide vocabulary and a secure understanding of grammar and how it is used in reading, writing and speech
• appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage through using both modern and classic texts from different cultures and genres
• write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
• use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas
• are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

At Lumley Juniors, we aim to develop confident and enthusiastic readers and writers who can apply their skills across the curriculum and into later life. Good communication skills, both written and verbal, are essential to help pupils succeed both at school and in their future careers. By the time children leave Lumley Juniors, they should be equipped with the skills of fluent reading, expressive writing and confident speaking.

Reading Intent

At Lumley Junior School, reading is at the very heart of our curriculum. It is fundamental to pupils’ education and critical to their future wellbeing and success in life. We want pupils to develop a love of reading, a good knowledge of a range of authors and be able to understand more about the world in which they live through the knowledge they gain from texts. As reading is so important for accessing the rest of the curriculum, ensuring pupils catch up on their reading following two years of COVID 19 is essential. By the end of their time at Lumley Junior School, all children should be able to read fluently and with confidence. Our reading program is designed so that, alongside reading for pleasure, children develop the ability to use their reading skills to research and gather new knowledge and understanding across the wider curriculum. We understand the importance of parents and carers in supporting their children to develop both word reading and comprehension skills and encourage a home-school partnership which enables parents and carers to understand how to enhance reading skills being taught in school.

English lessons are planned and taught based on a class novel and are supplemented by a high-quality reading scheme and online reading support program. Lessons are adapted where necessary to meet the needs of pupils including those with special educational needs and disabilities. We provide our children with a diverse range of texts, across many different genres, from the moment they start their journey at Lumley Juniors.

Alongside developing a love of reading and improving reading skills, we provide writing opportunities that stimulate and excite our pupils, often linking our writing to real-life meaningful contexts such as current affairs and popular campaigns. Additionally, we make meaningful links with Geography, History and Science which provide writing contexts to widen children’s subject knowledge and broaden their understanding.  We also place a high emphasis on a continual progression in every child’s understanding of spelling, grammar and punctuation and ensure that they learn how to structure their ideas effectively.

Reading Implementation

We work closely with Lumley Infant and Nursery School to ensure pupils are matched to appropriate teaching and learning in reading from the minute they start at Lumley Junior School.

For those pupils without a secure knowledge of phonics, we use Read Write Inc Fast Track Phonics and Read Write Inc Fresh Start Phonics as daily interventions. Teachers use guided reading books that coincide with the sounds taught in school.  Additionally, they carefully choose and send home a corresponding Read Write Inc book-bag book that is phonetically decodable, containing sounds the children have been taught.  The book-bag books also contain useful questions for parents when discussing the story at home.

Most children use our main reading scheme, Oxford Owls. Children work in guided reading groups and read with the teacher weekly. They are expected to read their guided reading book at home to prepare for their session with the teacher. We encourage parents and carers to support this and ask that they listen to their children read at home at least three times weekly. A reading diary is provided for teachers and parents to communicate and celebrate reading progress. Some children will read more regularly in school, either with a member of staff or a peer mentor, in order to accelerate their reading progress.

In school, children are taught specific reading comprehension skills using Rising Stars Cracking Comprehension. Pupils are taught skills of how to navigate a text and how to identify different types of comprehension question. They then practise these skills independently during English lessons. They can complete optional reading quizzes at home matched to their learning in school.

To supplement our teaching in school, all children are provided with access to an online reading programme, Lexia. Children have allocated time in class to complete Lexia activities but are also expected to spend time at home on Lexia in order to achieve the recommended minutes for their level. Children earn certificates for completing levels on Lexia and staff monitor the usage carefully, applying interventions where necessary to ensure all children make progress. Some of our pupils have completed the Lexia program and are offered the opportunity to work through Power Up, designed for secondary pupils.

Fostering a love of reading is key to our intent and children have many opportunities in school to access a wide range of high quality texts of different genres. Each class has a daily timetabled session where the class teacher reads a book for enjoyment. Every classroom has a dedicated reading area complete with recommended books relevant to the age group. Children are invited to read these books and to take them home to share with their families. They are encouraged to recommend books to each other to further develop a love of reading. Additionally, we have a school library where pupils can access fiction, non fiction and poetry books.

Throughout the year, our reading curriculum is supplemented with activities that aim to engage and enthuse children into becoming independent readers. Author visits, celebrating World Book Day and organising Book Fairs are just some of the ways that we celebrate our reading culture in school.

Children at Lumley Junior School make good progress in English. Our most recent progress data shows that in reading, Lumley Junior School is well above national average and writing is above national average.

Children have a love for reading and the ability to express themselves both verbally and in writing.

Reading Impact

Pupils at Lumley Junior School make excellent progress with their reading during their time here. Children are keen to talk about their reading and are rightly proud of their achievements. When they leave Lumley Junior School, they have the necessary skills and attitudes to enable them to access the secondary curriculum and prepare them for their future.