At St Mary's Catholic Primary, we believe that reading, writing and oracy should be at the heart of the curriculum. The skills we gain and develop in our English lessons set us up to achieve in every area of life in school and beyond. Teachers at St Mary's take their pupils on an engaging and exciting reading to writing journey where children are 'hooked' into their learning and eventually become independent writers after participating in shared and modelled writing experiences. Children at St Mary's have a love for reading and writing and this is celebrated around our school and evident in the high quality lessons we deliver.

We aim to:

• Instil a love for reading and writing in all of our children, regardless of background.
• Create lifelong learners who have the tools to read and write in a range opportunities for both information and pleasure.
• Foster a rich curriculum from which teachers deliver high quality English lessons which empower and inspire children to become confident and independent learners.

We follow the English Programme of Study as set out in the National Curriculum. High quality and diverse texts are used as a catalyst for learning which amounts to an ambitious and well sequenced curriculum. Children write for purpose and audience and build on their prior learning to enable them to learn in the long term.

Grammar is taught explicitly each day in 'Grammar Warm-Ups'. Children master spelling conventions in weekly spelling lessons where they learn spelling rules and patterns to apply to their own reading and writing.

 

 

We understand the importance of reading at St Mary's and believe that reading is the key to any learning in school and in life beyond. We have a broad and wide range of genres in our home-school reading books which children take home weekly to read. 

In Reception, children follow the ELS systematic phonics approach. They are taught phonics every day and read decodable books as they master their knowledge of GPC's. 

We are excited to share that we have revised our English curriculum. We have worked closely with the wonderful Catherine Leyland who has supported our transition to a new and rich English Curriculum.  The impact of our new English Curriculum is clear; children are confident readers and writers with skills and learning to enable them to excel in their life after St Mary's. 

 

THE READING HOUSE

 

To give an understanding that reading contains all the above component parts.  Click on the reading hosue to find out more.

Click on the image below for reading games 

 

Click below for spelling games