English
'Reading lets you travel to new worlds and learn things you didn’t even know you liked!''When I read, I feel like I’m inside the story.''We have a book at the start of our topic that we learn about. We plan our story and make it our own by making different characters and different words. We write reports as well. I enjoy reading my finished writing out to the class.''I like writing my own stories especially fairy tales because I like making up my own stories. I like to use my imagination.'Pupil Voice
Intent
At St Alban & St Stephen Catholic Primary School, reading and writing are central to our curriculum. We believe language is fundamental to learning, enabling children to think deeply, communicate clearly and flourish both academically and personally.
From the earliest years, pupils build secure foundations through systematic phonics taught using Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, which underpins both early reading and writing. As children master the alphabetic code, they apply it confidently to decode unfamiliar words, spell accurately and compose their own writing with increasing independence.
High-quality books are central to our English curriculum. They act as “windows onto the world”, developing empathy and broadening pupils’ knowledge, vocabulary and understanding of diverse cultures, experiences and perspectives. Reading underpins learning across all subjects and provides the inspiration and language needed for purposeful, imaginative writing.
We teach pupils to write clearly, effectively and creatively for a range of purposes and audiences. Through explicit teaching of grammar, punctuation and spelling, alongside opportunities to plan, draft and refine their work, children develop technical accuracy, resilience and pride in their writing. We nurture articulate, reflective and confident communicators who see themselves as genuine authors.
Oracy is woven throughout our curriculum. We explicitly teach pupils to speak clearly, listen attentively and articulate their ideas with confidence. Through discussion, debate and collaborative learning, children develop the vocabulary and reasoning skills needed to explain, justify and refine their thinking.
By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils read accurately using phonics and can understand and talk about what they read; communicate confidently through speaking and listening, and begin to write with clarity and purpose. By the end of Key Stage 2, they read fluently, comprehend increasingly complex texts, express their ideas clearly in discussion, and write with confidence, precision and a developing authorial voice, fully prepared for the next stage of their education.
Implementation
The three strands of English (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening) are taught through a carefully sequenced progression of skills and knowledge.
Early reading is taught through the systematic phonics programme Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised. Across the school, whole-class and guided reading sessions develop comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, and expression. High-quality texts are carefully selected to engage and challenge pupils while broadening their understanding of diverse cultures and perspectives. This approach fosters a love of reading and supports the development of strong phonics and word-reading skills, fluent and expressive reading, rich vocabulary, and comprehension strategies including retrieval, inference, prediction, and explanation. Reading is made accessible to all learners through high-quality teaching, adapted resources, targeted support, and appropriate challenge.
Writing lessons use engaging stimulus texts to inspire pupils to explore a variety of genres before planning, drafting, editing, and publishing their own work. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling are taught in context and applied within extended writing. Pupils build on their phonic knowledge to develop their spelling, supported though our Little Wandle programme in EYFS and KS1 and the Spelling Shed programme in KS2. Handwriting is carefully developed across the school using the Letterjoin programme, helping pupils to write legibly, fluently, and with increasing speed and confidence. Teachers provide clear modelling, working walls, and adapt lessons to ensure all pupils achieve their potential.
Oracy is a key focus, with regular discussion, debate, and performance developing confidence and fluency.
Our English curriculum is spiral in design, revisiting key knowledge, skills, and genres each year to deepen understanding, ensuring that all pupils develop the knowledge, skills, and understanding outlined in the National Curriculum.
English National Curriculum Key Stages 1 & 2English Curriculum Overview
We are a Little Wandle phonics school. Find information about Phonics and Early Reading here:
Phonics and Early Reading (Learning - Curriculum menu tab)
Impact
Pupils leave St Alban & St Stephen as proficient, avid readers and expressive writers, with a deep love of books at the heart of their learning. Pupils can communicate confidently and clearly to their audience, whether orally or in writing. They write for a range of purposes, and apply their literacy skills across the curriculum. They demonstrate creativity, independence, and fluency in reading and writing, underpinned by strong phonics skills in the early years, and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
Progression of Skills and Vocabulary
Writing Skills Progression (Child-Friendly Format)Year 1 'Tricky Words' statutory spelling list
Year 2 'Tricky Words' statutory spelling list
Year 3 & 4 Statutory spelling list
Year 5 and 6 Statutory spelling list
Enrichment
Oracy
Oracy is embedded across our curriculum, enabling pupils to speak confidently, listen attentively, and articulate their ideas clearly. Regular opportunities for discussion, debate, and performance support language development and build fluency, while our termly Proud Presentations as part of home learning give children a purposeful platform to share their learning, develop presentation skills, and celebrate their achievements with confidence.
Useful Links
Our Key Stage 2 spelling scheme is based on the Spelling Shed programme: