Legal Framework
The Statutory Communication and Language (1) and Literacy (2) section of the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage (2017) and the content of the National Curriculum English Programmes of Study (Key Stages 1 and 2) form the roots of Windmill L.E.A.D Academy’s English curriculum. From this statutory national documentation, Windmill L.E.A.D Academy’s English curriculum has been devised, developed and personalised to our school community.
Intent
At Windmill L.E.A.D Academy, we believe that language and English is fundamental to the overall development of the child and their access to the curriculum in all its aspects. We recognise that the acquisition of English, both spoken and written, will empower our pupils and provide the foundation for all future learning. We promote a culture of reading, not simply as a life skill, but also to develop in pupils a love of books and literature that will not only support their learning across the curriculum, but also enrich their lives
We believe that our children learn best when given the opportunity to apply their skills across the entire curriculum in rich and varied ways. We aim to develop pupils’ abilities within an integrated programme of different English elements: phonics, reading, writing, grammar, punctuation, spelling, handwriting and oracy. We acknowledge and celebrate the diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds from which our children are drawn and value and respect children’s expertise in their first language. Throughout their time in our school, all children will be supported and encouraged to achieve their personal best. We therefore recognise that children with additional and different needs should be given additional support if required so that they may achieve their full learning potential.
We aim for all Windmill readers and writers to:
- Read and write with confidence, fluency and understanding, orchestrating a range of independent strategies to self-monitor, reflect and correct.
- Have a positive interest in books and read for enjoyment.
- Have an interest in words, their meanings; develop a growing and diverse vocabulary in spoken and written forms and be courageous in its use.
- Understand a range of text types and genres and be adaptable when writing in a variety of styles and forms appropriate to the situation.
- Develop the powers of creativity, inventiveness and critical awareness.
- Understand grammar and linguistic conventions for writing and be resilient when using these.
- Have a suitable technical vocabulary to articulate their responses, demonstrating respect and kindness in their assertions.
Our Vision for Reading
Reading underpins our curriculum and provides the gateway to accessing other areas. Therefore, to inspire further a love of reading in our children, our vision and our wider reading curriculum is based upon the Children’s Laureate Charter by Cressida Cowell. It is directly linked to our Windmill Values and Vision.
Every child has the right to:
- Read for the joy of it. (We encourage a love of reading from the moment children arrive at Windmill. Reading is underpinned with high quality texts – both fiction and non-fiction throughout the school. Our whole school reading time ensures everybody can read for the joy if it). POSITVITY
- Access NEW books in school/class libraries. (We update our core and class libraries with high quality new books linked directly to our curriculum and through our links with ELS, we are able to ensure children can access further high quality fiction and non-fiction texts linked directly to our wider curriculum learning). AMBITION
- Have advice from a trained librarian. (We have close links with the Dales Library and Nottingham City library – we have annual visits from our librarians to classes and whole school assemblies). RESPECT
- Own their own book. (All children are given a book on their 5th birthday at Windmill. Every single child also receives a book annually on World Book Day – children are able to choose from a huge range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry books). KINDNESS
- See themselves reflected in a book. (We audit and update our class and core libraries regularly to ensure our books are diverse and reflective of a broad demographic. We celebrate our annual International Day event and all classes share the same book which is closely linked to our value of Diversity. This book is especially chosen to reflect the wonderful diversity of our school community and all children feel valued and celebrated through this book). DIVERSITY
- Be read aloud to. (Children are read aloud to daily, whether through whole class reading lessons or end of day story time). TEAMWORK
- Have some choice in what they read. (All children are able to choose an ability text from a range of books that are book banded, children can also make a lunchtime reading choice from the daily reading hut and choose from a wide range of non-fiction texts in their classroom linked to our wider curriculum of learning). ADAPTABILITY
- Be creative. (Creativity at Windmill is encouraged through a wide range of subjects). COURAGE/CREATIVITY
- Meet an author at least ONCE. (We have an annual author visit and all children are able to meet the author throughout the day). REFLECTIVE
- Have a planet to read on.(This links directly to the environment focus within our curriculum statement. Our Eco-council lead this work in our school and we all have our duty to ensure this happens). HONESTY/RESPECT
Provision
Windmill learners get a rich provision of English. The intended weekly provision, for Key Stages 1 and 2, is as follows:
- Daily (KS1)/weekly (KS2) handwriting session
- Three whole class reading (WCR) skills-based sessions
- Daily Talk for Writing session
- Daily grammar/punctuation session (Active English/Rainbow Grammar)
- Four spelling or word study sessions/daily phonics for Key Stage 1 (phonics as needed for KS2) following Read, Write, Inc. (RWI)
- Three reading comprehension lessons
- One fluency lesson
- Minimum of one oracy lesson
- Daily whole class story time
Please follow the links below for more information on our English curriculum and how to support your child with English at home.