St Augustine’s Catholic Primary School
English and Literacy Policy
2011
In St Augustine’s we always try to do our best.
Together, we work hard and play fairly,
Praying and caring for everyone, as Jesus taught us.
Aims
By the age of 11 we aim for every child to be able to:
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read and write with confidence, fluency and understanding, orchestrating a range of
independent strategies to self-monitor and correct.
have an interest in books and read for enjoyment
have an interest in words, their meanings; developing a growing vocabulary in
spoken and written forms.
understand a range of text types and genres – be able to write in a variety of styles
and forms appropriate to the situation.
be developing the powers of imagination, inventiveness and critical awareness.
have a suitable technical vocabulary to articulate their responses.
Statutory Requirements
Statutory requirements for the teaching and learning of English are outlined in the
National Curriculum English document (2000) and in the Communication, Language
and Literacy section of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage
(2000)
Subject Organisation
The English Curriculum is delivered using the Primary National Strategy Literacy
framework. The Early learning Goals are followed to ensure continuity and progression
from the Foundation Stage through to the National Curriculum. Pupil provision is related
to attainment, not age.
Daily lesson plans indicate the relevant aspects of ECM and EAL support. They also
include details of differentiated group/individual tasks. Each medium term unit of work
includes objectives and outcomes. One unit a term is dedicated to a whole text using
the Power of Reading unit plans. Daily plans are written from these.
Grammar and Punctuation lessons are taught discreetly on a weekly basis, followed up
by further integration of unit plans and quality marking.
Speaking and Listening
Our aim is for children to become reflective communicators displaying confidence and
clarity. Effective communication consists of careful, attentive listening, meaningful talk
and consideration of audience. The teaching of speaking and listening within literacy
provides children with a tool for accessing other areas of the curriculum and is a
fundamental pre-requisite for all other aspects of literacy. It extends thought and
clarifies ideas. It also develops social skills, the ability to work in a team and the ability
to form positive relationships.
The areas of Speaking and listening identified in the Primary National Strategy are:
Speaking
Listening and responding
Group discussion and interaction
Drama
Speaking and Listening is taught and assessed with reference to the PNS Framework
for Literacy, the National Curriculum and the APP Speaking and Listening materials.
In all Key Stages speaking and listening is an integral part of daily English teaching.
Teachers should identify and plan for opportunities to build oracy into all areas of the
curriculum and at all stages of learning.
Although speaking and listening should be embedded throughout a unit of work as a
tool for learning, regular planned activities should also occur to teach specific speaking
and listening skills/objectives.
The Role of the Teacher
In the teaching of speaking and listening, the teacher is vital and should:
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model and explicitly teach appropriate skills, e.g. active listening, how to take
turns, include all members of the group, summarise, or ask probing questions
in response to a speaker.
make clear the purpose of the talk activity, e.g. explaining, justifying,
negotiating, reporting etc
set up opportunities for speaking and listening
provide children with tools to develop their talk, e.g. key language features,
technical vocabulary, formal language structures, talking frames etc
make effective use of the range of groupings possible according to gender,
age, ability, confidence, first language and number of children
provide a variety of social contexts in which talk takes place
demonstrate how to move from talk into writing
Resources:
PNS Talk for Writing, 2008 00607-2008PCK-EN
Teaching Speaking and listening in Key stages 1 and 2, QCA, 1999
Exemplification of Standards: English Speaking and Listening, Key Stages 1-3, QCA,
1995
Range of texts (including multi-modal texts)
Puppet
Images
Film
ICT – digital cameras, video cameras/flip cameras, audio-recording devices, listening
station etc.
Guest speakers
Role-play area
Props/Costumes
Music
P4C (Philosophy for Children)
Reading
Our aim is for children to become confident and independent readers who gain both
pleasure and insight from the reading activities and texts they engage with.
Reading is taught and assessed using objectives from the Primary Literacy Framework
and Assessing Pupils’ Progress in Reading. A variety of reading strategies will be taught
including phonic, whole word, grammatical and contextual, reflecting the need for both
word recognition processes and language comprehension processes in line with the
‘Simple View of Reading’ outlined in the Primary Literacy Framework. There will be an
emphasis on phonics teaching in the lower Key Stages, highlighting the importance for
children to have attained the ability to recognise grapheme-phoneme correspondence
by the end of Key Stage 1.
Reading is taught through:
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Phonics
Shared reading
Guided reading
Individual reading
Independent reading
Reading aloud
Phonics (decoding):
Children are taught daily, discrete phonics sessions (15-20 minutes) from Reception to
Year 2 and where necessary in KS2.It is vital that children are taught the skills to enable
them to decode which is the step up to word recognition. Automatic reading of all words
– decodable and tricky – is the ultimate goal.
Shared Reading:
Shared reading is a whole class reading activity using a common ‘text’. The text may
be presented on or off screen e.g. class set of books text on IWB, film, TV programme,
image and is carefully selected to address and exemplify specific genres, themes and
formats. The text must be accessible to all children. Shared reading provides a context
for teaching and applying information retrieval, inference, word and sentence level skills
as well as the application of phonics. Teaching and learning approaches should be
varied and interactive.
During these sessions the teacher should have a clear focus and intention, whilst
actively considering and adapting to the needs of the children. The length of this period
should vary between sessions and should reflect the focus and intention of the session
as a whole.
Guided Reading:
Guided reading is the systematic teaching of reading skills and strategies to a group of
children of similar ability (usually about 6). It provides a setting for the instructional
teaching of the alphabet, phonics and vocabulary and allowing children to learn and
practise strategies for improving comprehension. In addition, children are encouraged to
explore and analyse texts through collaboration and discussion as a group and
therefore extend and challenge each other in reading activities.
Targets appropriate to the group will be selected, and suitable activities planned, to
enable children to achieve them. Each group will be working on targets one sub-level
above their current level of achievement, i.e. a group achieving level 2b will be working
on level 2a targets. Targets and activities may be drawn from the Reading Assessment
Focuses and gaps identified in learning through APP. Children should be able to read
90% of the text independently, therefore with some challenge. Choice of texts should
ensure breadth and range.
Guided reading should always be led by a teacher with additional trained adults in
further groups and should be experienced by each group on a weekly basis. Guided
reading may take place inside the literacy session or outside when the rest of the class
are engaged in other purposeful reading activities.
Record keeping should include:
 the children in each group,
 the dates the group have met with the teacher
 the level being aimed for by each group,
 the books they have read,
 the activities they have completed around the text (it is important that these are
planned)
 significant comments about each child, allowing a profile of a child’s attainment
and progress to be developed.
This record keeping should be manageable but informative. All staff members are given
a guided reading pack including record keeping sheets.
A guided reading session will last for approximately 20-30 minutes. The model for
guided reading may vary according to Key Stage:
Foundation Stage
 Teachers build up towards guided reading groups as the children are ready
Key Stage 1
Book introduction and strategy check
 The group talk about the cover and make predictions about the book
 The teacher talks through the book, referring to the pictures and discussing any
new or difficult vocabulary
 The teacher reminds the children of decoding strategies, e.g. phonics, picture
cues, context cues, re-reading, etc.
 The teacher sets any target-related questions for discussion during the session.
Independent reading
 Children have time to read at their own pace – NOT reading around the group.
The teacher praises good use of strategies and prompts children who are stuck
 There is an activity ready for children who finish reading quickly, e.g. look for key
words, list describing words
Return and respond to text
 The teacher recaps on any strategies/words children have had trouble
with.
 There is a discussion about the book.
 The teacher may wish to set the group reading response work related to
their target, to be undertaken independently the next time guided reading
takes place in the class.
Key Stage 2
Book and strategy check
 The teacher introduces or recaps on the text
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The teacher asks the children about links they can make between the text and
prior reading experience, e.g. what genre? Any comparisons?
The group make predictions based on their experience and textual references
The group discuss any previous knowledge of character and plot and give their
opinions
The teacher reminds the group of comprehension and decoding strategies, e.g.
working out the meaning of unknown vocabulary, making connections with their
own experience, making inferences, deducing information, and sharing
responses.
Independent reading
 The children read independently and silently. The teacher gives focussed
attention to pupils and monitors their accuracy, phrasing, fluency and
comprehension.
Return and respond to text
 The group discuss elements of the text which are unclear or need explanation
 The teacher and group discuss the text in relation to the target and any key
questions set
 The group discuss personal opinions, citing evidence from the text
 The teacher asks questions to assess and probe the children’s understanding
The teacher explains the reading response work for the next day and may also assign
another session in the week for further independent reading of the guided text
Individual Reading:
Individual reading involves an adult (who may be someone other than the teacher) or
more confident reader in supporting a child with a book within their ‘comfort zone’. The
child reads most of the text aloud and is supported to use appropriate reading and/or
comprehension strategies. The frequency of this support may vary according to the
child’s level of ability and the availability of support. Because individual reading requires
one-to-one attention from another person it is not an efficient use of teacher time if it is
at the expense of the rest of the class. However, individual reading may be used by the
class teacher as an assessment tool, once a term, to aid target setting and future
planning. Individual reading is more likely to occur in the lower key stages and at the
beginning of learning to read. There should be less reliance on this form of reading as
the child develops as a reader.
Independent Reading:
Children should be encouraged to engage in independent reading by being given the
opportunity to select and read according to personal preferences. Book corners and
libraries are well stocked with a range of genres.
Reading Aloud:
Teachers should model, on a daily basis, intonation, fluency and enjoyment of reading
thereby helping to foster enthusiasm and motivation, as well as broadening the
language experience of the children.
Resources:
Resources to support children’s reading are stored in easily recognisable and
accessible ways. They may include:
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Primary Literacy Framework
Letters and Sounds (PNS)
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http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/84969
A range of quality texts including picture books
Short Films e.g. British Film Institute
Guided reading sets
Wide selection of fiction and non-fiction texts with colour banding to indicate level
of difficulty.
Displays to encourage and promote reading
Library visits/project loans
Assessing Pupils’ Progress in Reading (APP)
Useful publications for levelling books or allocating to year groups/levels:
Choosing Texts for the NLS, CLPE, www.clpe.co.uk
Core Book Lists, CLPE
Guided Reading at KS2, Institute of Education, ISBN 0854 736476
Book Bands, Institute of Education, ISBN 0854 736875
Bridging Bands, Institute of Education, ISBN 0854 736905
Writing
Our aim is for children to communicate confidently and meaningfully when writing for a
variety of audiences and purposes. Writing requires the orchestration of a number of
complex skills including the ability to construct and organise a text in an appropriate
style and to use punctuation, grammar, spelling and handwriting. The latter two are
dealt with specifically in separate policy statements. Confident, independent writers will
be able to express themselves creatively and also to communicate information clearly
and concisely in a variety of modes and media.
Writing is taught and assessed using objectives from the Primary Literacy Framework
and Assessing Pupils’ Progress in Writing.
Writing is taught through:
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Discrete phonics sessions
Shared writing
Guided writing
Independent writing
Child initiated writing
Phonics and Spelling
From Reception to Year 2 and where necessary in KS2, children are taught graphemephoneme correspondences through daily discrete phonics sessions and the skill of
segmenting to spell (15-20 minutes), following the progression outlined in Letters and
Sounds (PNS).
From years 3 – 6, children are taught spelling strategies and rules through discrete
spelling sessions, following the objectives and teaching programmes outlined in Support
for Spelling (PNS).
Shared writing:
Shared writing is a whole class writing activity, which may feature one or more of these
key teaching strategies:
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Teacher demonstration/modelled writing, whereby the teacher writes to exemplify
the writing process. (‘Writer’ Talk’ as defined in Talk for Writing materials, PNS)
Teacher scribing, whereby the teacher and children jointly compose a text as the
teacher records the children’s ideas.
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Supported composition or scaffolded writing, whereby children, in the course of
shared writing, write parts of the text, e.g. in pairs, using dry-wipe boards.
(See detailed definitions in Developing Early Writing, p.16/17; Grammar for Writing,
p.15, DfES)
Every unit of work should include planned opportunities for shared writing whereby
specific skills are taught, which will aid subsequent independent writing, at word,
sentence or text level. Shared writing should involve the modelling of oral rehearsal, rereading and editing.
Guided writing:
Guided writing is a short teacher-led session within the independent part of the Literacy
lesson. This session should reflect the needs of a particular group as identified by their
current writing targets or as specific needs emerge through the unit. It may take place at
any stage of the writing process i.e. planning, drafting or editing and based upon. Pupil
Writing Targets Year 1 to 6 are used to inform guided writing sessions (Support for
Writing materials, PNS.
Independent writing:
Independent writing provides children with time and opportunity to practise, develop and
consolidate the skills they have learnt during shared and guided writing and is linked
directly to previous immersion and scaffolding activities. Creative teaching and learning
approaches are used to stimulate quality in writing and cater for different learning styles.
End of unit outcomes need to be carefully planned, explicit and purposeful.
Independent writing opportunities should occur throughout the teaching sequence.
Children should be given the opportunity to compose texts for a range of audiences and
purposes and in a variety of modes and media.
Child initiated writing:
Children are given frequent opportunities to write for their own purposes and pleasure,
whereby they make independent choices about audience, purpose and form. (E.g.
writing journals, writing areas, stimulating learning environment)
Resources:
Resources to support children’s writing are stored in easily recognisable and accessible
ways. They may include:
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Primary Framework for Literacy
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Grammar for Writing, 2007 (PNS)
http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/153924
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Developing Early Writing, 2001 (PNS)
http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/47342
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Support for Spelling (PNS)
http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/183127
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Letters and Sounds (PNS)
http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/84969
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CLLD Phonics at Key Stage 2 (PNS)
http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/254893
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Support for Writing Materials (PNS)
http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/102688
Text types
Steps for Learning
Pupil Writing Targets
Examples of pedagogy
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Progression Papers
http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/search/primary/results/nav:45784
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Gateway to Writing
http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/254287
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Quality texts including picture books
Short Films
Visual, tactile and aural stimuli for creative writing
Assessing Pupils’ Progress in Writing (APP)
Handwriting
Our aim is for children to develop a legible and fluent handwriting style, which can be
adapted to suit different purposes and audiences. Such a handwriting style requires:
Practising both gross and fine motor skills
Adopting a good writing posture
Adopting a good pencil grip (whether right or left handed)
Learning and practising the correct formation of individual letters
Learning and practising letter joins
Handwriting is taught in line with objectives from the Primary Literacy Framework and
continued into upper KS2. The school uses the Nelson scheme
Joined handwriting is taught from year 2.
Handwriting is taught as an explicit area of the curriculum whereby the teacher models
and demonstrates the formation of specific letter shapes and joins systematically. Links
between letter shapes and sounds are emphasised in the early stages to ensure a
holistic approach to emergent writing and phonics. Supervision is required for the
‘practice’ of handwriting to secure correct letter formation. The handwriting scheme and
policy will also be practised in other curriculum areas; all written and display work is
expected to accord with the handwriting scheme. Through general school and
classroom displays children need to be exposed to a range of fonts and presentation
styles i.e. printed and handwritten, but the Nelson font should be included to provide
positive models.
Teachers and TAs will model the use of the school handwriting style in everyday
situations, e.g. comments in books, scribing during lessons.
Teachers will differentiate the teaching of handwriting where necessary to address the
needs of all children. Special provision will be made for children who need specific
support, e.g. triangular pencil grips.
Children use pencil initially and then handwriting pen as they move into KS2 – in year 4
from September.
Literacy Environment
All classrooms provide a literacy rich environment. Displays of work showcase and
celebrate children’s achievements in the teaching and leaning of literacy. They aim to:
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Stimulate interest in language
Support development and/or reinforce teaching and learning, e.g. word walls,
check
lists
Demonstrate process in writing
Encourage investigation and exploration of language
Extend children’s experience of language and literacy
Reflect and value language diversity within the school and community
Provide good literacy models
Endorse inclusion and support access to the literacy curriculum
Encourage creativity in literacy
Demonstrate links with other areas of the curriculum, including ICT
Displays should be creative, interactive where possible, at a variety of heights if
possible and changed regularly. They should be purposeful and stimulating.
Labelling on displays will include questions, statements to reinforce teaching points and
information to explain the purpose and origins of the displayed work. Labelling will be
presented in a variety of forms, including handwritten labels. It is essential that labels
are free from spelling or grammatical error. Where appropriate, displays may
incorporate labels or work in languages other than English. Visual elements are
encouraged to promote access for children for whom English is not the first language.
Some displays will show the work in progress (working walls) in the class and will be
added to as a unit is taught and learned. Such displays may not be perfectly presented
but will reflect the current work of the class e.g. jottings, brainstorms, original drafts before editing, etc. Such displays will be meaningful to the children, motivational and
will provide a ‘check’ against which they can match their independent work and their
learning.
Children are encouraged to plan and contribute to displays, including vocabulary lists,
word walls, lists of generic features. It is important that all children are represented in
display work and that their work is presented carefully in order to show that their efforts
are valued.
Dedicated Areas:
Each classroom should have a reading area, which reflects the teacher’s positive
attitude towards reading. These areas will contain a range of quality texts that reflect the
children’s interests. The area should be comfortable and welcoming so that it actively
draws children in.
All classrooms should provide, wherever possible, role-play, writing and listening areas.
Cross-curricular Literacy Opportunities
Teachers will seek to take advantage of opportunities to make cross-curricular links
within their literacy lessons in order to engage, motivate and make learning purposeful.
Cross-curricular links allow children to develop and use their own skills, knowledge and
understanding in creative ways.
Reading, writing and speaking and listening are core skills, which lie at the heart of the
curriculum, and permeate all aspects of learning. Teachers plan for pupils to practise
and apply the skills, knowledge and understanding acquired through literacy lessons in
all other areas of the curriculum.
The Use of ICT
The use of ICT in literacy goes beyond engagement and is used to support and
enhance teaching and learning. The use of ICT is planned in to literacy lessons where
appropriate.
Assessment
Work will be assessed in line with the assessment policy. Teachers assess on an ongoing basis to inform future planning and target setting. Periodic assessments are
carried out using the APP materials in Reading, Writing and Speaking and Listening.
Inclusion
We aim to provide for all children so that they achieve as highly as they can in English
according to their individual abilities. We will identify which pupils or groups of pupils
are under-achieving and take steps to improve their attainment. Gifted and Talented
children will be identified and suitable provision provided.
Children who have English as an additional language will be supported in a variety of
ways to ensure that they can access the Literacy curriculum. These include:
 EMA support
 Early years assessment against FEAL stage 1 to 4
 Dual language books
Equal Opportunities
All children are provided with equal access to the English curriculum.
Role of Teaching Assistants
Teaching assistant (TA) support is a planned part of literacy sessions and time should
be allowed for teachers and TAs to liaise in order to establish the exact nature of the
support they are to provide. TAs may have additional responsibility for supporting
particular children or groups of children on a regular basis, such as delivering
intervention programmes.
Other aspects of the TA role may include:
 Supporting individual children, either within a group or in a 1:1 situation.
 Modelling reading, writing and speaking and listening skills.
 Providing feedback to the teacher after a session
 Mediating questions/ explanations for and encouraging extended responses
 Scribing for children
 Supporting children when reading
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Helping children to revise, edit and redraft their writing Helping to scaffold group
talk
with subject specific vocabulary and language structures
 Supporting children in small and large group interaction and collaborative
activities
Parental Involvement
We aim to work in partnership with parents to enable children to achieve their full
potential. This is achieved in the following ways:
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Workshops to share teaching and learning approaches in Reading, Writing and
Speaking and Listening
Involvement in school initiatives
Homework and communication systems
Leaflets and guidance sent home
Transition meetings
Volunteering is welcomed and valued
Role of the Subject Leader
The Subject Leader is responsible for improving the standards of teaching and learning
in Literacy through:
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Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the literacy curriculum (e.g. planning and
book scrutinies, lesson observations etc.)
Supporting teachers in planning and teaching
Modelling good practice
Auditing needs and organising/delivering staff training in conjunction with SLT, in
accordance with priorities identified in the School Improvement Plan
Keeping up to date with recent Literacy developments and keeping all staff
informed
Auditing, purchasing and organising resources
Governing Body
Annual reports are made to the governors on the progress of English provision.
Conclusion
This policy also needs to be in line with other school polices and therefore should be
read in conjunction with the following school policies:
Teaching and Learning Policy
Assessment and Record Keeping
Responding to pupils’ work / Feedback / Marking policy
Special Educational Needs Policy
ICT Policy
Equal Opportunities Policy
Health and Safety Policy
Appendices
These may include:
Lists of resources
Additional advice specific to the subject
Planning examples/checklist
Update to policy record sheet