English

Reading

Intent

At Manor Park, reading is the foundation of all learning, underpinning all areas of our curriculum. It is through reading that pupils are able to ‘know more and remember more’ by acquiring the essential knowledge and vocabulary they need to succeed in all (other) subjects through a wide-range of high quality, vocabulary rich and culturally diverse texts. In order for all pupils to become successful readers for life, we are committed to providing them with the support they need to achieve their full potential.

We aim for all pupils develop a life-long love for reading; to become independent, fluent and enthusiastic readers, who read widely and frequently with the skills to access, engage with and enjoy a wide range of texts. They are able to recommend books to their peers and enjoy reading a wide range of genres, including non-fiction. Pupils enjoy participating in book talk, including evaluating an author’s use of language and how this can affect the reader. We encourage our pupils to see themselves as discerning readers and to be confident in discussing not only whether they enjoy a text but also the extent to which they agree with it. We ensure the books we read are part of our rich reading diet and our books corners and library are representative of our wider school community and reflect the diversity of our pupils’ lived experiences.  

Implementation

At Manor Park, reading begins with a strong focus on the systematic teaching of phonics and is embedded from the early years right through to Key Stage One. We teach pupils the systematic phonics knowledge and decodable skills that are fundamental to becoming fluent readers through the Essential Letters and Sounds progression programme (ELS): a DfE validated SSP scheme. Please click here to find out more about the ELS phonics programme. Alongside ELS, pupils complement their understanding of phonics, making connections between phonics and the ability to read fluently, through the use of Oxford Owl reading books: a complete set of phonetically decodable books which have been systematically aligned with the ELS scheme. As pupils continue to progress through to Key Stage Two, they continue to build their confidence through the use of Collins ebooks, ensuring a continued systematic approach to the progression of reading fluency.  

At Manor Park, pupils in the EYFS Stage start with Lilac wordless books where they use pictures to develop their language skills, including story language, through discussion about books. This supports their early development of understanding and comprehending what they read. A Whole Class Reading Curriculum is embedded across KS1 and 2 which provides all pupils with the opportunity to explore high-quality texts, such as classic, contemporary pupils' literature and nonfiction texts, that help them to become confident, fluent and enthusiastic readers who enjoy reading for pleasure. Through the explicit teaching of strategies, pupils develop their range of vocabulary, gain understanding on how to retrieve key information with accuracy, make inferences, draw conclusions, and identify the main ideas and supporting details in a text. Each stage is sequenced progressively to allow pupils to develop both the skills and knowledge they require to access and understand all areas of the wider curriculum and enhance their cultural capital.

At Manor Park, our curriculum has;

• A sequential approach to the reading curriculum that develops pupils’ fluency, confidence and enjoyment in reading.Please see Reading Progression Map below. 
• At all stages, reading attainment is assessed through a range of assessments including reading conferencing, summative and formative assessments, ensuring that gaps are addressed timely and effectively for all pupils.
• Phonics is taught using a  government validated programme - Essential Letters and Sounds progression programme (ELS).
• Reading books in EYFS and KS1 are fully decodable and are closely matched to the pupil’s phonics knowledge.
• All Pupils have the opportunity to choose a book for sharing at home to encourage reading for enjoyment.
• Reading books in KS2 are banded to support progression across the key stage.
• A whole class reading model is used in KS1 & 2 to teach key reading and comprehension skills such as retrieval and inference skills.
• Reading underpins the rest of the Curriculum and high quality and engaging texts are used by all teachers as hooks into learning and to support in building schemata across a range of subjects.
• All classes have a class novel or story that is used for reading lessons or as a text to share with pupils, read aloud at the end of the day. This ensures that reading is at the heart of the curriculum and is valued by staff and pupils.
• Pupils in KS2 who continue to need support with reading are supported through interventions both in the classroom and outside.
• Pupils have regular opportunities for reading for enjoyment and use both the school and class libraries to widen their reading diet and to develop enjoyment for reading further. Additionally, pupils receive regular opportunities to visit the local library.
• Pupils are encouraged to become ‘Reading Champions’ by choosing to read, encouraging others to read,  sharing with others what they have read and challenging themselves when reading, which we celebrate during weekly assemblies and in-class displays.
• A reading event is also organised each term to continue to promote a love for reading for all of our students. This may include a visit from an author, world book day and book fairs. 

Click here to watch our Reading Champion Celebration videos 2023-2024.

• Summer 2024
• Spring 2024
• Autumn 2023

Impact

Our English Reading curriculum is ambitious and designed to ensure that all pupils become fluent, confident, and enthusiastic readers. 

• At the end of each Key Stage, data from national assessments in phonics and reading shows that our pupils consistently achieve high standards above the national average.

• Pupils enjoy reading and are keen to explore a wide range of texts. They can discuss the books they have read, their preferences and enjoy recommending books to their peers.

• Pupils have a wide vocabulary and are able to use it effectively in their reading and writing.

• Pupils are able to comprehend and analyse a wide range of texts, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

• Pupils are able to use their reading skills across other subjects, such as Science and History.

• Pupil feedback show that pupils enjoy reading and feel confident in their reading skills.

• Monitoring shows that pupils are able to apply their reading skills in their learning across the curriculum.

We are proud of the impact that our English Reading curriculum has on our pupils' learning. We believe that reading is the foundation for success in all other areas of education, and we are committed to ensuring success in reading for all. 

LEO Virtual Library

Visit the LEO Academy Trust Virtual Library and enjoy reading or listening to a story from the selection of Children’s books. There’s something for everyone from Nursery through to Year 6.

Writing

Intent

At Manor Park, we believe that all pupils should have the opportunity to develop into confident, articulate, and effective writers. Our English writing curriculum is designed to help pupils develop their transcription (inlcuding Spelling & Handwriting), composition and grammatical knowledge and skills, to be able to use language effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences, to develop their own unique writing voice and to grow their understanding of how to communicate their ideas clearly and persuasively in a variety of contexts. We provide a strong English writing curriculum that is progressive for all pupils, regardless of their background or ability, in order to reach their full potential as writers.  At Manor Park we strive to ensure that every child, by the time they finish primary school, can write in a manner which is clear, grammatically correct and engaging. As writing is a key life skill, we promote daily writing opportunities so that children can successfully write for a range of audiences and purposes.

Implementation

From EYFS to KS2, our English writing curriculum is sequenced to ensure that all pupils develop their skills progressively. In the early years, pupils focus on developing their basic writing skills, such as transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech, before writing simple sentences). Please see Writing Progression Map below. As they move through the school, pupils are introduced to a wider range of writing genres and styles. In KS1 pupils are encouraged to collect ideas for writing by thinking out loud using ‘Think it, speak it, write it, check it’ to ensure that their meaning is clear. They are taught to use finger spaces, full stops and capital letters and may progress to using other forms of punctuation such as question and exclamation marks.Pupils begin to use engaging and meaningful vocabulary to make their writing interesting and learn to develop their writing further using grammatical components such as joining words and noun phrases. By the end of KS1, some pupils may begin to evaluate and make some improvements to their writing and begin to join some letters. In KS2, children are taught the skills of exploring, planning, drafting, proof-reading and editing their work and that of others. Children are introduced to more complex sentence structures and therefore develop the correct use of a wider range of punctuation. Pupils will apply their skills through a range of genres considering challenging vocabulary and structures appropriate for the purpose and audience.

Throughout the school, pupils are encouraged to be independent and accurate in their spelling beginning first with making phonetically plausable attempts, before being taught spelling patterns and rules to support with accuracy. To support the teaching of spellings, teachers in Year 2 use the ELS Essential Spelling programme before progressing to the Schofield and Sims spelling programme. These schemes have been ensure coverage and progression of the English National Curriculum Objectives for Spelling from Years 2-6. Spelling is taught as discrete sessions for 3- 4 times weekly. 

Throughout their time at Manor Park, all pupils have the opportunity to develop fluent, legible handwriting in order to communicate effectively in a variety of contexts. Our handwriting curriculum is designed to develop pupil's handwriting skills in a progressive and systematic way. In the Foundation stage, children working towards the early learning goals for handwriting will be engaging in activities to develop their gross and fine motor skills to prepare them for writing. When appropriate, they will learn basic letter movements before beginning to practise correct letter formation. Children will usually begin to join some letters by the end of year 2 and continue to secure joins from years 3-6. All/ most pupils should be secure in joining by the end of year 6.  In addition to teaching the fundamental skills of handwriting, we also focus on developing pupil's handwriting fluency. Fluency is essential for pupils to be able to write confidently and independently.

We provide pupils with a range of extra opportunities to develop their creative and writing skills. These include:

• Writing clubs and workshops, for example the Sutton Foundation Writing Project held at Sutton United 

• Whole-school and Trust level writing competitions, for example ‘Wicked Writers’.

• Opportunities to publish their work for display within the community, for example the Sutton Arts Centre.

• Visits from authors and illustrators, including Laura Henry-Allain (JoJo and Gran Gran) and poet David Mason. 

See below for our Whole School Overview of Writing. 

• Our pupils are confident, enthusiastic writers who enjoy writing and take pride in their work.

• Pupils are able to communicate their ideas effectively in writing. They are able to write a variety of genres, including stories, poems and reports, considering a variety of audiences and purposes.

• Pupils consistently achieve high standards in Writing at all key stages.

• By the end of key stage 2 children have developed a writer’s craft, they enjoy sustained writing and can manipulate language, grammar and punctuation to suit the writing outcome.

• As all aspects of English are an integral part of the curriculum, standards in writing across the curriculum have also improved and skills taught in the English lessons are often transferred into other subjects; this shows consolidation of skills and a deeper understanding of how and when to use specific language, grammar and punctuation.

• We are constantly reviewing and updating our English writing curriculum to ensure that it is aligned with the best practice and to meet the needs of our pupils.

English Reading & Writing Enrichment

At Manor Park Primary, we provide all our pupils with a range of ambitious and exciting enrichment opportunities within English Reading and Writing that are both diverse and culturally rich, in order to challenge, engage and inspire.

Our vibrant learning environment, fueled by well-stocked book corners and a diverse school library, empowers them to explore a vast collection of culturally rich texts, nurturing independent exploration and cultivating a lifelong love of reading. Every term, we  celebrate pupils who demonstrate a love of reading, both within the classroom and beyond its walls through our "Reading Champions" awards.

Through our wide-range of innovative "Read Aloud" concept books, we seamlessly integrate literacy into all of our non-core subjects, allowing our pupils to be introduced to new concepts, ideas and themes, make explicit connections within their learning, develop their understanding further and expand their vocabulary in a fun and engaging way.

Beyond traditional academics, Manor Park continues to provide a range of enriching opportunities in order to develop well-rounded individuals. Author visits from renowned figures like Laura Henry Allen (‘Jo Jo & Gran Gran’) and David Mason spark imaginations and open doors to storytelling worlds. Theatre workshops, such as Whole School Winter Pantomimes and opportunities for all of Year 6 to watch a London theatre show, (in 2023, Year 6 pupils watched ‘Matilda’) to infuse learning with drama and performance. In partnership with Sutton United, writing workshops merge sports and literacy for pupils across Key Stage 2, while themed days like Black History Month, National Poetry Day and World Book Day provide our pupils to celebrate diversity, spark curiosity and dress as their favourite book characters. Visits to local libraries and author events from the LGFL ‘Reading Zone Live’ platform broaden horizons, allowing our pupils to take part in both author and illustrator workshops, while pupils have had the opportunity to see their published work in the recent Sutton Art Centre, providing them a platform to showcase their incredible talents. Topical Talk empowers our pupils to develop their voices when exploring current affairs and news stories through a global platform, interacting with pupils both within and outside of the Trust, while ‘The Brilliant Club’ hones critical thinking and literacy through a university-style program before having the opportunity to partake in a real-life graduation at Oxford University. As well as this, termly afterschool ‘Reading Explorers’ book clubs for KS1 and KS2 nurture a love of reading and foster a community of shared literary experiences. 

At Manor Park, enrichment isn't just an add-on; it's woven into the fabric of learning, shaping curious, engaged, and well-rounded individuals.