Key Stage 1 and 2 Reading and Writing

New English Curriculum Autumn 2023.

We use, ‘Curriculum by Unity Partnership’ (CUSP) to engage, motivate and enthuse children with their English knowledge and skills. . CUSP is an ambitious research and evidence based approach which is built around the belief that every child should be taught the key skills and techniques to be able to communicate effectively in reading and writing. Our curriculum is carefully structured to ensure pupils build upon prior knowledge to master writing and develop their ideas.

Expert subject knowledge is carefully woven into each reading and writing unit, giving teachers the opportunity to teach and rehearse key knowledge and skills before children then apply this learning to meaningful, extended pieces of writing. This careful architecture of the curriculum ensures pupils revisit different writing genres twice in each year, to maximise thttps://www.unity-curriculum.co.uk/more-information/he opportunities for progression and consolidate their skills, so they become writers for life. Within the CUSP curriculum, punctuation and grammar is taught both directly and discretely enabling children to see how it is embedded in example texts and then given the opportunity to apply this to their own writing.

Here is a link to CUSP for more information: CUSP

Reading

We believe that reading is an integral part of the school curriculum and a fundamental life skill that impacts on all learning. Our aim is that every child becomes a fluent reader with good comprehension skills.  We inspire to encourage a love of books and to develop the habit of reading widely for pleasure whereby our children are enthusiastic and motivated readers who feel confident to be able to talk about books and authors.

To nurture a love of reading every class across the school is read to by an adult on a regular basis, fostering a love for reading through exposing the children to high quality literature. Teachers are encouraged to choose challenging texts that will uncover new vocabulary and themes, opening up discussions around the language of books. All classes have book areas and reading displays and the children are encouraged to borrow books and to recommend titles to their peers. In all classes, reading at home is celebrated with praise, certificates and house points.  

Early reading is prioritised in EYFS and KS1. It is underpinned by a coherent and systematic phonics scheme (Read Write Inc) taught daily. This is supplemented by teaching high frequency words through sight recognition, discussion through picture books and whole class reading.