English
English has a pre-eminent place in education and in society. A high-quality education in English will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature, especially, plays a key role in such development. Reading also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society; pupils, therefore, who do not learn to speak, read and write fluently and confidently are effectively disenfranchised.
Purpose of Study, English National Curriculum, 2014
Literacy is defined as the united skills and knowledge of reading, writing and oral language. As it is the foundation of all learning, success in literacy is vital for educational progression. Literacy not only empowers the learner, but is essential for independent learning and most aspects of everyday life. It should, therefore, be at the heart of our teaching and learning.
Phonics
Across Twynham Learning we believe that all our children can become fluent readers and writers. This is
why we teach Reading through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised across our primary phase
schools, which is a systematic and synthetic phonics programme. We start teaching Phonics in Reception
and follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised progression, which ensures children build on
their growing knowledge of the alphabetic code, mastering Phonics to read and spell as they move
through school.
As a result, all our children are able to tackle any unfamiliar words as they read. Across our schools we
also model the application of the alphabetic code through Phonics in shared Reading and Writing, both
inside and outside of the Phonics lesson and across the curriculum. We have a strong focus on language
development for our children because we know that speaking and listening are crucial skills for Reading
and Writing in all subjects.
Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised ensures that the seven key features characterising Phonics
teaching in highly successful schools, (identified through the English Hubs Programme) are met. These
are:
- direct teaching in frequent, short bursts
- consistency of approach
- secure, systematic progression in phonics learning
- maintaining pace of learning
- providing repeated practice
- application of phonics using matched decodable books
- early identification of children at risk of falling behind, linked to the provision of effective keep-up support.
Because teaching every child to read is so important, Reading Leader’s in each school drive the Early Reading Programme, including Phonics in our schools. This person is highly skilled at teaching Phonics and Reading and they monitor and support our Reading Team, so everyone teaches with fidelity to the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme.
Reading
Our Vision
At Twynham Learning, excellence in Reading is a priority. Reading is highly valued, actively promoted and forms part of the dynamic culture for learning across our family of schools. Passion and a love of reading is at the heart of our curriculum. Our Reading philosophy is intrinsic to our aim to prepare all our young learners for the next stage of their education journey or work place.
Enjoyment
We firmly believe that Reading ignites the imagination and opens new worlds beyond the classroom. Twynham Learning values the importance of daily reading aloud to pupils of all ages to foster reading for pleasure. Reading improves communication, inspires imagination and allows children to empathise, share opinions and debate topics. We particularly emphasise the importance of books and literature in enabling children to become confident, happy and enthusiastic readers and writers.
At Twynham learning we believe the use of high quality texts within the reading curriculum is at the heart of our successful approach to engage and support children to become motivated and independent readers. Texts and stories are central to our curriculum and help pupils to understand the ‘big picture’, convey intellectual and emotional issues and expand vocabulary. Through our carefully selected texts, from a range of genres, pupils’ experiences reflect and celebrate diversity and inclusivity.
Engagement
All our pupils have access to an ambitious, progressive, ‘reading rich’ curriculum during their time at Twynham Learning.
Our Reading strategy provides whole class reading sessions, appropriate to age and stage. Our approach develops fluency, expression and pace. From the Early Years, children are immersed in ‘language rich’ experiences and environments. All pupils are encouraged to use strategies independently to understand, enjoy and learn from a range of texts. They become fluent, skillful, expressive readers with the stamina to enjoy challenging texts as lifelong readers.
Engagement and support from home is crucial and we aim to extend our Reading culture beyond the school gates. We recognise the importance of empowering parents and carers to be active in their child’s Reading journey.
Achievement
Reading is central to all aspects of learning across the curriculum, in all subjects. Using their knowledge and expertise, teachers promote the best literature that their subject has to offer.
Progression is assured at every stage, through carefully selected texts that deliberately build towards challenging, complex academic literature. Across all subjects of the curriculum, staff present themselves as role models in order to reflect the excellence required of pupils in fiction, as well as non-fiction genres.
Twynham Learning pupils are supported to reach their full potential. We use evidence-based research, which explores the best ways of teaching and assessing Reading. We ensure that every child makes progress in Reading, swiftly identifying any gaps or barriers and putting in place effective interventions. These are reviewed regularly; ensuring every child becomes a confident, independent reader.
Writing
Our lives can be filled and fulfilled by writing. That story begins with our birth certificate and ends with our epitaph. In between, each day, we use writing to learn, to love, to remember, to console, to entertain, to imagine, to argue and to simply be.
Alex Quigley (2022)
Twynham Learning’s ambition is for children’s writing to attain - in both composition and transcription - a standard of excellence. We aim for children to experience the kinds of pleasure available to writers through personal growth and artistic expression and effective communication of knowledge. Our intention is to promote curiosity, passion and enjoyment by using a wide range of stimuli to engage children.
The Twynham Learning writing curriculum promotes reading proficiency and critical thinking through use of high-quality texts; is enhanced by exploring and celebrating the locality and community in which we live and provides regular opportunities to explore different cultures and perspectives.
Our writing curriculum enables pupils to becomes fluent in key transcriptional components and grammar so that they become increasingly accurate writers. Older pupils compose their writing in different forms and styles, for a range of purpose and audiences, with an appropriate balance between narrative and non-fiction writing.
Twynham Learning teachers help children perceive themselves as writers, albeit apprentice ones. Research shows that children who enjoy writing and are motivated to write, are eight times more likely to achieve well academically. We foster this through enthusiasm and interest in literacy and dramatic arts, including pupils’ own creative writing. Where appropriate, children are given the opportunity to generate their own context and purpose and with a clear sense of a real reader. Finally, children are given the fora to meaningfully publish their written work.
1 Quigley, A. (2022), Closing the Writing Gap, A David Fulton Book
2 Sherrington, T. (2019), Rosenshine’s Principles in Action, John Catt
