Why We Study English
English has a pre-eminent place in education and 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 will 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. Being able to learn about the experiences of others through reading, and expressing their own feelings and emotions through writing can give pupils a satisfying sense of fulfilment and at a more basic level, enjoyment.
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. At Broughton Primary School, we are fully committed to ensuring that all pupils can partake fully in society. In brief,
‘…Without English, nothing. And without good English, nothing very well.’
Anne Fine.
How We Teach English
At Broughton Primary School, we use the English Programme of Study as a basis for our planning. English is taught through a combination of whole class teaching, as well as smaller, differentiated focus groups and where necessary, on a one-to-one basis. As a school, we use some commercial programmes, e.g. Read Write Inc., as a basis for our work to ensure consistency and quality of teaching.
English lessons will often be linked to the children's wider learning e.g. the Romans, space or their residential visit. Staff will use a variety of resources and teaching strategies to ensure that English lessons are engaging for the pupils. Children are consistently exposed to age-appropriate, highquality texts as a basis of their comprehension lessons, as well as an aid to promote their writing skills.
Teachers and senior leaders use regular assessment to inform planning, thus ensuring that pupils' misconceptions and current learning needs are tackled promptly. Assessment is also used regularly to analyse the effectiveness of strategies and to enable leaders to discern what works best for our children.
What Is Special About English In Our School
Broughton Primary School is committed to instilling in children a genuine love of reading. Children are exposed to a wealth of literature and allowed to engage regularly with complete texts and novels rather than just extracts. The quality and breadth of texts that children access at this school is immediately evident when one walks through the heart of the school, where the sheer quantity of high-quality books can be seen.
At Broughton, English is taught in a cross-curricular way. We believe this gives children a fully immersive experience where they can draw on real world experiences, which in turn gives their work greater relevance.