CURRICULUM
Speaking and listening
Being an intrinsic part of language development, children are taught and encouraged to speak purposefully. As part of this process, children need to learn to listen actively. These skills are developed through drama, debate, poetry recitals and other speaking and listening activities across the whole curriculum.
Writing
Statement of intent:
At Beeches Junior School, we intend to create confident writers who develop stamina for writing throughout school. We aim for all of our children to be independent writers, building on a range of skills as they work through each journey of writing and for them to be able to write for a range of purposes and audiences. Throughout this journey, we ensure the children of Beeches Junior are immersed in a range of genres and have a clear understanding of purpose. Our learners will have a secure understanding of the purpose of a text type, the intended impact of writing skills/tools and the ability to carefully select vocabulary with careful attention to the desired effect on the readers’ thoughts and feelings. Our learners are challenged and encouraged to take risks and view mistakes as part of the learning process. Our learners should always set high expectations for themselves where they take pride in all aspects of learning and in everything they produce.
Beeches Junior School:
- Recognises the effect that a confident, fluent and coherent understanding of English will have on a pupil’s progress, both inside and outside of the school environment.
- Understands how a strong grounding in English will impact the future learning and development of a pupil in all aspects of their life
- Provides a balanced and broad curriculum, which encompasses writing practice, including handwriting, spelling, widening vocabulary, and writing for different styles, purposes, and audiences, as well as focussing on spoken English, reading, grammar and pronunciation.
- Ensures that all staff members are aware of planning, assessment, teaching and learning requirements for the English curriculum.
- Ensures that all pupils know how to plan, practise, evaluate their work as well as carry out an effective edit and improve process.
- Ensures that all pupils understand all elements of English, as per the national curriculum.
Spelling, punctuation and grammar
Statement of intent and aims:
At Beeches Junior School, we have recently introduced Spelling Shed as our new spelling scheme. This spelling platform was designed by a team of Primary School teachers. We believe that Spelling Shed is an exciting way for your child(ren) to learn how to spell and it aligns directly with the expectations in the National Curriculum. Each week, your child(ren) will be introduced to a new spelling rule and pattern. Over the course of the week, they will have three, twenty-minute spelling lessons where they will learn the new rule, apply the new rule and then consolidate the new rule. At the end of the week, they will have a dictation lesson that will assess their learning for that week.
Handwriting
We follow the ISHA ( Improvement in School Handwriting) scheme. Teaching handwriting effectively impacts the wider curriculum and the development of the whole child.
Each letter falls into a 'family' and those groups of letters are taught at a similar time to ensure consistency and flow. Our books have lines which are designed to support the stability and presentation of each child's work.
RESOURCES
SPELLING
Please click these links to find the words that your child should learn.
Y3/4: Y3/4 Spelling List
Y5/6: Y 5/6 Spelling List