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English
Reading
At Polesden Lacey reading is a golden thread that weaves through our curriculum. This puts reading at the heart of our curriculum and shows the importance and value of learning to read through stimulating texts that are related to our Wider Curriculum.
We are committed to providing opportunities for all pupils to gain an enjoyment of reading and achieve the key early reading and comprehension skills needed to become a proficient reader. We endeavour to ensure that our children develop a positive and enthusiastic attitude towards reading that will stay with them forever through high quality texts from different genres.
Children have frequent, regular and sustained opportunities to read and to talk together about the books that they are reading individually, in small groups and as a whole class. This helps the children to reach a shared understanding and build on their cultural literacy. We plan opportunities for all children to extend their vocabulary through a range of genres and subject related texts to consolidate their understanding.
In Reception and Key Stage 1, reading is supported through the use of a structured scheme which guides children through the early stages of learning to read. At Polesden Lacey Infant School we follow Little Wandle Synthetic Phonics Programme. Children will read books matched to sounds they have learnt allowing them to be successful and become 'readers' right from very early on in their school journey.
Little Wandle Letters and Sounds - For Parents
Parents Information Presentation
The Little Wandle progression map document clearly shows which sounds the children will be learning and when. Please note that we started following this scheme in January, therefore, Year 1 are at slightly different point in the scheme currently.
The children will further develop their love for reading by having access to a wide range of books with rich language and content through key texts linked to learning, shared class stories, visits to the library and a wide range of texts in class reading areas.
Writing
Writing at Polesden Lacey is taught through immersion into high quality texts. Each term every class is taught English skills through a book, which is linked to their topic. The teaching of English builds cross-curricular links so that high quality literature is at the heart of our curriculum and the children’s learning.
Through this teaching approach at Polesden Lacey we embed the teaching of phonics, grammar, punctuation and spelling into a rich reading curriculum. Focussing quality children’s literature is at the heart of their learning which creates a whole school culture of reading for pleasure.
Children in Reception will be provided with many opportunities to make marks as they develop their writing skills. The children will learn how to write each grapheme as they learn them following Little Wandle. As they continue their journey in writing we will discuss writing words, captions, sentences; learning to use a capital letter, a full stop and leave finger spaces between words. We encourage phonetically plausible attempts for longer words and praise use of sounds they have learnt. As they move through the school they will continue to learn the grammar and spelling rules needed to be a successful writer. We will encourage them to edit their work and think how they can make it even better. Nearly all of writing opportunities will be cross curricular and have an engaging link for the children.
