English curriculum
At Colindale Primary School we aim for pupils to become fluent readers who can access information from a wide range of texts, both online and written, and who will enjoy reading for pleasure, and competent writers able to write effectively for a range of purposes, having developed the basic skills of grammar, punctuation, spelling and handwriting as laid out in the English National Curriculum.
Reading is taught through teacher guided sessions, as well as in the context of other curriculum areas. The pupils learn to read words primarily through a phonetic approach, and alongside this, they gradually develop a range of comprehension skills so they can fully access the stated and implied meanings of a text. They practice these independently though a range of activities and, once they have achieved sufficient independence, are given regular opportunities to develop their independent reading, choosing from a wide range of texts at a level appropriate to their attainment.
We use a range of quality texts in our English lessons to provide access to a broad range of styles and text types, along with experience of a rich and varied vocabulary, which the pupils can then draw upon in creating their own pieces of writing. Grammar, punctuation and spelling is taught systematically, and as much as possible, in the context of their children’s own writing. As they move through the school, pupils are taught how to become independent in proof reading and editing their own work and how to revise and redraft to ensure their writing is effective in meeting its purpose and suiting its intended audience.
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