English
At Melrose Primary, we aim to develop children’s literacy skills so that they can be confident and effective communicators with the reading and writing skills they need to access life-long learning. We want to instil an enjoyment in reading and a desire to express themselves creatively through writing.
The teaching of literacy skills is embedded across the curriculum. The wider curriculum is organised in half-termly themes with a series of core texts linked to that theme. Within English lessons, core texts and curriculum themes are used as a vehicle to engage children to develop their oracy, reading and writing skills within a meaningful context. Children read, write and perform a range of genres.
Phonics and Reading
When a pupil joins us, we assess their reading skills to identify their reading age and phonological skills.
Children in Key Stage 1 and children in Key Stage 2 who are at the early stages of reading, are taught 1:1 or in small groups following the Read Write Inc. Phonics program. As children learn an increasing number of sounds, they are presented with a growing number of 'Green Word' cards which are words that the children can sound out and blend to read. Children also learn how to read 'Red Word/Tricky Words' cards. These are words which cannot be phonetically read. When children are ready, they move on to reading books pitched at their phonics level from the Read Write Inc scheme. Throughout all sessions, there is a focus on the children understanding what they have read. Comprehension questions are asked and the children learn the skills to be able to read for meaning.
Children whose current reading ability falls in line with the teaching of Read Write Inc Phonics, take home phonetically decodable books which match their reading level. These books are part of the Read Write Inc scheme.
Alongside RWI are weekly sessions that explicitly teach prosody using the strategy of ‘echo-reading’. Children repeat modelled reading, focusing on how words are emphasised for effect and where pauses are taken. This approach will support children in reading unfamiliar texts and gaining a greater understanding of vocabulary, inferring information about characters’ thoughts and feelings, as well as rapid retrieval of facts.
In addition, all classes follow the VIPERS (Vocabulary, Infer, Predict, Explain, Retrieve, Sequence) approach. VIPERS helps to develop the core reading comprehension skills needed to be affluent and confident reader. All children have the opportunity to complete modelled and guided questions, which helps them to understand the variety of ways information can be represented.
Reading for pleasure is promoted at all stages. Each class has a good selection of fiction and non-fiction texts, regular visits to the school library are built into the timetable, as well as external trips to larger local libraries are set for all year groups within the SDO offer. All children are signed up to the Merton Library Scheme and we have strong links with Mitcham Library. Children have also enjoyed theatre performances, which help to bring familiar stories to life.
Melrose Primary School
English Overview 2023-24
Core Text
|
Autumn 1 |
Autumn 2 |
Spring 1 |
Spring 2 |
Summer 1 |
Summer 2 |
Years 1/2 |
Terrific Toys |
Up and Away |
The Weather |
Our Planet |
Kings and Queens |
On the Beach |
Traction Man |
Egg Drop! |
Lizzie and the Cloud |
We are water protectors |
Prince Cinders |
The See-saw |
|
Years 3/4 |
Time Traveller |
The Tudors |
Journey to the Poles |
Life in India |
Remarkable Recipes |
The Egyptians |
Boy |
The Queen’s Token |
Shackleton's Journey |
When the mountains roared |
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory |
Secrets of a Sun King |
|
Years 5/6 |
The Victorians |
Extreme Adventures |
Desert Life |
Unheard Histories |
A Sustainable World |
Britain at War |
Street Child |
Everest |
The Song Walker |
The lion above the door |
The boy who harnessed the wind |
Letters from a Lighthouse |