English
St Edward’s Values: Thankfulness, Forgiveness, Compassion, Perseverance, Courage, Friendship
‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’ (John 10:10)
English Curriculum at St Edward’s
Intent
English Curriculum at St Edward’s
Intent
At St Edward’s we recognise that English has a vital place in education and the wider community.
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 ensure that others can communicate with them. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature, plays a key role in such development. Reading also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. 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 therefore at a disadvantage.
Coverage
Through a curriculum of breadth and ambition we promote high standards of language and literacy. We equip pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written word and we develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. Our curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:
- read fluently and with good understanding
- develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
- acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
- appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage
- write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
- use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas
- are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.
A Curriculum for Our Children
We have identified some core barriers that the children of our school face when they are accessing the curriculum, and we intend to deliver the English curriculum with an approach that addresses these:
- Limited vocabulary – we ensure that texts covered demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary and that lessons are planned with careful and deliberate vocabulary progression.
- Poor communication and team-work skills – Children are given plentiful opportunities to work as part of a team and are encouraged to actively value each other’s ideas and contributions.
- Limited resilience – we design challenging tasks in our English curriculum, allowing children to experience failure and errors in a safe environment, scaffolded by the implementation of growth mindset training.