English

At Trimley St Mary we recognise that a high-quality English curriculum will teach children to speak, read and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others.  In order to engage and motivate our children, many of our English lessons link with our termly topics.

 

At Trimley St Mary we expect children to be confident readers who have the ability to develop a deep and true understanding of what they read and appreciate the importance and value of reading for pleasure.  As readers, children have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually.  At Trimley St Mary, we believe that reading enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know in other areas of the curriculum and the wider world.  Reading provides them with background knowledge on their world, which help them make sense of what they see, hear and read.  Discussions about books they've read helps our children to relate what is in texts with their own lives, rather than just the vocalization of the words.  This helps them build their own vocabulary and improve their understanding.  Reading makes a big difference to children's achievement as well as developing a broader vocabulary, increasing general knowledge and having a better understanding of other cultures.  We aim to foster and promote a love of reading, fluency and a secure ability to comprehend information.

 

At Trimley St Mary we expect children to be independent writers who will develop stamina for writing throughout school.  We believe that writing provides children with the opportunity to express who they are as people and to actively engage in daily life.  Writing can be factual, imaginative or based on their own experiences.  As writers, children are provided with a range of writing types including stories, diaries, play scripts, letters, reports, recounts, explanations, instructions, lists, arguments, persuasive text and letters.  Children build on a range of skills as they work through each genre of writing enabling them to write for a range of purposes and audiences.  Writing provides our children with opportunities to explain and refine their ideas to others and themselves.  Children are encouraged to take ownership of their writing to ensure that they are prepared for the transition to their next stage of learning.  High expectations throughout the school inspires a love of writing for all our children.

 

As Communicators we will:-
• Demonstrate an exceptional talent for listening attentively so as to understand what is being said.
• Develop a rich and varied vocabulary that gives clarity and interest to conversations.
• Use clear speech that can be easily understood by a range of audiences.
• Develop an excellent grasp of the rules used in English conversation, such as tenses and the grammatical structure of sentences.
• Develop a highly developed ability to tell stories that capture the interest and imagination of the audience.
• Demonstrate a delight in initiating and joining in conversations.
• Show respect for others when communicating, even when views differ.

As Readers we will:-
• Develop excellent phonic knowledge and skills.
• Develop fluency and accuracy in reading across a wide range of contexts throughout the curriculum.
• Develop knowledge of an extensive and rich vocabulary.
• Have an excellent comprehension of texts.
• Be motivated to read for both study and for pleasure.
• Develop extensive knowledge through having read a rich and varied range of texts.

As Writers we will:-
• Develop the ability to write fluently and with interesting detail on a number of topics throughout the curriculum.
• Develop a vivid imagination which makes readers engage with and enjoy their writing.
• Develop a highly developed vocabulary and an excellent knowledge of writing techniques to extend details or description.
• Use well-organised and structured writing, which includes a variety of sentence structures.
• Have excellent transcription skills that ensure their writing is well presented and punctuated, spelled correctly and neat.
• Demonstrate a love of writing and an appreciation of its educational, cultural and entertainment values.