Why do we learn English?
Learning to read is a skill prioritised at Atwood as we know it is the gateway to the wider curriculum which proves vital not just for secondary education but beyond in later life. Children progress from learning to read, to reading to learn, enabling them to access a curriculum rich in literary works that expands their knowledge and curiosity about the world. Throughout their school career, children are taught not only the strategies to decode texts successfully with fluency but to also become metacognitive readers so they gain the skills to tackle challenging texts independently. Atwood develops a passion for reading so that scholars begin their secondary schooling as proud, fluent readers at or above their chronological age, well set up with a life-long love of reading beyond the classroom.
At Atwood, writing for purpose and pleasure is also at the centre of our vision for writing for our children, Teachers seek exciting, engaging and enriching experiences for children in the texts and topics they choose to study so pupils not only become enthusiastic writers but are provided with a rich context from which to draw upon. Pupils are exposed to and immersed in a wide range of genres with a focus on purpose and audience enabling children to become confident communicators. Our approach to teaching is based on the recommendations of the Education Endowment Fund aimed at improving literacy teaching and the outcomes of pupils. It focuses on teaching writing composition strategies through modelling and supporting strategies and developing pupils’ fluent written transcription skills through purposeful and explicit practices.
Our approach
Writing:
Throughout Early Years, children are immersed in a world of stories with a strong focus on developing vocabulary and oral literacy. Pupils start mark making from an early age developing the gross and fine motor skills needed for pen control through fine motor workshops. In Reception, pupils learn letter formation alongside letter sounds through the Read, Write Inc programme and start forming words and short sentences. Children have daily opportunities to write either through whole class activities, small group work or independently at a writing station. Children are given a clear purpose for writing with a focus on writing cards, letter, messages, lists and recipes.
In Key Stages One and Two, purpose and audience remain central to effective writing. Teachers look for opportunities in texts they are reading and topics children are enjoying to provide highly engaging contexts and provide a real purpose and audience for children’s work. Children grow to understand that writing is an iterative process and are provided with a range of writing activities that support the organisation and development of their ideas. Children are encouraged to be reflective learners and to challenge themselves to improve and develop their work independently through guidance and a clear understanding of how to edit and improve their work.
Reading:
Our approach to reading, as well as literacy and humanities, is complemented by texts rich in vocabulary often drawing on both our literacy heritage and diverse community. To foster a love and enthusiasm for reading, carefully chosen texts both inspire and ignite sparks of interest to find out more and cover a range of genres; fiction, non-fiction, poetry and playscripts. These texts, set out in our book spine and curriculum maps, are explored in our timetabled reading lessons, literacy lessons or shared as class books.
Nursery
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Lucy and Tom go to school. |
We’re going to the doctor. People who help us: At the hospital I’m Afraid Your Teddy Is in Trouble Today Busy fire station. Three little pigs Construction site Jolly Postman Celebrations and festivals books Winter animals stories |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| How to grow a dinosaur Dinosaur roar Dinosaurs love underpants How do dinosaurs go to school? Dinosaur time Dinosaurumpus! Ten terrible dinosaurs. The dinosaur who pooped a planet |
Aliens love underpants Wanda There’s no place like space Whatever next I want to be an astronaut Roaring rockets How to catch a star The way back home |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| The very hungry caterpillar Jack and the beanstalk The bad-tempered ladybird The very quiet cricket Farmer duck Gardening books Supertato |
Dear Zoo Topsy and tim go on an aeroplane. Handa’s surprise I want to be Multi-cultural books Maps books The rainbow fish Smiley Shark |
Reception
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| So much Harry and the Dinosaurs go to school So Much Julian is Mermaid Giraffes Can’t Dance Ruby’s Worry |
Non-fiction books about People Who Help Us Funny Bones Jolly Postman Books about Mary Seacole Rebel Girls Little People- Marie Curie Jolly Postman |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Superworm Supertato Room on the Broom The Gruffalo Whatever Next Aliens Love Underpants |
Little Red Riding Hood Three Little Pigs Gingerbread Man Elves and the Shoemaker The Princess and the Pea Goldilocks and the Three Bears Rapunsel |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Non-fiction books Harry and the Dinosaurs Dinosaur who Pooped a planet Dinosaurs who love underpants Lifesize Dinosaurs Dinosaur Stomp |
Dear Zoo Handa’s Surprise Mixed Up Chameleon Hungry Caterpillar Mr. Wolf’s Pancakes Fish who could wish Lost and Found Non-fiction texts about animals Lifesize Animals |
Year 1
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Payton goes to London Writing: Recount about Mr Men in London Information leaflet on New London
|
Reading: Snow White Writing: Instructions on how to make gingerbread stars Recount of the fairy-tales of Snow White and Hansel and Gretel |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Lost and Found Writing: Recount of our transport journey and trip to the transport museum. Diary on how it would have felt to have driven the first car. Acrostic Poetry |
Reading: Avocado Baby Writing: Imitation and innovation of the story Mrs Armitage on wheels. Diary entry from the Wright Brothers Newspaper report on the moon landing Instructions on road safety Create timeline and poster on transport and present to class. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: The Lonely Beast Writing: Poem on the Loch Ness monster Mount Snowdon setting description Sequence a story on a story mountain on the Giant’s Causeway Descriptive letter to the Queen |
Reading: Rainbow Fish Writing: Agony aunt letter on The Lighthouse keeper Describing a seaside setting Persuasive poster on the seaside. Postcard from the perspective of a Victorian child. |
Year 2
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Ruby’s Wish - Shirin Yim Bridges Kings and Queens - Tony Robinson On the Ning Nang Nong - Spike Milligan Writing: Description of Barbados First person diary entry Letter to the Queen Pamphlet on the Kings and Queens of Britain |
Reading: Great Fire of London - Emma Adams Writing: Instructions on using sparklers safely Review of Pantomime Diary entry based on Samuel Pepys Poetry describing Bonfire Night |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: The Tunnel and Changes - Anthony Browne The Great Barrier Reef – Helen Scales Perfectly Peculiar Pets – Elli Woolard Writing: The Great Barrier Reef information text Northern lights poem Taj Mahal 5-part story Diary entry for Machu Picchu |
Reading: Lion in Paris Wonders of the World – Atlas of Adventures Poetry: The Owl and the Pussycat - Edward Lear Writing: The Great Barrier Reef information text Northern lights poem Taj Mahal 5-part story Diary entry for Machu Picchu |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Traction Man Amazing Grace – Mary Hoffman Malala’s Magic Pencil - Malala Yousafzi Writing: Diary linked to ACP Report linked to ACP First person description linked to ACP Report linked to ACP |
Reading: Wangari Tree’s of Peace Journey through Kenya Beneath the Rainbow: A collection of stories and poems from Kenya Writing: Stories from other cultures (Focus: Africa) - 5-part story Setting description of Malindi in Kenya Persuasive leaflet to visit Kenya |
Year 3
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Stone Age Boy - Satoshi Kitamura The Secrets of Stonehenge - Mick Manning and Britta Gran-Strong Poetry: Stonehenge - Susan Hayasaki Writing: How to catch a Mammoth. Five-part story set in the Stone Age |
Reading: Coming to England - Floella Benjamin Little Leaders - Vashdi Harrison Poetry: We are Britain - Benjamin Zephaniah Writing: Report on HMT Windrush |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Who Let the Gods Out? - Maz Evans Irish fairy tales, myths and legends - Kieran Fanning Writing: Persuasive leaflet about Greece |
Reading: Who Let the Gods Out? - Maz Evans Journey - Aaron Becker Writing: Retelling a traditional tale Writing a detailed character profile for a main character - posters |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Stories From Around The World - Maisie Chan Tales from Old Ireland - Maisie Chan Writing: A diary entry as an animal of Farthing Wood A report comparing the changes to our local environment over time A redraft of a sonnet to describe Farthing Wood |
Reading: The Wild Robot - Peter Brown Writing: A newspaper report on the local girl wonder (based on Firework Maker’s Daughter) |
Year 4
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: A British Boy, AD84 - So You Think You’ve Got it Bad: A Kid’s Life in Ancient Rome – Chae Strathie & Marisa Morea Olympic Poems: 100% Unofficial! – Brian Moses & Roger Stevens Writing: Description of a battlefield from a character’s perspective How to survive as a Roman Legionary |
Reading: The Orchards Book of Roman Myths - Geraldine McCaughrean The Romans: Gods, Emperors and Dormice – Marcia Williams Poetry: Revolting Rhymes Writing: Roman inspired myth |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: The Great Kapok Tree - Lynne Cherry Amazon Adventure: Unfolding Journeys – Stewart Ross & Jenny Sparks Poetry: We’re Roaming in the Rainforest Writing: Report on an endangered animal Description of the Amazon from a character’s perspective |
Reading: The Explorer – Katherine Rundell Tree of Wonder – Kate Messner Poetry: Where Zebras Go – Sue Hardy-Dawson Writing: A letter persuading action on deforestation A letter persuading local action on environmental issues |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: The Hero Twins – Jolley Dan & Witt David A range of fiction and non-fiction texts depicting Maya life Playscript - Starring Monkeys Writing: Diary writing |
Reading: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl Living in North and South America: The USA – Jen Green Poetry: Overheard in a Tower Block – Joseph Coelho & Kate Milner Writing: A newspaper report on Charlie winning the golden ticket |
Year 5
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: The Riddle of the Runes & The Way of the Waves - Janina Ramirez Texts on Anglo-Saxons and Vikings Poetry: Monster Poem Writing: Story opening set in a Viking village Narrative on board a Viking longship with a flashback to an event prior to the voyage A biography of Alfred the Great |
Reading: Street Child – Berlie Doherty You Wouldn't Want to be in a Victorian Mill! – John Mallam Happy Here - Theresa Lola Writing: Persuasive advert selling a ‘mechanimal’ inspired by Cogheart Diary entry from the perspective of Jim Jarvis in Street Child |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Grace Lin Non-chronological reports on Asian Countries Writing: Report exploring a chosen country in Asia Children to retell a traditional Chinese folktale |
Reading:
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Grace Lin Newspaper articles on a natural disaster Writing: Newspaper report on an earthquake in Tonga |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: The Thousand and One Nights – David Walser and Jan Pienkowski Amazing Muslims Who Changed the World – Burhana Islam Poetry: Ramadan Moon– Na’ima B. Robert Writing: Fiction pieces based on Ancient Islamic folktales from 1001 Nights Discussion text answering the question ‘Was the Islamic Golden Age really ‘golden’?’ |
Reading: The Tempest Biomes Writing: Explanation text linked to biomes
|
Year 6
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: Clockwork - Philip Pullman Egyptology: Search for the Tomb of Osiris - Emily Sands Egyptians / River Nile Poetry: Caribbean Dreams Writing: Describing settings based on 'Clockwork' Horror Story based on an Egyptian tomb |
Reading: The Hobbit – JRR Tolkein Saving Wildlife: Mountain Animals Poetry: The Raven - Edgar Allen Poe Writing: Report on Gollum Story based on the ‘Riddles in the Dark’ chapter of ‘The Hobbit’ |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading: War Horse - A day in the trench Writing: A descriptive piece about ‘Going over the top’ Report on the Trenches |
Reading: Blitz – Vince Home Again: Stories About Coming Home From War Holocaust poetry Writing: A descriptive piece about an air-raid Diary entry from an evacuee Letter describing life in the Blitz |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Reading:
Wonder - RJ Palacio Poetry: Matilda - Hilaire Belloc Writing: A letter to the Headteacher on a topic of children’s choice An essay analysing the greatest global challenge facing the world today |
Reading: Wonder - RJ Palacio Planet Earth trailer Caribbean Dozen – Poems from Thirteen Caribbean Poets Writing: Children to re-draft pieces from earlier in the year. |