English at Fawbert & Barnard’s

Intent

At Fawbert & Barnard’s, English sits at the heart of our vision of Learning for Life. We want every child to become a confident communicator who can express ideas, knowledge and emotions clearly and creatively, both through the spoken and written word.

Our curriculum is designed to help children grow into fluent readers, skilled writers and reflective thinkers. We place particular emphasis on vocabulary development, clear communication, and the ability to write for a wide range of audiences and purposes. As children move through the school, they develop increasing stamina, fluency and independence in their writing, supported by consistent teaching of grammar, punctuation and spelling.

Ultimately, our aim is that all pupils leave Fawbert & Barnard’s as capable, confident readers and writers who are ready for the demands of secondary school and equipped with skills they will carry into adult life.

Implementation

Early Reading – Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS)

Early reading is taught through the Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS) phonics programme, which provides a clear, systematic and synthetic approach to early reading. Children move through a carefully sequenced progression of phonemes and graphemes, learning to blend sounds to read words with increasing accuracy and confidence.

Fully decodable books, matched precisely to each child’s taught sounds, ensure that children apply phonics successfully in their reading. Daily phonics lessons, small-group teaching, targeted support and ongoing assessment ensure that all pupils make rapid progress.

ELS forms the foundation of our wider English curriculum and links directly to ELS Spelling, ensuring children experience continuity between early reading and later spelling.

Reading Across Years 2–6

As children move beyond early phonics, reading and writing are brought together through a core text approach. Each year group studies high-quality, rich literature that excites curiosity, deepens vocabulary, and provides strong models for reading and writing.

Reading lessons focus on developing comprehension through explicit teaching, structured discussion and exposure to challenging and diverse texts. Children learn how to retrieve information, infer meaning, explore authorial choices and reflect on character, theme and structure.

From Year 3 onwards, children also access Accelerated Reader, which helps match books to pupils’ reading levels and encourages regular independent reading. Children take quizzes, track their progress and celebrate milestones, supporting a culture where reading for pleasure is valued and enjoyed.

Daily class story time, a well-stocked library and the opportunity to take home both a banded book and a book of choice all strengthen our reading culture.

Writing Across the School – Talk for Writing

Writing at Fawbert & Barnard’s is taught through a consistent and structured sequence built on Talk for Writing (T4W). This approach helps children understand how effective writing is crafted and gives them the tools they need to become independent writers.

The process begins with imitation, where children internalise a model text through storytelling, drama and oral rehearsal. They explore the structure, vocabulary and language features that make it effective.

They then move into innovation, where they adapt the model with support—experimenting with grammar choices, vocabulary and ideas. This phase allows them to explore how writers shape their work for impact.

Finally, children progress to independent application, planning and writing their own original piece. By this stage, they draw on the tools, structures and techniques they have learned, writing with increasing confidence and control.

Writing is taught every day, with additional opportunities to write across the curriculum. Grammar and punctuation are taught in meaningful contexts so that children understand how to use them purposefully in their own work. Teacher modelling, shared writing and targeted support help all learners succeed.

At the end of each writing unit, pupils complete an independent write. Teachers use these outcomes to evaluate progress, identify strengths and next steps, and adapt planning for the next unit.

Spelling and Handwriting

Spelling across the school is taught using ELS Spelling, which aligns directly with our phonics programme. This provides a smooth transition from early reading to later spelling and allows children to build a secure understanding of spelling patterns and rules.

Handwriting is taught explicitly across KS1 and KS2 using LetterJoin, ensuring children develop fluent, legible handwriting that supports confidence and fluency in written work.

 

Impact

Assessment in English is ongoing and responsive. Teachers continually observe, question and review pupils’ work to understand what they know and what they need next. Misconceptions are addressed quickly, and teaching is adapted to ensure all pupils make strong progress.

Independent writes at the end of each unit give teachers valuable insight into how well children can apply their learning, and these outcomes directly inform the planning of subsequent units.

Formal assessments take place termly using our Writing Grids, which set out the key expectations for each year group. These assessments are recorded on Arbor, allowing teachers and leaders to track progress closely and plan targeted intervention where needed. Writing is also moderated across our academy trust to ensure accuracy and consistency.

By the end of Year 6, pupils write with confidence, clarity and creativity. They use ambitious vocabulary, apply grammar accurately and structure their writing for different purposes and audiences. They leave us able to edit and improve their own work, take pride in their writing and demonstrate resilience and independence—hallmarks of learners who are truly Learning for Life.