Our Intent

At Parkgate Primary School, we believe that English is fundamental to children’s academic success, personal growth, and future lives. Confident speaking, fluent reading, precise writing, and strong listening skills enable pupils not only to engage with the curriculum, but to function effectively in society.

Our English curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Read easily, fluently, and with a good understanding.

• Develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information.

• Acquire a rich vocabulary, understanding of grammar, and knowledge of linguistic / language conventions for spoken, written and read English.

• Appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage.

• Write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences.

• Use discussion to learn: to ask questions, clarify, explain ideas and understanding.

• Are competent in speaking and listening; able to present formally, take part in debate and discussion.

Our Implementation

Reading

• Guided Reading is taught regularly, using evidence‑based frameworks to develop key skills: vocabulary, inference, prediction, explanation, retrieval, and summarising/explaining meaning.

• We provide age‑appropriate, levelled reading material linked to National Curriculum expectations. For younger children, phonics‑based books aligned to their phonics teaching; for older children, levelled texts after they have been benchmarked. 

• We promote reading for pleasure: daily read‑alouds, classroom libraries, reading spaces, topic‑linked books, carefully selected reading spines for each year group that include different genres, diversity and poetry and opportunities to discuss favourite texts.

• Assessment: regular running records, benchmarking, teacher assessment to track progress, identify gaps, and support intervention when needed.

Phonics & Early Literacy

• We use a high quality synthetic phonics programme in EYFS and Key Stage 1, following Department for Education guidance.

• Phonics is taught in small ability groups with frequent assessment to ensure appropriate grouping and timely interventions.

Writing

• Teaching writing through a text‑based approach: working with rich and varied model texts to explore structure, style, vocabulary and audience.

• Writing tasks planned across genres, purposes, and audiences; cross‑curricular links used where appropriate to make writing meaningful and context rich.

• Emphasis on drafting, editing, proof‑reading: pupils are taught to plan, practise, revise and improve their writing.

• Spelling, grammar, punctuation explicitly taught, with regular practise, with expectations matched to National Curriculum standards.

Spoken Language

• Opportunities for pupils to speak, listen, present, debate throughout the curriculum.

• Formal presentation skills are taught, as are discussion skills (explaining ideas, using discussion to deepen understanding).

• Oracy is integrated: role‑play, collaborative learning, talk partners, whole‑class discussion.

Assessment & Monitoring

• Teacher assessment: ongoing formative assessment in all year groups to track pupils’ progress in reading, writing, speaking and listening against National Curriculum expectations.

• Summative assessments: periodic moderation, benchmarking to ensure consistent standards.

• KS1 teacher assessment frameworks: although some end of key stage assessments are non‑statutory, we will use these frameworks to monitor progress and inform parents.

• Use of data to identify children who need additional support (catch‑up, interventions) and those who are ready for greater challenge.

Impact & Outcomes

By the time children leave Parkgate Primary School, we aim that they will:

• Be confident, fluent readers who enjoy reading and are able to understand, analyse and critique a range of texts.

• Be writers who can express themselves clearly and appropriately for different audiences and purposes.

• Have a broad, rich vocabulary and strong command of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

• Be effective communicators: able to articulate their ideas, participate in discussion, debate and presentations.

• Have the literacy skills needed for secondary school and beyond, to enable them to fully access future opportunities and be active, engaged citizens.