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English
The Seven Field’s approach to English is underpinned by a Book-Based and short text study approach to the curriculum built upon the foundations provided by Read, Write Inc and Ark. Across the school we use a wide range of texts as a stimulus for the high-quality teaching of reading and writing.
What we aim to achieve:
Our English curriculum is driven by the belief that high-quality literature is the key to unlocking potential. We aim to immerse students in a rich literary heritage, using a text-based approach where reading and writing are intrinsically linked.
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Coherence: We intend to remove the ceiling on achievement by exposing all children to ambitious vocabulary and complex sentence structures within the context of high-quality texts.
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Fluency & Foundation: We prioritize early reading through systematic synthetic phonics (Read, Write Inc), ensuring every child masters decoding quickly to become a fluent reader.
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Confidence: We aim to build writing stamina and confidence through low-stakes, high-engagement activities, fostering a culture where students identify as writers.
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Oracy & Vocabulary: We intend to close the vocabulary gap by explicitly teaching Tier 2 and Tier 3 words, ensuring students can articulate their thoughts clearly before committing them to paper.
How we achieve this:
Our curriculum is rigorous, consistent, and structured to support all learners, from Reception to Year 6.
Early Reading & Phonics:
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Reception to Year 2: We follow the Read, Write Inc (RWI) programme to teach phonics.
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Consolidation: Year 3 pupils (and those needing extra support) continue with RWI to ensure secure decoding skills.
The Writing Curriculum (Key Stage 1 & 2):
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Structure: Writing is taught daily for 40 minutes following the Ark scheme model. This ensures a consistent pedagogical approach where skills build cumulatively.
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Process: We utilise visual prompts and high-quality texts to generate ideas, model setting/character development, and enrich vocabulary.
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Presentation: We maintain high expectations; every lesson begins with the full date and learning objective, handwritten and underlined in UKS2.
Discrete Skills (The "Back of the Book"): To ensure technical accuracy does not impede creativity, core skills are taught discretely and recorded at the back of English books:
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Handwriting: Taught daily (10 mins) using Letter-join.
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Grammar: Taught daily (10 mins) to ensure explicit understanding of syntax.
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Dictation: Conducted every Friday (5-10 mins) to test the application of spelling and grammar rules in context.
Reading Comprehension (KS2):
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Daily Practice: Reading is taught for 30 minutes daily.
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Year 3/4: Follow the ark scheme.
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Year 5: Focus on set texts using the Reading Vipers approach (Vocabulary, Infer, Predict, Explain, Retrieve, Summarise).
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Year 6: Focus on analysing short texts to build stamina and precision for SATs.
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Intervention: Reading Plus is utilised across the week in KS2 to provide targeted intervention for individual areas of need.
What our outcome will look like:
The impact of our curriculum is seen in the confidence, competence, and creativity of our pupils.
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outcomes: By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils leave as fluent, enthusiastic readers who can access the secondary curriculum with ease.
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Transferable Skills: Students can write clearly, accurately, and coherently, adapting their language and style for a range of contexts, audiences, and purposes.
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Technical Accuracy: Regular discrete practice results in students who demonstrate legible, joined handwriting and a strong command of grammar and orthography.
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Engagement: Children speak with passion about books and authors. They view themselves as writers, unafraid to take risks and experiment with vocabulary.
Handwriting KS2
The school uses the Letterjoin handwriting programme to teach a clear, consistent, and progressive approach to handwriting. Letterjoin supports pupils to develop correct letter formation, joins, and spacing from the early stages through to fluent, cursive writing. The programme provides structured lessons and engaging resources that help children build fine motor control, confidence, and pride in their written work. By embedding consistent handwriting expectations across the school, Letterjoin enables pupils to write with increasing speed and accuracy, supporting high standards of presentation and allowing children to focus more effectively on the content of their writing.
Writing
Early Writing (EYFS + KS1)
As a school we understand the importance of preparing children to be writers. Fine motor activities are a crucial part of the beginnings of a child's school journey. Children explore in a variety of ways to strengthen fingers in preparation for writing. Dough disco is used from Pre-School to Year 2 to support the development of fine motor skills.
Children in the Early Years Foundation stage are given opportunities to mark make, including as part of tummy time, to encourage giving meaning to marks and forming shapes with tools. Children are exposed to real life texts e.g. books, lists, magazines, to inspire their early writing and mark making.
Before learning to write, children are supported to develop the language to share their ideas. Children in Reception will use Helicopter Stories, to share their own adventurous and act these to a group. Adults are able to support in building their language in a playful way, scribing these stories, before the children learn to put pencil to paper.
LKS2
The school follows the ARK English curriculum, which is ambitious, knowledge-rich, and carefully sequenced to ensure all pupils develop strong reading, writing, and spoken language skills. The curriculum is designed around high-quality texts that expose pupils to a wide range of genres, authors, and themes, building cultural capital and a love of literature. Vocabulary development is explicitly taught and revisited so that pupils are supported to understand and use ambitious language confidently.
Writing is taught through a clear and consistent structure, enabling pupils to understand how high-quality writing is constructed. Grammar and punctuation are explicitly taught and applied within purposeful writing tasks linked to the core texts. Teachers model writing effectively, and pupils are given regular opportunities to draft, edit, and improve their work. The curriculum ensures that all pupils, including those with additional needs, are supported and challenged to achieve high standards and make strong progress in English.
UKS2
Handwriting is taught daily for 10 minutes using the Letter-join resource, and grammar is also taught for a dedicated 10-minute slot each day. Additionally, a 5–10 minute dictation session takes place every Friday. All of these discrete activities—morning work, handwriting, grammar, and dictation—are to be recorded at the back of the students' English books to keep them separate from the main lesson content.
Our main writing lessons follow the Ark scheme and are delivered in 40-minute daily sessions. High standards of presentation are expected for every piece of work; specifically, each lesson must begin with the full date and learning objective, which should be handwritten and underlined at the top of the page.
Writing for Pleasure - Mini-Lessons Using Visual Stimuli
As part of our ongoing work to foster a love of writing across KS2, each class will deliver a short ‘Writing for Pleasure’ session once a term. These sessions will use images or short video clips as the central stimulus for writing.
The primary objective is to foster a genuine enjoyment of writing by using visual prompts to spark creativity, enrich vocabulary, and model how to develop complex settings and characters. By prioritising low-stakes, high-engagement activities, this approach aims to alleviate performance anxiety and build writing confidence, empowering students to experiment with ideas freely.
Reading
We have introduced the Big Cat Reading Scheme for our KS2 children and those who have graduated from the phonics programme in Year 2. These books offer a wide variety of genre and interest and match the children's reading levels so they can enjoy these books at home.
Lexia and Reading Plus are used within KS2 to support children with their reading. Lexia is being implemented in lower Key Stage 2 to support children with gaps in their reading knowledge and interventions are provided in a swift and timely manner. It allows us to keep track of our pupils and provide support for those who need it effectively.
LKS2
Reading is at the heart of the ARK English curriculum. Pupils are taught to read fluently, with strong comprehension skills, through structured lessons that focus on inference, retrieval, and critical thinking. Texts are studied in depth, allowing pupils to explore language, structure, and authorial intent. This approach supports pupils to make meaningful connections across their learning and prepares them well for future study.
UKS2
Reading instruction is allocated 30 minutes daily, with the approach tailored to the specific needs of each year group. Year 5 students focus on set texts using the Reading Vipers method, while Year 6 students study short texts in preparation for their SATs. To support this whole-class teaching, Reading Plus is used throughout the week across Key Stage 2 to target and support individual areas of need.
Reading Plus supports pupils to become confident, fluent, and motivated readers by developing the key skills needed for successful comprehension. The programme uses adaptive technology to assess each pupil’s reading ability and provides personalised texts and activities that target fluency, vocabulary, and understanding. By strengthening pupils’ reading stamina and accuracy, Reading Plus enables children to engage more deeply with a wide range of texts and to access learning across the curriculum. Regular use of the programme helps pupils to build independence, track their own progress, and develop positive reading habits, ensuring sustained improvement in reading outcomes for all learners.
Yearly overview
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Year group |
Term 1 |
Term 2 Poetry week. |
Term 3 |
Term 4 |
Term 5 |
Term 6 |
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Reception |
All are welcome here Peace at last Owl Babies Colour Monster Not a box! |
Pumpkin Soup The Queens Hat Stickman The enormous Turnip The jolly Christmas postman |
Whatever next Lost and Found One snowy night Man on the Moon Winter is here The Queens lift off |
Jack and the beanstalk Three Billy goats Ruby’s worry Busy day-Vet Busy people- firefighter Chicken Licken |
Handa’s surprise Handa’s Hen Giraffes can’t dance It’s ok to be different Cops and Robbers |
Commotion in the Ocean Sharing a shell Mermaids dream Pirates next door Pirates love underpants |
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Key vocabulary/ story language |
welcome, belong, individual, special, character, setting, beginning, middle, end |
map, Queen, palace, landmark, capital city, statue, plot, vegetables, fruit, healthy |
adventure, lonely, space travel, seasons, celebrations, Chinese New Year, traditions |
traditional tale, meadow, emotions, version |
rhyme, expression, setting, village, |
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Year 1 |
RWI Get writing Burglar Bill Can't You Sleep, Little Bear? The Owl and the Pussycat |
RWI Get writing Farmer Duck The bear and the Piano The Three Little Pigs |
RWI Get writing Beegu
The Gingerbread man |
RWI Get writing Giant jam Sandwich We're going on a monster hunt |
RWI Get writing Dogger
The town mouse and the country mouse When I Was Six (Milne Poem) |
RWI Get writing Tiddler Zog Where the wild things are |
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Genres of writing |
Wanted poster
Diary (as the little bear)
Poem |
Narrative (retell story)
Setting description
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Instructions (on how to get home)
Narrative (retelling) |
Instructions (sandwich)
Persuasive letter |
Character description (a loved toy they have)
Setting description (of town or country) |
Non-chronological report (dragons)
Instructions (how to teach a dragon to fly)
Narrative (create own story) |
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Key knowledge |
lower case & upper case letter formation capital letters & full stops capital letters for proper nouns write simple sentences re-read writing to an adult |
headings lower case & upper case letter formation, finger spaces recalling events in correct sequence write simple sentences write sentences to form a short narrative re-read writing to an adult |
co-ordinating conjunctions to join clauses re-read & edit writing (capital letters & full stops) re-read writing to an adult ascenders & descenders, finger spaces exclamation marks showing awareness of structural differences between fiction/non-fiction |
commands & imperative verbs subheadings to organise information fiction/non-fiction sequencing in chronological order co-ordinating & subordinating conjunctions to join clauses re-read & edit writing (capital letters & full stops) openers & conjunctions to indicate time & cause |
co-ordinating & subordinating conjunctions to join clauses questions demarcated correctly capital letters for proper nouns adjectives re-read & edit writing (question & exclamation marks, finger spaces) narrative device: speech showing awareness of structure for different purposes |
co-ordinating & subordinating conjunctions to join clauses re-read & edit writing (question & exclamation marks, finger spaces) facts & opinions openers & conjunctions to indicate time & cause sentences sequenced in a simple narrative structure, including speech |
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Year 2 |
RWI Get writing Dear Greenpeace. Zim Zam Zoom (poetry) |
RWI Get writing Fantastic Mr Fox |
RWI Get writing The Worst Witch |
RWI Get writing How To Train Your Dragon |
Akimbo and the Elephants (ARK unit) |
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Genres of writing |
Letter (to Emily or a reply)
Non-chronological report (whales)
Persuasive letter (planet)
Poetry (fireworks)
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Setting description
Character description
Newspaper report |
Setting description
Narrative
Letter |
Non-Chronological report
Diary |
Persuasive letter (pet dragon)
Instructions
Narrative |
Biography
Dialogue
Persuasive writing |
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Key knowledge |
recording ideas simply & clearly co-ordinating conjunctions to join clauses edit & revise own writing: redrafting for correct finger spacing persuasion: rhetorical questions, 'power of 3' description: sensory (Onomatopoeia) |
adjectives & nouns: noun phrases subordinating conjunctions to join clauses edit & revise own writing: proof-reading for capital letters & full stops fiction/non-fiction formal & informal language present & past tense Commas in a list |
adjectives & nouns: noun phrases sequence sentences into simple, coherent narrative vocabulary choice for impact selecting appropriate conjunctions to join clauses edit & revise own writing: proof-reading for capital letters & full stops, including capital letters for proper nouns |
direct speech sequence sentences into simple, coherent narrative cohesion: heading, subheadings, conjunctions, awareness of paragraphs edit & revise own writing: proof-reading for punctuation errors |
adjectives & nouns: noun phrases showing awareness of adapting structure to suit purpose making vocabulary choices appropriate to audience edit & revise own writing: editing language choice showing awareness of paragraphs imperative verbs |
prepositions and prepositional phrases making vocabulary choices appropriate to audience time openers direct speech punctuation & synonyms for said showing awareness of paragraphs adjectives & nouns: noun phrases |
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Year 3 (ARK) |
The BFG- Roald Dahl Narrative (suspense story opening from character's perspective)
Narrative (suspenseful character and setting description)
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Cloud Busting by Malorie Blackman Diary entry (recount)
Informal letter
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The Queen’s nose Dick King Smith
Non-chronological report
Persuasive advert
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Fearless Fairy Tales and Grimms Fairy Tales
Narrative (fairy-tale)
Narrative (fairy tale)
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The wild Robot by Peter Brown
Diary entry
Biography
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Odysseus
Narrative (myth)
Narrative (myth)
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Key knowledge |
first & third person 'show not tell' to portray emotion fronted adverbials variety of sentence lengths co-ordinating & subordinating conjunctions singular & multi-clause sentences cohesion: thematic paragraphs & sentence openers |
formal & informal language cohesion: thematic, chronological paragraphs past tense argument/debate sentence structure fronted adverbials conjunctions rhetorical questions oracy: perform own writing aloud - tone, volume, expression |
technical vocabulary facts & opinions summarise information present tense first, second & third person multi-clause sentences: co-ordinating & subordinating conjunctions cohesion: paragraphs, subheadings persuasion: noun phrases, alliteration, repetition, 'power of 3', rhetorical questions, commands & imperatives, emotive language |
plot-types & narrative arcs traditional & modern language & devices comparative language propose changes to an author's writing description: characters & settings bullet points edit for cohesion, accuracy & content dialogue & powerful verbs to move action forwards |
first person & third person narrative device: foreshadowing effective verbs, onomatopoeia & repetition facts, opinions & questions effective verbs nouns & pronouns cohesion: chronological paragraphs, fronted adverbials, commas for lists present perfect tense summarise information
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Sequence & summarise key events 'quest' story structure nouns, adjectives & expanded noun phrases punctuate direct speech grammatical devices for effect oracy: perform own writing aloud - tone, volume, expression |
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Grammar |
Simple sentences Tense |
Tense Pronouns Capital letters |
Fronted Adverbials Compound sentences |
Compound sentences |
Listing (commas) Complex sentences |
Complex sentences Direct Speech Apostrophes |
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Year 4 (ARK) |
Charlottes Webb by EB White
Informal persuasive letter
Formal persuasive letter
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Varjak Paw by SF Said
Narrative (build-up & problems)
Narrative (build-up & problems)
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The explorer by Katherine Rundell
Diary entry |
The explorer by Katherine Rundell
Narrative (adventure story) |
The boy at the back of the class by Onjali Rauf
Journalistic Writing
Formal persuasive letter
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Race to the frozen north by Katherine Johnson
Narrative (adventure story)
Discursive essay
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Key knowledge |
persuasion: rhetorical questions, emotive language, repetition, exaggeration, 'power of 3', 2nd person express & justify opinions adapting formality to suit audience varying sentence types (statement, command, question) cohesion: pronouns, synonyms, conjunctions, adverbs, paragraphs |
dialogue & description-build tension figurative language narrative device: foreshadowing integrated dialogue to advance the action: verbs, adverbs, punctuation adapting language to suit protagonist description to reflect character perspective
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description: personification selecting vocabulary & grammatical devices for impact prepositions & prepositional phrases multi-clauses: main, subordinate, embedded cohesion: fronted adverbials, conjunctions, topic sentences, paragraphs |
poetic devices - spine poem description: powerful adjectives/verbs, determiners & auxilary verbs underlying structure grammatical devices for effect vocabulary choice, synonyms multi-sensory, locational writing plot & write narrative in full |
authorial intent & journalist bias journalistic language note-taking from sources summarise information open/closed questions formal & concise language direct speech: reporting clause & punctuation cohesion: lead paragraphs, pyramid structure |
poetic devices - spine poem multi-sensory, locational writing selecting grammatical devices to create atmosphere adverbs and fronted adverbials subordination underlying structure editing for cohesion & flow presenting balanced arguments in logical order |
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Grammar |
Simple sentences Tense |
Determiners Prepositions Apostrophes/Possessive Pronouns |
Compound sentences Complex sentences |
Fronted adverbials Complex sentences Direct Speech |
Standard and Non-Standard English |
Nouns and Expanded Noun Phrases |
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Year 5 |
Beowolf |
Riddle of the Runes
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The girl who stole the elephant |
The girl who stole the elephant
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The Closest Thing To Flying by Gill Lewis (ARK) |
Cogheart by Peter Bunzi (ARK) |
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Narrative
Narrative |
Diary
Non-Chronological Report |
Narrative
Narrative |
Biography
Persuasive Speech |
Narrative
Narrative |
Journalistic Writing
Discursive essay |
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Key Vocabulary |
poetic devices - epic poem description to create atmosphere: alliteration, sensory language, simile, personification, onomatopoeia, alliteration narrative device: antagonist, epic hero selecting grammatical devices for impact |
first & third person cohesion: linked, thematic paragraphs adverbs nouns and pronouns for clarity and cohesion facts & opinions bullet points for note taking concise language to summarise |
inverted commas to punctuate direct speech fronted adverbials punctuated by a comma consistent tense description: figurative language, expanded noun phrases, multi-sensory vocabulary choice |
apostrophes for possession & contraction first, second & third person persuasion: range of sentence structures, emotive language cohesion: thematic paragraphs & subheadings, adverbials consistent tense formal & informal language |
cohesion: adverbials of time, place & cause, commas for clarity varying clause structure for effect description: prepositional phrases & expanded noun phrases direct speech: embedded clauses, reporting clause, punctuation, verbs & adverbs for effect |
cohesion: adverbials of time, place & cause adapting tense appropriately, paragraphs, pronouns & synonyms adapting formality to suit the audience editing for cohesion & flow facts & opinions direct & reported speech
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Grammar |
Direct Speech & Indirect Speech |
Tense Relative Clauses |
Conjunctions to express time/cause Cohesion within and between paragraphs |
Adverbs and modal verbs to indicate Degrees of Possibility Punctuation: commas, brackets, dashes, hyphens, colons |
Punctuation: semi-colons, colons and dashes Suffixes and Prefixes |
Formal vocabulary and structure Subjunctive form |
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Year 6 |
Holes
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Wonder
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Letters from the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll |
Windrush by Benjamin Zephaniah |
Shakespeare - Macbeth |
Shackleton’s Journey |
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Genres of writing |
Journal entry
Narrative - Retell a scene ’
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Non-Chronological report
Persuasive Letter
Cold Write: Persuasive Letter (to Mr Hughes)
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Historical narrative
Narrative (a unique version of finding an item)
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Counter argument
Cold write: Non-Chronological report on WW2 |
Poetry (free verse)
TV interview and media presentation (p197)
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Letter narrative Instructional writing Biography of the author
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Key Knowledge |
direct speech: inverted commas, reporting clauses, adverbs description: similes, metaphors, personification, expanded noun phrases: conjunctions, narrative device: create atmosphere through description & sentence length persuasion: emotive language, rhetorical questions, second person, personal anecdote |
description: figurative language, multi-sensory vocabulary cohesion: pronouns, synonyms, adverbials of time & place narrative device: integrate dialogue to convey character, adapting register to suit character & selecting appropriate grammatical structures & vocabulary (eg - contractions) modal verbs to suggest degrees of possibility cohesion bullet points for note-taking, concise language to summarise information |
poetic devices: personification, repetition selecting appropriate register (ie speech vs narrator) use verb tenses consistently throughout writing direct speech: reporting clauses, adverbial phrases, inverted commas, embedded clauses cohesion: topic sentences narrative device: integrate dialogue to advance action, select vocabulary & register to convey character passive verbs to present information modal verbs to suggest degrees of possibility |
select appropriate devices for purpose & audience demonstrate control over levels of formality by adapting grammar & vocabulary appropriately use punctuation for effect: semi-colons, dashes, colons, hyphens, apostrophes, commas, brackets description: 'show not tell' narrative device: internal monalogue to convey character |
all previously taught devices applied to a range of audiences and purposes draw independently from the work of other authors make appropriate punctuation & grammar choices based on all KS2 taught devices, based on what he audience & purpose requires
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Grammar |
Revision of prior knowledge: determiners, word classes (incl verbs and fronted averbials), expanded noun phrases, prepositions, contractions, possessive apostrophe, coordinating conjunctions hyphens. |
Relative clauses Modal verbs Synonyms/antomyms Progressive tenses Past perfect tense Active and passive Colons Standard English Suffixes- nouns/adj/verbs Adverbs to indicate degrees of possibility Direct speech Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis |
Poessive apostrophes Formal/informal vocabulary and text structure Present perfect verb form Appropriate choice of pronouns/nouns for cohesion Punctuation: semi-colon, colon & dashes Punctuation: bullet points Punctuation: hyphens for clarity Subjunctive form |
Revise: Punctuation to demarcate clauses Tense - verb form Informal/formal vocabulary choice Punctuation: apostrophes (all uses) Punctuation: hyphens Synonyms/antonyms Prefixes/suffixes to convert words |
Revise: Relative clauses Conjunctions to express time/place/cause Verbs, Adverbs & Fronted Adverbials Direct speech Present perfect verb form Synonyms/antonyms |
Revise: Cohesive devices within and between paragraphs, including appropriate choice of pronouns/nouns for cohesion Punctuation to demaracate clauses Punctuation: semi-colon, colon & dashes Passive form Punctuation: apostrophes |
