English
English at Ellingham
Phonics approach and early reading- Sounds Write
At Ellingham, we value reading as a key life skill and are dedicated to enabling our pupils to become fluent, lifelong readers. Children are supported to achieve this through our phonics programme, Sounds-Write. Reading for pleasure is also woven into life at Ellingham to promote a love of this vital skill.
In Key Stage 1, children will spend two weeks recognising different spellings of a particular sound. For example, the /ae/ sound can be spelt <ai> (rain), <ay> (play), <ea> (great) or with the split spelling <a_e> (gate). They do this through activities such as word building or sound reviews.
Children then spend the following two weeks reading the sound during guided reading activities. After a two week break, they will practise retrieving the different spellings for the sound through sentence dictations. Following that, the books they have read in school will be sent home as their weekly reading book.
Follow this link to learn more about Sounds Write.
Reading for Pleasure
If you can encourage your child to read for pleasure, they will really reap the benefits. It might not seem like a particularly important task, but actually, research shows that reading for pleasure can be directly linked to children’s success throughout their time at school and even into adulthood. Reading for pleasure opens up new worlds for children. It gives them the opportunity to use their imagination to explore new ideas, visit new places and meet new characters.
We are committed to encouraging children to read for pleasure at Ellingham. Our Library is open during lunchtimes for pupils to relax and enjoy a book and classes read with the children daily. Reading is integral to our curriculum and underpin all that we do. You can find out more about how to promote reading for pleasure in the section below and via the handouts from our parent workshop this year.
Active Reading
Comprehension at Ellingham Primary School is delivered through our Active Reading lessons. These lessons are built around high quality, language-rich texts that are dissected through questioning and discussion. Each lesson focuses on a specific reading skill and commence with instructional teaching followed by a written comprehension activity. Texts are chosen through links to English or other curriculum areas, and lessons are planned to ensure the majority of children can access the learning. Standard English is modelled by teachers to ensure our children learn the correct forms of spoken English and they are encouraged to use these when speaking in class.
Writing
At Ellingham, through engagement with high quality texts and well-planned, small step lessons, we aim to develop writers who have the skills and confidence to express themselves, both verbally and on paper. Through our broad and balanced curriculum, we endeavour to ensure all of our children, regardless of their circumstances, are inspired by the works of great writers, who reflect our community. You can find our whole school text map below to see which texts we study across the school.
Throughout our English curriculum, there is a strong link to reading. At Ellingham, we encourage all children to read for pleasure and to immerse themselves in the different worlds that books provide.
Helping your child at home
Reading
There is an integral link between the ability to read and the ability to write. Research suggests that if a child is read to daily, they will have heard approximately 296,660 words by the time they are 5 years old. This ability to recall and understand language helps a child to use and apply this in their writing.
To support your child at home:
Please read daily with your child, allow them to read for pleasure and avoid asking lots of different questions.
Allow your child to choose books that they find interesting and they want to read as this will encourage them to read for pleasure.
Read to your child, so that they hear a model for reading.
Visit your local library so that children are exposed to a range of text types.
Find a comfortable place to read so that it becomes an exciting and safe space for your child to explore a text.
Use the links below for great ebooks to give your child a different way to enjoy reading.
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/english-games/5-7-years/letters-and-sounds
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zv48q6f
https://monkeypen.com/pages/free-childrens-books
Writing
Within writing, there are also the transcriptional skills of spelling and handwriting. These are equally as important as these tools enable children to become flourishing writers.
To support your child at home:
Encourage your child to 'have a go' at spelling a new word.
Make sure your child uses and applies their phonics or a spelling rule as they try to spell a word.
Ask children to write down the words that they need to remember how to spell.
Practise your child’s spellings with them regularly.
Encourage your child to practise their correct letter formation when writing.
Try to correct your child’s pencil grip or letter formation if they are incorrect as this will build better habits.
Play games with your child that encourages them to both spell and correctly form words.
Use the links below for some games to give your child a different way to enjoy learning.
https://www.spellingcity.com/spelling-games-vocabulary-games.html
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/supporting-spelling-at-home/
Ideas for encouraging your child to read for pleasure 2.docxTalking about reading sheet for parents.docxHow to read a story to your child.docxWriting policy 2023-24.pdfReading and phonics 2022-23.pdf