Intent

At Cedars Manor School, we strongly believe that reading and writing is at the heart of a high-quality English curriculum. Through teaching English, we equip children with key life skills to communicate effectively. Language is fundamental to making meaning and expressing our views and opinions, so it is crucial for children to learn to communicate fluently in both spoken and written form. Our curriculum develops a love of reading and lifelong learning for all pupils. To ensure all pupils develop confidence in spoken language, we have a separate focus on oracy. 

Implementation

Phonics & Early Reading

Phonics, synthetic and systemic, creates a key foundation to early reading. In EYFS and KS1, we use a programme called Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised. All teaching staff are trained to deliver this programme, using resources specifically provided for this rigorous scheme. Daily phonics sessions, interventions and books carefully matched to individual phonics understanding, enables pupils to rapidly become confident readers. 

Reading Skills

Reading skills are taught daily. Our prompt, ‘VIPERS’ - Vocabulary, Infer, Predict, Explain, Retrieve, Sequence (KS1)/Summarise (KS2) supports child focused on 6 core reading comprehension skills. Comprehension skills are taught in a variety of ways and across subjects throughout the school. A range of high-quality texts and authors are chosen to study throughout the year. Oral and written work is based on shared texts in their English lessons. This supports the pupils to experience a wide range of texts and different genres across each year.

Wider reading opportunities are encouraged across a range of events and activities to promote a love of reading. Author visits, library time, story time, World Book Day and our Book Vending Machine, all promote a love of reading and excitement among the pupils. 

Writing

Through our writing curriculum, children will be exposed to a rich, diverse range of genres. We believe writing is a vital and lifelong skill that can open many more doors and possibilities in the future. All children have access to high quality stimuli which ensures each child is taught the skills required to write clearly, accurately and coherently. Through quality first teaching and regular assessment, each child’s needs are met to ensure they reach their full potential.

The writing curriculum is carefully planned, sequenced and assessed to ensure pupils retain and build on their knowledge and skills year on year. We provide children with the opportunity to revisit previously taught genres of writing and build upon them, allowing pupils to make connections between concepts.

At Cedars Manor, we provide exciting writing opportunities and experiences that engage and challenge our children. We guide and nurture each individual on their own personal journey to develop the skills needed to be a successful writer.

Impact

As we believe that reading is key to all learning, the impact of our reading curriculum goes beyond the result of statutory assessments, to develop a love of reading and learning. Pupils thrive from the reading curriculum, sharing insights and understanding with each other. All children take a reading book home each day and share this reading with others. We aim to promote confident, fluent writers. Ensuring that the written work is read by someone else and frequently ‘published’ in school, adds meaning to their writing. Assessing their own work against the success criteria continues to raise standards at Cedars Manor.