English and Communication

At Great Linford Primary School we are committed to helping every child succeed, whatever their background or ability. We want to create a safe, happy, healthy and supportive atmosphere where children can love life, learning and play.

​We aim to offer our pupils rich and exciting English curriculum that will help them to become confident communicators and prepare them for the challenges that they will face in life.  We have devised a writing curriculum that engages all students through a Talk for Writing approach with texts that are rich and rewarding.

For any support with grammatical terminology, statutory spelling lists or our handwriting scheme, click on the links below:  

Writing

Our students are taught writing using the Talk for Writing approach using a range of quality texts that inspire and engage.  All our texts are linked to the children's project work and the children will visit each text type through a coherent and carefully mapped curriculum. Whilst being engrossed in rich books the children also learn the building blocks of writing: grammar, punctuation, spellings and comprehension.

Confident Voice Society

Our Confident Voice Society celebrates students that speak with clarity and in Standard English. We believe that all students should have the right to be heard and encourage the children to join in with debate and discussion and have their opinions valued. To become a member students must show their class teacher that they:
  • Speak with volume
  • Use Standard English
  • Show outstanding manners
  • Join in with discussion
  • Speak clearly and carefully 

Writer of the Half Term 
January 2020

Well done Seren (Year 3 - Mr Jenkins). Your writing has been consistently good with high quality language and punctuation being used. "I've been very impressed with how she is able to make corrections and is always trying to see if she can up-level her language. "

Handwriting

Cursive handwriting is taught to all pupils from EYFS through to Year 6. All pupils are taught to join letters using the Think Write scheme. The scheme is inspired by challenges children face when learning to write and is breaks down the skill of handwriting into simple, bite-sized chinks. The scheme uses images and rhymes to encourage children to join their letters whilst teachers provide 1:1 support for students who require additional support. 

Buddy Readers

Sitting and leisurely enjoying a good book is something that many of us take for granted. We encourage all of our children to read each day and bring their journal to class. However, our Buddy Reading volunteers in Year 6 read each day with students from Years 1 and 2 provide additional support in a calm and caring manner. The volunteers have undergone training in how to ask questions and even keep track on how the pupils are progressing over the term. 



Cross Curricular Writing
January 2020​ 

Cross-curricular writing is always on show and evident at Great Linford Primary School. Below are some examples of our finished work in science and project lessons which are now proudly on display around the school.

Assessment of Writing

Writing is internally moderated each half term by the class teachers. This process allows the child's next steps to be plotted and ensures that no child is left behind. It is expected that each child will be 'working at' (WA) the expected level for their year group by the end of the academic year. However, all children are different and will make progress at different rates. The terminology used by our staff is as follows:
  • Working below the expected standard (WB)
  • Working towards the expected standard (WT)
  • Working at the expected standard (WA)
  • Working at greater depth (GD)
Click on the links below to see the expectations for each year group. Your class teacher will be happy to support you with any provision you may wish to provide at home or answer any questions you may have. 

Our English Provision

We believe in a broad and balanced approach to English lessons in which the core grammar, punctuation and spelling rules are embedded within an exciting and stimulating text-based approach. Click on the links below to see what your child is learning and when. 

Inclusion 

Awards and Commendations
English is taught in mixed ability classes or groups throughout the school. Work is differentiated by task, additional resources, outcome and/or adult support.  Children who have a EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) may receive 1:1 or small group support from a teaching assistant during the lesson, depending on their specific needs. Some children are also taught additional phonics with trained learning support assistants (LSA's) who deliver the ‘Read, Write, Inc’ synthetic phonics programme. The aim of these groups is for children to make rapid progress in order to catch up with their peers.  Children who speak English as an additional language and are at the early stages of learning English may also receive small group or 1:1 support outside of the English lesson.
Well done to Thurab Sharifi, Year 6. His poem 'Hidden Messages' has been published in an online anthology celebrating the work of Bletchley Park and the Code breakers during WW2. Click on the link (above) to see a copy of his work.

Useful Links

Literacy Trust - Words for Life