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 and supportive atmosphere where children achieve high standards and a life-long love of learning. We 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 in a modern world. We have devised a writing curriculum that engages all students through a Talk for Writing approach with texts that are rich, challenging and representative of modern multi-cultural Britain. For information regarding phonics using our Read, Write, Inc. scheme please click HERE

Parent Support and Resources

We run parent workshops in all areas of the English curriculum in addition to lesson visits and learning open mornings. We believe that for children to be fluent, expressive and accurate communicators parents should have the tools to support the work of the school in ways that they feel appropriate. Below are parent knowledge organisers alongside the statutory spelling lists to support families at home. 

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.

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 chunks. 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. 

Making Handwriting Fun 

Writer of the Half Term 
November  2020


​Well done to Ariana (Y1CF) for being selected as this months writing superstar. Your teacher was very proud of the way you wrote your sentences by sounding out each word and using your finger spaces.

Congratulations and keep up the great work!

Home Learning Activities


  • Share letters and postcards
  • Read books to, and with, them that are at a higher level than their own reading to expose them to ambitious vocabulary and complex sentence structure.
  • Praise your child’s efforts at writing – it’s not an easy thing to do!  Focus on a word they spelt correctly, neat handwriting, a good describing word or good use of punctuation. Remember, it is difficult to get everything right when you are learning.

Writing Expectations 

Children are assessed on their writing termly with children's work moderated both internally and externally. At the end of each key stage the children are awarded a level: working towards the expected standard; working at the expected standard and working at greater depth. The expectations are available to view below:

Marking and Feedback

At GLPS we believe that feedback is an important part of mastering the curriculum. The purposes of marking are to move children forward, encourage high standards and ensure that misconceptions are addressed.
 
In English (writing) a colour coded system is used alongside marking codes (gold (yellow) highlighter shows where the children has met the learning objective whilst green highlighter indicates areas that need ‘growing’. Where appropriate, teachers will mark work alongside the child as this conversation provides valuable next steps. 

Inclusion 

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 (LSAs) 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.

Writing, Communication and Language within EYFS

Communication and language forms one of the three key areas of the EYFS curriculum; this is divided into three key areas. These include:
1. Listening and attention
2. Understanding (words and sentences)
3. Speaking

Writing is taught in many creative ways to promote gross and fine motor skills. Over time, children apply their phonetical knowledge to write words in ways which match their spoken sounds, forming words and sentences.  


Awards and Commendations

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.