English
Curriculum Overview Key Stage 1 & 2
Year 1
Phonics
The school uses the Letters and Sounds DfE approved scheme. This is a systematic scheme and uses synthetic phonics.
Reading
- Match graphemes for all phonemes
- Read accurately by blending sounds
- Read words with very common suffixes
- Read contractions & understand purpose
- Read phonics books aloud
- Link reading to own experiences
- Join in with predictable phrases
- Discuss significance of title & events
- Make simple predictions
Writing
- Name letters of the alphabet
- Spell very common ‘exception’ words
- Spell days of the week
- Use very common prefixes & suffixes
- Form lower case letters correctly
- Form capital letters & digits
- Compose sentences orally before writing
- Read own writing to peers or teachers
Grammar
- Leave spaces between words
- Begin to use basic punctuation: . ? !
- Use capital letters for proper nouns.
- Use common plural & verb suffixes
Speaking & Listening
- Listen & respond appropriately
- Ask relevant questions
- Maintain attention & participate
Year 2
Reading
- Develop phonics until decoding secure
- Read common suffixes
- Read & re-read phonic-appropriate books
- Read common ‘exception’ words
- Discuss & express views about fiction, non-fiction & poetry
- Become familiar with & retell stories
- Ask & answer questions; make predictions
- Begin to make inferences
Writing
- Spell by segmenting into phonemes
- Learn to spell common ‘exception’ words
- Spell using common suffixes, etc.
- Use appropriate size letters & spaces
- Develop positive attitude & stamina for writing
- Begin to plan ideas for writing
- Record ideas sentence-by-sentence
- Make simple additions & changes after proof-reading
Grammar
- Use . ! ? , and ’
- Use simple conjunctions
- Begin to expand noun phrases
- Use some features of standard English
Speaking & Listening
- Articulate & Justify answers
- Initiate & respond to comments
- Use spoken language to develop understanding
Year 3
Reading
- Use knowledge to read ‘exception’ words
- Read range of fiction & non-fiction
- Use dictionaries to check meaning
- Prepare poems & plays to perform
- Check own understanding of reading
- Draw inferences & make predictions
- Retrieve & record information from non-fiction books
- Discuss reading with others
Writing
- Use prefixes & suffixes in spelling
- Use dictionary to confirm spellings
- Write simple dictated sentences
- Use handwriting joins appropriately
- Plan to write based on familiar forms
- Rehearse sentences orally for writing
- Use varied rich vocabulary
- Create simple settings & plot
- Assess effectiveness of own and others’ writing
Grammar
- Use range of conjunctions
- Use perfect tense
- Use range of nouns & pronouns
- Use time connectives
- Introduce speech punctuation
- Know language of clauses
Speaking & Listening
- Give structured descriptions
- Participate activity in conversation
- Consider & evaluate different viewpoints
Year 4
Reading
- Secure decoding of unfamiliar words
- Read for a range of purposes
- Retell some stories orally
- Discuss words & phrases that capture the imagination
- Identify themes & conventions
- Retrieve & record information
- Make inferences & justify predictions
- Recognise a variety of forms of poetry
- Identify & summarise ideas
Writing
- Correctly spell common homophones
- Increase regularity of handwriting
- Plan writing based on familiar forms
- Organise writing into paragraphs
- Use simple organisational devices
- Proof-read for spelling & punctuation errors
- Evaluate own and others’ writing
- Read own writing aloud
Grammar
- Use wider range of conjunctions
- Use perfect tense appropriately
- Select pronouns and nouns for clarity
- Use & punctuate direct speech
- Use commas after front adverbials
Speaking & Listening
- Articulate & justify opinions
- Speak audibly in Standard English
- Gain, maintain & monitor interest of listeners
Year 5
Reading
- Apply knowledge of morphology & etymology when reading new words
- Reading & discuss a broad range of genres & texts
- Identifying & discussing themes
- Make recommendations to others
- Learn poetry by heart
- Draw inference & make predictions
- Discuss authors’ use of language
- Retrieve & present information from non-fiction texts.
- Formal presentations & debates
Writing
- Secure spelling, inc. homophones, prefixes, silent letters, etc.
- Use a thesaurus
- Legible, fluent handwriting
- Plan writing to suit audience & purpose
- Develop character, setting and atmosphere in narrative
- Use organisational & presentational features
- Use consistent appropriate tense
- Proof-reading
- Perform own compositions
Grammar
- Use expanded noun phrases
- Use modal & passive verbs
- Use relative clauses
- Use commas for clauses
- Use brackets, dashes & commas for parenthesis
Speaking & Listening
- Give well-structured explanations
- Command of Standard English
- Consider & evaluate different viewpoints
- Use appropriate register
Year 6
Reading
- Read a broad range of genres
- Recommend books to others
- Make comparisons within/across books
- Support inferences with evidence
- Summarising key points from texts
- Identify how language, structure, etc. contribute to meaning
- Discuss use of language, inc. figurative
- Discuss & explain reading, providing reasoned justifications for views
Writing
- Use knowledge of morphology & etymology in spelling
- Develop legible personal handwriting style
- Plan writing to suit audience & purpose; use models of writing
- Develop character & setting in narrative
- Select grammar & vocabulary for effect
- Use a wide range of cohesive devices
- Ensure grammatical consistency
Grammar
- Use appropriate register/ style
- Use the passive voice for purpose
- Use features to convey & clarify meaning
- Use full punctuation
- Use language of subject/object
Speaking & Listening
- Use questions to build knowledge
- Articulate arguments & opinions
- Use spoken language to speculate, hypothesise & explore
- Use appropriate register & language
Learn and teach the grammar and punctuation concepts required for Key Stage 2 in a fun and engaging way.
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