English Curriculum Intent

At Phoenix Community Primary School, we follow the New National Curriculum Guidance using a topic-based approach to learning which helps to immerse our children in relevant, exciting themes that will stimulate their imagination. Each topic is underpinned by a range of high-quality fiction and non-fiction texts selected by our staff to allow our children to become absorbed by the written-word and generate their own passionate, thoughtful and well-structured writing across a range of different genres. As mirrored in the other subjects across our curriculum, lessons at Phoenix have a heavy basis in oracy (talk), as we believe communication and language proficiency underpins all other areas of learning and that good literacy is dependent on a securely developed understanding of spoken language, vocabulary and listening comprehension skills. At all stages, reading and phonics are prioritised to ensure our children are able to access information, education and life beyond their primary schooling because this is what they need to be successful and happy.

Our English curriculum heavily prioritises:

• Early and secure literacy skills centred around rich language development and oracy (expression through speech)
• Reading and phonics, because this is what our pupils need
• Creativity at both a content and grammatical/structural level
• The use of subject specific vocabulary to embed understanding and knowledge