English

At Southway Primary School, we believe it is vital to develop children’s knowledge and skills in English, promoting high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written word, and developing their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment.

Reading

We believe early literacy skills are best developed through talking, listening, singing, reading, playing and writing. Our aim is to develop a love of reading and ensure that our children want to pick up books. We aim to provide lots of reading opportunities and stimulation to draw children in and stir their imaginations. Building on the foundations of early reading using Letters and Sounds, our aim is to develop a lifelong love of reading in all our children. To this end, we endeavour to expose our children to a wide range of genres and authors, ensure they have the stamina and fluency to read at length and foster a curiosity about the use of language and the love of words.

Writing

Throughout their time at Southway Primary School, children will develop their writing skills by exploring a whole range of different genres, with a focus on exploring of models of excellence and using these to guide the drafting and editing process. We expect the highest standards of writing every time a child writes in any subject and we strive to develop a real enjoyment of writing, not just in English lessons but in all subjects across the curriculum. High quality learning environments support children in becoming enthusiastic and confident writers. We aim to provide interesting and purposeful opportunities to write, and celebrate the child’s interest and willingness to ‘have a go’ at writing.