English

Meet the English Team

"When I read great literature, great drama, speeches, or sermons, I feel that the human mind has not achieved anything greater than the ability to share feelings and thoughts through language."       James Earl Jones

English sits at the heart of our curriculum because strong communication skills open the door to all learning. Through reading, writing, speaking and listening, children learn to express themselves clearly, explore new ideas and understand the world around them. A rich English curriculum helps pupils develop imagination, build confidence and enjoy the power of language. By nurturing these skills from an early age, we aim to give every child the tools they need to succeed across all subjects and to become thoughtful, articulate and enthusiastic learners for life.

Speaking and Listening Curriculum

At Fiddlers Lane, we recognise that language provides the foundation of thinking and learning and underpins the development of reading and writing.  We aim for children to be able to speak clearly, fluently and coherently, to be able to listen attentively with understanding, pleasure and empathy and contribute to group discussions effectively.   From Nursery, right through to Year 6, we place a great emphasis on creating a language rich environment, using stories and conversations to develop vocabulary and understanding.   ‘Book talk’ is woven into our curriculum in order to develop the quality of children’s spoken language – expanding their vocabulary and their understanding of both the spoken and written word. 

Writing Curriculum

The Fiddlers Lane writing curriculum is designed to provide a broad and balanced education that meets the needs of all children. It provides opportunities for children to develop as independent, confident and successful writers, with high aspirations, who know how to make a positive contribution to their community and the wider society.

Our intent is for all pupils – irrespective of their needs, abilities or background – to learn to write fluently, developing their own writer’s voice.  We aim to meet, and where possible exceed, the expectations laid out in the Early Learning Goals and National Curriculum, with pupils progressing appropriately across school. We recognise that spoken language underpins the development of Writing. The quality of language that pupils hear and speak is vital for developing their vocabulary and grammar and their understanding Writing.  We believe that children need to develop a secure knowledge-base in Literacy, which follows a clear pathway of progression as they advance through the primary curriculum. We believe that a secure basis in literacy skills is crucial to a high quality education and will give our children the tools they need to participate fully as a member of society.

We cultivate a love of Writing and communicating through vocabulary rich and high quality literature, using Ready Steady Write by Literacy Counts. By inspiring and developing an appreciation of our rich and varied literary heritage and providing meaningful and exciting provocations to write, we develop a habit of writing widely and often. We recognise the importance of nurturing a culture where children take pride in their Writing; can write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of contexts.