Curriculum Intent

At Harcourt Primary School, our intention is to instil a life-long love of reading in all our pupils regardless of ability or background. We believe that the ability to read is essential for our children and helps them to access and fully engage with the wider curriculum. Our ambitious Reading curriculum is planned as a progression of skills taught daily from the first week in Year R. Skills learned are built upon each year to develop children’s reading along with high levels of communication, language skills, vocabulary, attentive listening skills and oracy.

We know that leaving Harcourt Primary School as a confident, reflective reader will significantly improve the life-chances of our children and we believe that reading for pleasure opens doors to new and inspirational worlds, which will enhance their lives immeasurably once they leave us.

National Curriculum Purpose of study - English

English has a pre-eminent place in education and in society. A high-quality education in English will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature, especially, plays a key role in such development. Reading also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society; pupils, therefore, who do not learn to speak, read and write fluently and confidently are effectively disenfranchised.

Aims

The overarching aim for English in the national curriculum is to promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written word, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment.

The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils:

• read easily, fluently and with good understanding
• develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
• acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
• appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage
• write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
• use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas
• Are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.