English Curriculum 2014

What you need to know…

What has changed?

• Curriculum organised in ‘stages’: EYFS, KS1, Lower KS2 (Y3/4) and Upper KS2 (Y5/6)

• Except for Years 2 and 6 for this year only, levels have been abolished. Instead there are end of stage expectations which all children must attain

• Increased focus on Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG), with more demanding expectations

• Specific spelling and word reading lists for each stage

• No specific suggestions of text types to study

• Focus on poetry (classic and modern), knowing about poets and learning (and reciting) poems by heart

• Expectation that children will read a wide range of texts for study and pleasure and be able to compare authors and styles

What has changed?

• Expectation that children will write confidently for a range of purposes, across all subject areas, using correct grammar, punctuation and spelling• Phonic decoding expected to be secure by the end of KS1 • Testing from 2016:• Year 1 Phonics Screening Test• Year 2 Reading• Year 2 SPAG Test• Year 6 Reading Test• Year 6 SPAG Test• Writing will continue to be teacher assessed at the end of both Key Stages

What does this mean for Greentrees?• Children will be encouraged not only to read their book from the school reading

scheme, but to read books by a range of recommended authors at appropriate challenge level • There will continue to be an expectation that all children will read to an adult at

home at least twice per week as part of home learning• They will use reading skills throughout the curriculum to support study• Each class will focus in depth on at least one author and one poet• In K.S. 1, phonics will continue to be taught on a daily basis and children needing

extra support with this in both KS1 and KS2 will be provided with additional small group support

What does this mean for Greentrees?• There will be a focus on writing in all areas of the curriculum, with equally high

expectations across all subjects, including home learning• In KS2, children will continue to practise spelling on a daily basis, including the

words from the set spelling lists• There will be an even greater focus on SPaG, with high expectations across all

subjects• Speaking and listening activities will be included in all areas of learning with a

greater focus on P4C and oral presentation• New assessment sheets for reading and writing are being used in all classes (with

the exception of Year 2 and 6)

What you can do: Continue to support children in reading by:

• Listening to them read at least 3 times per week, either their school reading book, or a book from home of appropriate challenge level. Practise reading word lists in K.S. 1

• Sharing books together and reading to them as often as possible, right up to Year 6, and talking to them about their reading

• Choosing books by a range of different authors at an age appropriate level

• Visiting the local library

Continue to support children in spoken language by:

• Encouraging regular discussion at home

• Expecting them to speak in full sentences, using correct grammar

Continue to support children in writing by:

• Supporting them with literacy home learning, and encouraging correct spelling, grammar and punctuation

• Looking together at the recommended spelling word lists for each stage

Useful information

• National Curriculum https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335186/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_English_220714.pdf

• English Appendix 1 (Spelling) https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239784/English_Appendix_1_-_Spelling.pdf

• English Appendix 2 (Vocabulary, Grammar, Punctuation) https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335190/English_Appendix_2_-_Vocabulary_grammar_and_punctuation.pdf

• Booktrust.org http://www.booktrust.org.uk/books/children/• Scholastic Book Club http://clubs-kids.scholastic.co.uk/• Phonics Play http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/