English

Miss Scrutton
English Subject Lead

English at MPA

Teachers should develop pupils’ spoken language, reading, writing and vocabulary as integral aspects of the teaching of every subject. English is both a subject in its own right and the medium for teaching; for pupils; understanding the language provides access to the whole curriculum. Fluency in the English language is an essential foundation for success in all subjects. (National Curriculum 2014)

Key Principles of English at MPA

English will be embedded in all curriculum areas
Children will be given opportunities to develop and explore language through speaking, listening and drama activities
Reading and writing skills will be modelled and exemplifications will be displayed
Writing, phonic/spelling and shared reading sessions take place daily
Quality resources are available to support English and cross curricular learning
Teachers plan English activities that support, challenge and inspire children
Planning builds on teachers most recent assessments
Topics/themes provide children with the opportunities to contextualise and apply English skills in a wide range of purposes
English learning walls are displayed in every classroom
English learning is differentiated for all abilities
Long term planning covers the full range of writing purposes
Children’s prior skills, experiences and knowledge are valued and incorporated into English learning
Learning objectives are derived from the National Curriculum
Short term planning is flexible and reflects teacher assessment
Reading and writing is moderated across the school and the region termly

Wider and Extra Curricular Opportunities:

All children at Martlesham Primary Academy celebrate World Book Day.
Children in Year 5 are given the opportunity to apply to be a library leader, opening the library for a lunch time each week. Children from other year groups then can come to the library to read or listen to a story read by the library leaders.

MPA Documents

MPA Termly Book Blog

Find out the children’s thoughts on the key texts in the term, further books they may wish to read and other reading-related activities we have been up to!

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Reading Spine is a core of books that create a living library inside a child’s mind. It is a store of classics and essential reads that help children engage at a deeper level and enter the world of the story.

Bring reading to life with a classic read aloud programme, selected by literacy expert Pie Corbett
Foster a love of reading with the best-loved books for Nursery to Year 9
Deepen comprehension and teach drama and writing by drawing on the core books

Please find the links below for the free downloadable guides by year group.

Pie Corbett Reception                                                              Pie Corbett YR4
Pie Corbett YR1                                                                           Pie Corbett YR5
Pie Corbett YR2                                                                           Pie Corbett YR6
Pie Corbett YR3

Spellings

Being able to spell is still incredibly important at Martlesham Primary Academy, even in these days of autocorrect and predictive text. All children at school in England will sit a spelling test at the end of Year 6.

Children who can spell well are often more confident writers. They are more likely to write their ideas quickly and fluently as they don’t need to worry about whether or not their spelling is correct. They are also likely to be more adventurous with the words they use to express themselves.

Below are a list of Common Exception Words – words that are spelled without using the normal spelling rules – that children in England are expected to be able to spell by the end of the year group.