Curriculum

                                                                      

We believe in…

 

Meaningful and purposeful writing tasks that interest and engage all children.

Sharing children’s writing with a wider audience to further motivate children and make it purposeful.

Providing children with the fundamental foundations in reading and writing that will prepare them for opportunities and experiences of later life.

Children experiencing a wide variety of genres including narratives, explanations, descriptions, comparisons, summaries and evaluations.

Embedding reading and writing skills across the curriculum by carefully planning opportunities for children to develop their skills and acquisition of knowledge.

Deep and meaningful texts that are carefully selected to promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of children.

High expectations for every child by planning challenging work for pupils whose attainment is significantly above the expected standard and for pupils who have low levels of prior attainment.

Effective use of assessment to set targets, which are ambitious and address gaps in children’s learning.

All children being able to read fluently and have a clear understanding of what they are reading.

Every child a lifelong reader by encouraging them to read for pleasure. All staff should promote a genuine passion and love of books.

Using a wide range of texts that stimulate children’s imaginations, challenge and broaden their thinking.

Real time feedback, which moves learning forward and closes any gaps.

Using appropriate scaffolds and support so that all children are able to succeed.

 

Teaching English:

English is at the heart of the Harrow Gate Academy curriculum. A daily English session is to be provided for at least one hour and should follow the National Curriculum in England – programmes of study key stages 1 & 2 and the CLPE Power of Reading text based curriculum. Children will be given the opportunity to read a wide range of high quality texts and write in a variety of ways.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At Harrow Gate Primary Academy, CLPE (Centre for Literacy in Primary Education) is at the heart of our English curriculum. We are incredibly honoured to be recognised as a CLPE Associate School for the way in which we have embedded 'The Power of Reading' and 'The Power of Pictures' into our English Curriculum. You can use the link below to find out more information about the incredible work that CLPE do.

Click here to visit the CLPE website

English

 

 

 

 

 

Harrow Gate Primary Academy English

 

               

 

                      

 

 

English

 

 

 

 

At Harrow Gate, our ultimate goal of teaching phonics is that our children are able to read fluently, recognising most words instantly and using phonics to decode any unknown words.

 

 

 At our school, we follow Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, a systematic phonics programme that helps children learn to read, spell and write with confidence. Lessons are carefully structured and taught daily, giving children the tools they need to build strong foundations in early reading.

From the very start of Reception, children are introduced to the sounds that letters make and how to blend them together to read words. As they move through school, these skills are built on step by step, with plenty of practice and support to make sure every child keeps up.

Reading books are carefully matched to each child’s phonics stage so they can enjoy success and grow in confidence as readers. Alongside this, children take home books to share, helping to develop a love of stories and reading for pleasure.

Our aim is simple: to give every child the best possible start on their reading journey.

 

 

For more information about Little Wandle, as well as useful videos for parents and carers, click on the image below:

 

 

 

Supporting your child with reading

 

Although your child will be taught to read at school, you can have a huge impact on their reading journey by continuing their practice at home. There are two types of reading book that your child may bring home:

 

A reading practice book

This book has been carefully matched to your child’s current reading level. If your child is reading it with little help, please don’t worry that it’s too easy – your child needs to develop fluency and confidence in reading.

Listen to them read the book. Remember to give them lots of praise – celebrate their success! If they can’t read a word, read it to them. After they have finished, talk about the book together.

 

A sharing book  

In order to encourage your child to become a lifelong reader, it is important that they learn to read for pleasure. The sharing book is a book they have chosen for you to enjoy together.

Please remember that you shouldn’t expect your child to read this alone. Read it to or with them. Discuss the pictures, enjoy the story, predict what might happen next, use different voices for the characters, explore the facts in a non-fiction book. The main thing is that you have fun!

 

 

 

Phonics Support

 

 

 

                                                                              

 

At Harrow Gate, CLPE Power of Reading is at the heart of our English curriculum. Our aim is to foster a love of books in every classroom and the following  factors which will be present with a successful ‘Reading for Pleasure’ culture.

CLPE Power of Reading inspires a love of books and develops confident, creative readers and writers. This approach uses high-quality children’s literature at the heart of learning. Each text is carefully chosen to engage pupils, spark imagination and encourage deep thinking.

Through drama, discussion, art and writing, children explore stories in meaningful ways. They don’t just learn to read—they experience the text, making connections and developing a rich vocabulary. This leads naturally into writing, where pupils are motivated to create their own pieces inspired by the books they love.

By using the Power of Reading across the school, we build a strong reading culture where children see themselves as readers and writers, ready to enjoy books for life.

Our aim is to foster a love of books in every classroom and the following  factors which will be present with a successful ‘Reading for Pleasure’ culture.

These include:

• Developing an ethos and an environment that excites, enthuses, inspires and values
• High quality texts with depth and interest in story, character, illustration, vocabulary, structure and subject matter
• A read aloud programme
• Teachers who are knowledgeable about children’s literature
• Creating a community of readers with opportunities to share responses and opinions
• Planning for talking about books and stories, providing structures within which to do this

 

The act of reading will be valued in every classroom. Reading happens daily with class teachers taking on the role of Aidan Chamber’s enabling adult. 

The aim for all of our children is to become what Stephen Krashen describes as ‘Free Voluntary Readers’.

Children will have a lifelong love of reading and become fluent and confident readers, who can access a range of texts for pleasure and enjoyment, as well as use their reading skills to access learning across all areas of the curriculum.

 

 

Harrow Gate Reading Canon

The canon is, "a list of works (books) considered to be permanently established as being of the highest quality". Oxford English Dictionary

Our reading canon is a carefully chosen collection of books that every child will experience during their time at our school. It ensures that all pupils are introduced to a rich variety of literature, from timeless classics to modern stories that reflect our diverse world.

By moving through the canon year by year, children develop a shared experience of high-quality texts, building not only their reading skills but also a love of literature that will stay with them for life.

Below is an example of a Year 5 reading cannon: