Aims and Objectives

At Merton Bank, we strive to make English enjoyable and challenging for all our pupils. As of September 2020, we have made changes to our English curriculum to support our children in their efforts to make accelerated progress in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. We seek to ensure that our children leave Merton Bank with a strong comprehension of vocabulary, and the ability to compose different genres effectively. English is about developing listening, speaking, reading and writing skills so that children can communicate and use language effectively in a range of contexts. Children are taught to express themselves creatively and imaginatively. At Merton Bank, our English curriculum ensures that staff have high expectations of all children and that all children are challenged and given opportunities to succeed equally irrespective of SEN, EAL or social disadvantages.

The aims of English are:

• To enable children to speak clearly and audibly in ways which take account of their listeners
• To encourage children to listen and to read with concentration in order to be able to understand the world around them
• To develop children’s abilities to reflect on their own and others contributions and the language used
• To develop confident, independent readers and writers through an appropriate focus on word, sentence and text level knowledge.
• To encourage children to become enthusiastic and reflective readers and writers through enjoyable texts
• To help children to value and enjoy speaking, reading and writing

Please refer to the English National Curriculum here for more detail of your child’s English expectations:

Assessment and Recording

Assessment can be summative or formative. Regular assessments are made through in-lesson feedback, marking and teacher led assessments. End of year assessments aid analysis and measurement of progress. End of Key Stage tests are conducted in accordance with the latest guidance and requirements. Where children are working below the expected standard they are supported by intervention programmes led by staff.

Curriculum Enrichment

There are many enrichment activities in this curriculum area. We celebrate ‘World Book Day’, themed days and visits from “Scholastic Book Fair.” Some year groups will be able to visit the libraries in our area, showing the children how to use the facilities and enjoy library based learning. The school library is resourced with a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books and magazines.

At Merton Bank the children have access to a wide range of reading materials which is supported by our links with the St Helens School Library Service who provide us with bespoke packages. Storysacks and artefact boxes are used to enhance learning.

World Book Day

Every year we celebrate World Book Day and immerse ourselves in the world of reading. We do lots of lovely activities linked to reading and encouraging a love of books and reading with our children. Click on the link below to see our activities from this year. 

Reading Books

Our reading books cater for all interests and abilities and expose all our children to challenging texts including fictions, non fiction, poetry, plays and traditional tales. ‘Home readers’ encourage the children to continue to develop and refine their reading skills with adults at home. In school, pupils learn deeper reading skills such as inference, deduction and comprehension through bespoke reading sessions. Class test in our KS1 and KS2 classes are link with topic work to enable pupils to make connections in their learning.