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.
Our aim is that all pupils:
Teaching and Learning
Please see the English policy for the distinct way St. John’s ensures we deliver a creative and balanced curriculum, that will give them the English skills in reading, writing and speaking and listening, needed in all their learning.
Phonics
We use the Government's agreed phonics programme called 'Letters and Sounds.' Letters and Sounds is designed to help teachers teach children how the alphabet works for reading and spelling by: fostering children’s speaking and listening skills as valuable in their own right and as preparatory to learning phonic knowledge and skills; teaching high quality phonic work at the point they judge children should begin the programme. For most children, this will be by the age of five with the intention of equipping them with the phonic knowledge and skills they need to become fluent readers by the age of seven.