English

The intent of our English curriculum is to foster a love for language and literature while instilling the values of hard work, kindness, and courage in our students. We aim to create an engaging and supportive learning environment where every child can develop their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. A key aspect of our curriculum is the recognition that learning is progressive; it builds upon prior knowledge and skills in a structured manner.

Work Hard

We believe that hard work is essential for academic success and personal growth. Our curriculum encourages students to:

• Engage with Challenging Texts: Students will be exposed to a variety of texts that challenge their comprehension skills and expand their vocabulary. This includes classic literature, contemporary works, poetry, and informational texts.
• Develop Writing Skills: Through structured writing exercises, students will learn to express their thoughts clearly and creatively. They will practice different forms of writing such as narratives, persuasive essays, and reports.

• Set Personal Goals: Each student will set individual learning goals related to their English skills. Regular reflections on progress will help them understand the value of persistence and effort.

Be Kind

Kindness is at the heart of our community values. In our English curriculum, we promote kindness by:

• Collaborative Learning: Students will participate in group activities that require cooperation and empathy. This includes peer reviews of written work where they provide constructive feedback.

• Literature Discussions: Through discussions about characters' motivations and moral dilemmas in stories, students will explore themes of kindness, empathy, and understanding different perspectives.

• Community Projects: Students will engage in projects that involve writing letters or creating stories for local charities or community members, fostering a sense of connection and kindness towards others.

Have Courage

Courage is vital for taking risks in learning. Our curriculum supports this value by encouraging students to:

• Take Risks in Writing: Students will be encouraged to experiment with their writing styles and topics without fear of making mistakes. This includes sharing their work publicly through class presentations or school publications.

• Explore Diverse Perspectives: By reading texts from various cultures and backgrounds, students will learn about resilience in the face of adversity. Discussions around these texts will promote courage in understanding complex social issues.

• Public Speaking Opportunities: We provide opportunities for students to present their ideas confidently in front of peers through debates, storytelling sessions, or poetry readings.

Learning as Progression

Our curriculum recognizes that learning is not static but rather a progressive journey where each stage builds upon the last.

• Sequential Skill Development: The curriculum is designed so that foundational skills are taught first—such as phonics for reading or basic sentence structure for writing—before moving on to more complex concepts like literary analysis or advanced composition techniques. This scaffolding ensures that students have the necessary tools before tackling more challenging material.

• Continuous Assessment: Regular formative assessments allow teachers to gauge student understanding continuously. Feedback from these assessments helps tailor instruction to meet individual needs while ensuring all students progress at an appropriate pace.

• Reflective Practices: Students are encouraged to reflect on their learning experiences regularly. This reflection helps them recognize how far they have come in their literacy journey and identify areas where they need further development.

In summary, our primary school English curriculum is designed not only to enhance literacy skills but also to embody our core values: working hard towards personal excellence, being kind through collaborative efforts and community engagement, having the courage to express oneself authentically, and recognizing that learning is a progressive journey. By integrating these values into our teaching practices, we aim to develop well-rounded individuals who are prepared for future challenges both academically and socially.