Subject Lead: Mrs D James

Vision:

 At St. John the Evangelist Catholic Academy, we believe that English is a fundamental life skill.  English develops our children’s ability to listen, speak, read and write for a wide range of purposes.  Our children are enabled to express themselves creatively and imaginatively as they become enthusiastic and critical readers of stories, poetry and drama, as well as of non-fiction and fiction texts.  St John’s children gain an understanding of how language works by looking at its patterns, structure and origins.  Our children then use their knowledge, skills and understanding in speaking and writing across a range of different situations. We nurture a love of ‘Reading for Pleasure’ and our Year 6 librarians work with pupils throughout the school to raise the profile of books and their authors. 

Aims and objectives: 

Our aims are based on the following core values and ethos in our mission statement and motto, which are: “Learning and Growing Together in Christ” and “Lord be Thy word my rule”

It is important that in our school we meet the diverse needs of all pupils to ensure inclusion for all.

We therefore aim to ensure that:

• All children have access to a broad, balanced and differentiated reading and writing curriculum.
• All children who may have special educational needs and/or additional needs are identified and provided for as early as possible and reading inventions suitably matched
• We reduce barriers to progress by embedding the principles in the National Curriculum Inclusion statement
• We promote a shared love and understanding of English 
• We establish high expectations for teachers and pupils
• We promote continuity and coherence across the school
• We enable children to speak clearly and audibly and to take account of their listeners
• We aim to encourage children to listen with concentration, to identify the main points of what they have heard
• We show children how to adapt their speech to a wide range of circumstances and demands
• We teach children effective communication, both verbal and non-verbal, through a variety of drama activities, including the communication of their ideas, views and feelings
• We help them become confident, independent readers, through an appropriate focus on word, sentence and text-level knowledge
• We aim to develop enthusiastic and reflective readers through contact with challenging and substantial texts
• We aim to foster the enjoyment of writing and a recognition of its value
• We encourage accurate and meaningful writing, be it narrative or non-fiction
• We aim to improve the planning, drafting and editing of their written work