English

English Curriculum

English Lead: Miss Hollingworth - a.hollingworth@holdenclough.tameside.sch.uk

Phonics Lead: Miss Hartley

At Holden Clough, we feel literacy is a fundamental life skill as it develops the children’s ability to communicate effectively – to listen, speak, read and write for a wide range of different purposes.   We place a heavy emphasis on developing a child’s reading and vocabulary in paricular, and we endeavour to, on the conclusion of Key Stage 2, broadened our children's vocabularly enormously. They will also have a love of reading and writing.

Phonics

Phonics Scheme used: 'FirstClassPhonics' devised by BC Education

Phonics plays a vital role in the teaching of reading and is taught daily in EYFS and KS1 following the 'First Class Phonics' programme. The phonics scheme is used to provide a structured coverage of each Phonics phase. Pupils are taught in small groups to ensure they are working at their appropriate phonics level. Our teaching staff plan and teach interactive activities that engage our pupils and provide opportunities to apply their phonics skills in reading and writing tasks. Progression in Phonics is assessed half termly and monitored to ensure progression and provide appropriate support.

Reading

Intent

At Holden Clough, reading lies at the heart of our English curriculum. We aim to foster a lifelong love of reading and literature by exposing children to a wide range of rich text types and by highlighting the importance of reading for pleasure. We believe that developing strong reading skills is essential not only for academic success but also for nurturing imagination, creativity, and critical thinking.

Implementation

• Teachers aim to dedicate15 minutes daily to reading aloud to pupils, modelling expression, intonation, and engagement with texts.

• Our bright, welcoming library and class reading areas encourage independent reading and exploration of texts.

• A home-school reading system ensures children read books at an appropriate level outside of school.

• In the lower school, a structured reading scheme supports phonetic development, while in KS2, children progress through book bands until they become ‘free readers.’

• Guided and whole-class reading and comprehension lessons teach children how to extract meaning from texts, enhancing understanding and enjoyment.

• Strategies such as echo reading, choral reading, and performance reading are used to develop fluency and confidence.

• Staff listen to individual children read and ask questions to ensure comprehension and deeper engagement with the text.

Impact

• Children develop strong reading fluency and comprehension skills.

• Pupils gain confidence in discussing and analysing texts.

• Children develop a love of reading, with many independently exploring books beyond the classroom.

• Progression from phonics-based readers to free reading ensures all children can access increasingly challenging texts at a level appropriate to their ability.

Spelling, Punctuation & Grammar (SPaG)

Intent

Our SPaG curriculum is designed to develop confident, accurate spellers and writers. We aim to equip children with the skills to apply spelling rules, patterns, and exceptions across their writing while fostering enjoyment and engagement in learning spelling.

Implementation

• In EYFS and Year 1, spelling is taught and monitored daily through phonics lessons, reinforcing letter-sound correspondence.

• In Key Stage 2, we use the EdShed scheme to deliver interactive, engaging spelling lessons through games and practice activities.

• Spelling rules, patterns, and exception words are taught progressively, with opportunities for children to practice at varying difficulty levels.

• EdShed enables children to consolidate spelling skills through interactive challenges and lists tailored to their current ability.

Impact

• Children develop strong, transferable spelling skills that support writing across the curriculum.

• Pupils demonstrate improved confidence in using spelling, punctuation, and grammar correctly.

• Engagement with interactive spelling platforms fosters independent practice and motivation.

• Systematic progression ensures all children can access and master spelling patterns appropriate to their stage of learning.

Handwriting

Intent

At Holden Clough Community Primary School, we believe that developing excellent handwriting and presentation skills gives children a sense of pride in themselves and their work. High-quality handwriting not only improves the legibility and presentation of work but also boosts motivation and confidence in writing.

Implementation

• We follow the non-cursive Martin Harvey approach to handwriting, supported by a long-term, progressive handwriting plan throughout the school.

• Handwriting is taught to the whole class, small groups, or individuals according to learners’ needs.

• Teachers consistently challenge pupils to produce well-presented, polished end products, embedding handwriting as a key element of good presentation skills.

• Handwriting practice is incorporated into both fiction and non-fiction writing, making the skill purposeful and relevant.

Impact

• Children demonstrate improved legibility, fluency, and consistency in their handwriting.

• Pupils take pride in the appearance of their work, increasing engagement and motivation.

• Linking handwriting to spelling and writing ensures transferable skills across the curriculum.

• Pupils produce work that reflects both accuracy and high-quality presentation.

Writing

Intent

At Holden Clough, we aim to inspire a love of writing by combining high-quality teaching with engaging, purposeful texts. We take inspiration from fantastic books such as The Chronicles of Narnia, The Barnabus Project, and Iron Man to spark imagination and creativity while ensuring our curriculum is aligned with the current writing framework. Pupils are encouraged to produce a mix of fiction and non-fiction writing, developing skills across genres and contexts.

Implementation

• Pupils receive four focused writing lessons per week, during which we explicitly teach aspects of writing such as grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, structure, and audience.

• We embed writing skills across all lessons, allowing pupils to practice and consolidate their learning in meaningful contexts.

• Writing lessons are linked to high-quality literature to stimulate creativity, imagination, and critical thinking.

• Pupils are encouraged to publish and share their work, fostering a sense of achievement and promoting pride in their writing.

• A structured approach ensures children progress in writing stamina, planning, drafting, editing, and presentation.

Impact

• Pupils demonstrate creativity, imagination, and skill across a wide range of writing genres.

• Children develop strong technical writing skills, including grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary, applied confidently in their independent writing.

• Engagement with high-quality literature encourages a lifelong love of reading and writing.

• Pupils take pride in their work through purposeful publishing and presentation, reflecting both skill and enjoyment in writing.

• Consistent, structured lessons result in clear progression and improvement in writing fluency and accuracy over time.