ST. MICHAEL’S CE SCHOOL LITERACY POLICY SUMMER 2014 A CELEBRATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCHOOL’S AIMS AND OBJECTIVES IN THIS CURRICULUM AREA POLICY 2014 From September 2014, a New National Curriculum will be in place. The staff at St. Michael’s CE School have reviewed and adapted the Literacy curriculum in light of these changes. The main changes to Literacy include: • Performance, drama and poetry are now key requirements; • The prevalence of grammar and punctuation in context remains high; • There is a greater focus on Reading for Pleasure as a result of the document ‘How to be an Outstanding Reading School’; • We shall continue to embed the use of RWI with an emphasis on using it in KS2 where appropriate. Here is an overview of the Literacy topics of work for both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. KS1: Year 1: POLICY 2014 Year 2: POLICY 2014 Year 3: Year 4: POLICY 2014 Year 5: Year 6: POLICY 2014 Literacy Policy Rationale We aim to develop in the children we teach an enthusiasm for literacy in all its forms and the confidence to express themselves both orally and through the written word. By developing a comprehensive range of reading skills we aim to foster in the children a love and appreciation of a variety of literature. These skills will enable them to access all aspects of the curriculum. Equality At St. Michael’s we have due regard for our duties under the Equality Act 2010. Through the delivery of the Literacy curriculum, we will ensure that we: eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations. Planning In Key Stage One and Key Stage Two teachers plan together using the new National Curriculum framework. All aspects of Literacy are covered in the lessons including reading, writing, poetry, speaking and listening, drama, role play and a love of reading is promoted thorugh the use of ‘Reading for Pleasure’. All teachers plan on a half termly basis and use medium planning to devise detailed and differentiated weekly plans. An overview of topics covered and tests used can be obtained from yearly curriculum maps. New weekly planning documents reflect key changes made to the curriculum as of 2014. Speaking and Listening Throughout the school we aim: • • • • • • To provide a range of situations, audiences and activities which encourage children to develop confidence and competence in speaking and listening. To develop children’s awareness that different situations require different forms of oral expression. To develop the mechanical skills required for effective oral communication, e.g. voice projection, tone, clarity, pace of speech. To recite and perform a range of age appropriate poetry To learn nursery rhymes To sing songs POLICY 2014 Reading In the Foundation stage the teacher introduces concepts of print and teaches synthetic phonic skills using the RWI scheme with the whole class on a daily basis. They take home letter sounds to learn on a weekly basis. Initially, children take class or library books home to share with their parents. When the teacher feels the child is ready, he/she begins to take a scheme book home. We have a variety of reading schemes, which include Sunshine Spirals, Jelly and Bean, texts linked to the RWI phonics scheme and The Oxford Reading Tree. The teacher hears each child read individually on at least a weekly basis (more for children who are reading at a level below age expected level) combined with weekly support from a class TA. In Key Stage 1 this practice is continued. When children have progressed to a level suitable to begin guided group reading the children will be grouped by ability and guided group sessions will take place fortnightly. In Key Stage 2, the progress made in Key Stage 1 is built upon. The focus is on developing higher order reading skills such as inference and deduction, skimming and scanning and the ability to read texts critically. Where necessary, specific phonic support is used to develop children’s reading skills through the use of interventions. Children continue to participate in guided reading sessions regularly (excluding children with specific SEN where individual reading maybe more beneficial to them). Children take class or KS2 library books home on a daily basis to read either independently or with their parents. Children are also given the opportunity to read independently on a daily basis in the period just after lunchtime play. As well as the above, all children are provided with the opportunity to borrow one book each week from the library. Children are encouraged to choose books, which they are interested in and this helps to promote reading for pleasure. The library is also used for story time sessions. Children from Year 5 are chosen to be Junior Librarians, these ambassadors run the library on a daily basis. Across the school RFP (Reading for Pleasure) has been introduced as an initiative to promote a love of reading in children. Some activities include: weekly whole school RFP sessions, reading journals and reviews of poems and books by children. In addition to this, children from forces families attend a weekly meeting where they share and discuss books in a relaxed and calm environment. Writing In the foundation stage and KS1, children learn about the different purposes of writing by seeing teachers model writing in a variety of contexts and then practicing these skills themselves. They use a variety of stimuli for writing such as trips and POLICY 2014 visitors and write in a wide range of genres including both narrative and non-narrative forms. In Key Stage 2, children learn how to write in a variety of styles, for a variety of audiences. They are taught more complex rules of grammar and syntax and are encouraged to use these in their independent writing. Children are encouraged to use a more sophisticated range of vocabulary and imagery by accessing dictionaries, thesauruses and reading more challenging texts. Children are encouraged to take an active part in revising their own and others’ work before the teacher marks it. Handwriting The Cursive handwriting style is be used throughout both key stages. The letter formations and joins will be adapted to conform with the exemplification sheet (which is displayed in each classroom). The foundation year teachers will teach the individual letter formations. From the summer term in the Foundation Year and throughout Year One, children will be taught the graphemes in a cursive form. This will progress to practicing words and full sentences in Years 2, 3 and 4 and writing paragraphs in Year 5 and 6. Children will receive their ink licences in Year Three or Four. A Handwriting Guide is issued to all parents when their child joins the school. Phonics & Spellings At St. Michael’s we have embedded a systematic and rigorous phonics programme across the school – Read, Write, Inc. This programme introduces all 44 speed sounds in a dynamic and fast-paced way. It uses initial and on-going assessment to monitor progress. The phonics programme also ensure that children are taught to encode unfamiliar words for spelling. This year, a National Screening Check was introduced for Year 1 children where they were expected to decode and blend real words and pseudo words (nonsense words). Implementation of our excellent phonics programme has ensured that we are ready for this test. In Years One and Two, the children take home spellings on a weekly basis, which is linked to the word level work covered in class. Throughout KS2 children follow the Primary Framework Spelling Bank, supplemented by Topical Resources Weekly Spelling Lists based on Synthetic Phonics. By Year 6 children are practicing advanced spelling patterns. SEN By on-going formative and summative assessments, the class teacher identifies children who need support with literacy skills at the earliest possible stage. Within POLICY 2014 the classroom, the teacher targets children with difficulties and attempts to address them by differentiated activities and extra support where possible. Where a child has a greater need the school’s SEN policy is implemented. Classroom assistants, nursery nurses and learning support assistants provide in-class support where appropriate. The class teacher and the SEN co-ordinator work closely together to formulate Provision Maps, which will support the child’s acquisition of literacy skills. Specific Literacy Support sessions for Year 2 and Year 6 take place in the Spring Term. EAL The school maintains a register and children’s needs are addressed both within the class, as far as possible, and through individual small group EMAG sessions delivered by trained classroom assistants. Gifted and Talented The school has a G and T register. Where appropriate, these children are specifically planned for within Literacy lessons. KS1 and KS2 G and T Literacy sessions take place in the Summer Term. Initiatives St. Michael’s implements the following initiatives: ELS in Year 1; LS in Year 3; FLS in Year 5 and RFP across the school. Library In the school library there are a variety of reference and fiction books available to support the children in their learning and enjoyment of books. In EYFS and Key Stage One, the library is used at story time by individual classes on a rota basis. Each child in the school can borrow a book to take home. Junior Librarians from Year 5 have been trained to run the library at lunchtimes. Each classroom has its own collection of books carefully selected to be suited to the abilities and interests of the children in that class. The P.T.A. provides an annual budget part of which is used to update and maintain the reading resources for both Key Stages. The classroom and library collections should also be supplemented through use of the Professional Centre Library. POLICY 2014 Literacy Events A whole school book week or day is held annually. Visits from authors, poets, librarians and illustrators are organised. Regular literary events such as drama workshops also take place. Book Fairs are also held once a year to encourage parents to buy books for their children. Assessment, Record Keeping and Target Setting There are a variety of teacher and standardised assessments in use. These provide a summative record of what each child has achieved as well as informing ongoing planning. In the foundation stage, a foundation profile is built up during their first year. At the end of Key Stage One, the children take SATS tests in reading, writing and spelling. In Year 3, 4 and 5, the children sit the QCA Literacy tests. At the end of Key Stage Two, the children take SATS English tests in reading, writing, spelling and handwriting. All these results are recorded on to target setting sheets. The end of Key Stage SATS test results and QCA test results are reported to parents. Each term teachers level children’s reading and writing, basing the assessment on general class work and termly Rising Star test results, and in summer the QCA/ SATs tests and the whole school reading and spelling audit. They record levels on a recording grid and teachers write a Literacy comment on the Pupil Record Sheets or the annual report. Teachers keep informal records (e.g. spelling test results, progress reports) and marking comments provide information and feedback. Children are given writing targets based on their National Curriculum level. These are self-assessed in discussion with their class teacher. They are also given ‘I can’ statements relating to their reading level to put in their reading record books. Links with Parents Parents are encouraged to come in and help support the Literacy programme. Many parents devote time to listening to children reading in school and help KS1 children change their books. Parents also help run the book fairs. In the Autumn term the parents are invited to a meeting to inform them about the reading procedures at our school. They are given guidelines and a book ‘Helping Your POLICY 2014 Child to Read’ with helpful suggestions and are encouraged to discuss any problems with the class teacher. In Years 1 and 2 the parents are also invited to a meeting run by the SENCO and the Key Stage 1 Literacy Co-ordinator to help support children’s reading development at home. Parents also help to run the library on a weekly basis. Homework (See Homework policy) In Key Stage One, children take their books home every day and read with or to a grown up. This is developed in Key Stage Two but the children are expected to read more independently as they get older. In the spring term, Year One children begin to have weekly spellings to learn. Year Two children take home some homework on Fridays, which is frequently Literacy based, in addition to their weekly spellings. In Key Stage Two, children receive weekly spelling lists to learn and receive more formal Literacy homework every couple of weeks in Year 3 and 4 and once a week in Year 5 and 6 Conclusion It is our aim that through careful implementation of the guidelines set out in this policy, children at St. Michael’s should have the opportunity to develop confidence and competence in their use of all aspects of the English language, a genuine love of literature and the ability to communicate successfully in many different ways. Brigid Walters and Andrea Meyer April 2014 POLICY 2014