English
English – Curriculum Intent Statement
Purpose of the Subject
Through English, we aim to empower children as confident readers, writers, speakers and listeners who can communicate effectively and creatively. We want pupils to develop a lifelong love of reading, an appreciation of language and the ability to express themselves with clarity, imagination and purpose. Our English curriculum reflects the diverse nature of our school community, ensuring every child sees themselves represented in the texts they encounter and the stories they create. We aim to nurture articulate, thoughtful and critical learners who can use language to understand the world and shape their place within it.
Alignment with the National Curriculum
In line with the National Curriculum, we teach children to:
- Read fluently with good understanding, using a range of strategies.
- Develop a rich and varied vocabulary.
- Write clearly, accurately and coherently for a range of purposes and audiences.
- Plan, draft, revise and evaluate their writing.
- Use grammar, punctuation and spelling with increasing accuracy.
- Speak confidently, listen actively and participate in discussion.
- Develop an appreciation of literature from a wide range of cultures, periods and traditions.
Curriculum Coverage
Our English curriculum provides:
- Mirrors – opportunities for children to see their identities, cultures and experiences reflected in the texts they read and the writing they produce.
- Windows – opportunities to explore diverse voices, perspectives and literary traditions from across the world.
Units are meaningful, engaging and carefully sequenced, offering opportunities for reading, writing, speaking, listening, vocabulary development and language study. Texts are carefully selected to offer rich, varied opportunities across a wide range of genres, inspiring pupils to read both for pleasure and to deepen their knowledge. Writing enables children at Birklands to communicate clearly, think deeply, and express ideas creatively.
Curriculum Progression
Our English curriculum is built around four interrelated strands of knowledge:
1. Procedural Knowledge (Reading, Writing and Oracy Skills)
Procedural knowledge represents the practical skills children need to read, write and communicate effectively. These skills are mapped in a vertically integrated progression from EYFS to Year 6. Children develop phonics knowledge, reading fluency, comprehension strategies, writing processes, handwriting, spelling and spoken language skills. SOLO taxonomy supports this progression, enabling pupils to move from basic decoding and sentence construction to sophisticated comprehension and authorial control.
2. Disciplinary Knowledge (The “Big Ideas” of English)
Disciplinary knowledge represents the conceptual frameworks that underpin English as a subject. These include:
- Language – understanding how vocabulary, grammar and structure shape meaning
- Literature – exploring how writers craft texts and how readers interpret them
- Voice – developing personal expression and authorial intent
- Audience and Purpose – understanding how writing and speech change depending on context
- Inference and Interpretation – reading beyond the literal
- Transcription – fluent, accurate handwriting and spelling
- Composition – shaping ideas into coherent, purposeful writing
These concepts are taught, revisited and applied in every year group, helping children understand how language works and how meaning is constructed.
3. Substantive Knowledge (The Content We Teach)
Substantive knowledge represents the specific content children learn—such as phonics, spelling patterns, grammar rules, text types, literary devices, genre features and key texts. This knowledge is presented as clear learning outcomes that detail what pupils should know and remember. Content is chosen to reflect our community, celebrate global literature and ensure that all children see themselves as readers and writers.
4. Substantive Concepts
Substantive concepts are recurring ideas that appear across the English curriculum, such as character, setting, theme, plot, persuasion, explanation, narrative voice, structure and figurative language. These concepts are explored in different contexts across year groups, helping children build familiarity, confidence and deeper literary understanding.
Repetition and Retrieval
Our English curriculum is built on high levels of repetition to ensure that children remember more and can do more as they progress through school. Procedural and disciplinary knowledge are revisited in every year group, allowing pupils to apply skills with increasing independence. Substantive concepts reappear across units, enabling children to make connections and strengthen long‑term understanding. Retrieval practice is embedded daily through reading discussions, vocabulary revisits, grammar warm‑ups and spaced practice.
Assessment
Assessment in English focuses on pupils’ ability to apply reading, writing and communication skills with accuracy, creativity and understanding. We assess pupils through:
- Reading fluency and comprehension tasks
- Writing outcomes across a range of genres
- Vocabulary and grammar application
- Spoken language activities
- Ongoing formative assessment
These assessments provide insight into how well children understand English concepts, how confidently they can apply skills and how effectively they can think and behave like readers and writers.