At Repton Primary School, our English curriculum is designed to help children become confident readers, writers and communicators. We place a strong emphasis on developing vocabulary, speaking and listening skills, reading fluency and purposeful writing. We believe that children learn best when they understand why they are writing and are given regular opportunities to discuss, rehearse and refine their ideas.

Our Typical Writing Sequence

Writing is taught through a carefully structured sequence that gradually builds children's confidence and independence.

1. Immersion and Vocabulary We begin by introducing a high-quality text, stimulus or experience. Children explore new vocabulary, discuss ideas and develop their understanding of the purpose and audience for their writing.

2. Oral Rehearsal and Sentence Development Children are encouraged to talk through their ideas, rehearse sentences aloud and explore how authors construct effective writing. This helps children organise their thinking before they begin writing.

3. Teacher Modelling Teachers model the writing process, demonstrating how to select vocabulary, construct sentences and apply grammar and punctuation effectively. We use an "I do, We do, You do" approach to gradually build independence.

4. Guided Practice Children practise specific writing skills through short activities, shared writing and sentence construction tasks before moving into longer pieces of writing.

5. Independent Writing Children apply their learning to create their own pieces of writing, writing for a clear purpose and audience.

6. Revising and Editing Children are taught to review, improve and edit their work, developing their ability to refine vocabulary, punctuation and sentence structures.

Reading

Reading is at the heart of our curriculum. Through class texts, reading lessons and independent reading, children develop fluency, comprehension and a love of books. They learn to discuss vocabulary, make inferences, explain their thinking and understand a wide range of texts.

Spelling, Grammar and Handwriting

Alongside writing lessons, children receive regular teaching in spelling, punctuation, grammar and handwriting. These essential skills are revisited frequently so that they become automatic and can be applied confidently in independent writing. Dictation activities are also used to develop spelling accuracy, sentence fluency and writing confidence.

How You Can Help at Home

You can support your child by:

• Reading regularly together.
• Discussing new vocabulary.
• Encouraging writing for real purposes such as letters, diaries or shopping lists.
• Practising spellings and handwriting.
• Talking about books and asking questions about what they have read.