God wants me to be the best me I can be in... 

English

The exciting things I will learn in English at St Josephs are:

Our Vision for English

At St Joseph's, we believe that English is not just a subject – it’s the foundation for learning, creativity, and connection with the wider world. Rooted in our Catholic values, we aim to help every child find their voice, grow in confidence, and express themselves with clarity, purpose, and joy.

We want our children to leave us as fluent readers, articulate speakers, and independent writers – ready to engage thoughtfully with the world around them.

The exciting things that take place in English are:

• Read Write Inc Phonics
• Daily 15 minute spelling lessons (Y3-Y6)
• Nelson Grammar and Comprehension lessons
• Letter-join handwriting scheme
• Opportunities to publish writing and have it displayed around school
• Author visits
• Cross curricular writing opportunities
• The Book Bus
• School library
• Roald Dahl Day
• Harry Potter Day
• World Book Day

Intent

At our small Catholic school, rooted in Gospel values and a commitment to the dignity of every child, our English curriculum is designed to develop confident, articulate, and thoughtful communicators. Our aim is to foster a love for language, reading, and writing that will empower pupils to express themselves creatively and clearly.

Through our implementation of The Write Stuff scheme, we intend to:

• Broaden children’s cultural capital by exposing them to a wide range of high-quality texts, authors, and culturally rich experiences that reflect diverse voices and worldviews.

• Systematically develop vocabulary acquisition, enabling pupils to express themselves with precision, confidence, and flair.

• Cultivate independence in writing, guiding pupils to become self-aware, motivated writers who can plan, craft, and edit their own work for a range of purposes and audiences.

Our curriculum is underpinned by Catholic Social Teaching, nurturing children who write with empathy, insight, and an understanding of the world around them.

Implementation

We use The Write Stuff scheme to deliver a rigorous, structured, and engaging writing curriculum. This is underpinned by the ‘Sentence Stacking’ approach, which scaffolds high-quality writing and supports all learners to succeed.

Key features of our implementation include:

• Vocabulary and Grammar Instruction: Daily ‘Sentence Stacking’ lessons teach ambitious vocabulary, grammar, and literary techniques in context, with a strong emphasis on oral rehearsal and exploration of word meaning.

• Exposure to Rich Texts and Cultural Experiences: Our units are chosen to reflect a diverse literary canon and are complemented by trips, visiting authors, and thematic days that enrich children’s cultural understanding.

• Modelling and Shared Writing: Teachers model writing explicitly, providing pupils with strong examples and strategies that they can draw on in their own work.

• Independent Writing Opportunities: Each unit culminates in an independent writing task, where children apply the skills they’ve learned in a sustained piece of writing, supported by clear success criteria and planning tools.

• Assessment for Learning: Teachers assess writing regularly using both formative feedback and summative writing pieces, identifying next steps and tailoring support where needed.

Spoken language is a thread throughout our teaching, with discussion, debate, and oral rehearsal central to lesson design—empowering children to be confident and expressive.

Impact

By the time children leave our school, they are:

• Articulate and expressive writers who can communicate effectively for a range of purposes and audiences.

• Equipped with a broad, ambitious vocabulary that allows them to speak and write with confidence and precision.

• Independent and reflective, able to plan, draft, edit, and evaluate their writing with increasing autonomy.

• Culturally literate, with a knowledge and appreciation of diverse authors, contexts, and experiences that shape the world they live in.

• Secure in their identity, and able to respond to and reflect on moral and ethical questions through writing, rooted in our Catholic ethos.

Pupil voice, teacher assessment, and moderation show that our children enjoy writing, make strong progress across all year groups, and are well-prepared for the next stage of their education.

Roald Dahl Day 2025