English
Intent: Our Vision
At Prendergast Vale Primary, our curriculum is powered by the "Teach Through a Text" pedagogy. We believe that high-quality children’s literature is the most effective vehicle for promoting high standards of language and literacy.
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Books at the Core: We place rich, diverse texts at the heart of our curriculum to provide a meaningful context for the National Curriculum.
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Purposeful Writing: We ensure that all writing—whether to explain, persuade, inform, or instruct—has a clear purpose and a real audience.
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Creative Structure: We use the National Curriculum as a foundation to construct exciting, creative lessons that prepare children for the analytical demands of secondary school.
Implementation
We follow a consistent, book-based approach across the primary phase to ensure a seamless progression of skills.
The 'Teach Through a Text' Journey
Our teaching sequence is built upon the core pillars of the Literacy Tree framework:
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Writing Roots: These planning sequences provide the backbone of our English lessons. We begin with looking at the book to engage children, leading them through a journey of drafting and editing toward a final, meaningful writing outcome.
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Literary Leaves: To develop reading fluency and comprehension, we use these sequences to take children through whole books. This allows for deep-dive analysis and ensures pupils are exposed to significant authors and a range of genres.
Impact: Our Outcomes
The impact of our literature-rich curriculum is seen in the high standards of literacy and the vibrant reading culture at Prendergast Vale.
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Clear and Coherent Writers: Pupils leave us as confident writers who can adapt their language and style for various contexts. Their work is characterised by accuracy and a clear sense of audience.
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Articulate Citizens: By engaging in philosophical inquiry, our pupils become empathetic and respectful communicators who can navigate complex ideas with confidence.
Lifelong Readers: The ultimate success of our curriculum is a school full of children who have a genuine love for literature and "real reasons to write."
