English

Welcome to our English page

Writing Year 2 - Year 6:

Our aim at Birkdale Primary is to inspire and provide children with the stimuli and knowledge to be engaging and exciting writers, who show a passion for writing and who are given opportunities to select from a range of grammatical skills, vocabulary and text types to create pieces of writing that match different purposes and appeal to a range of diverse audiences.

When planning writing, we follow the writing curriculum (based on the National Curriculum). There is a link to this below. Units are planned around quality texts. Through these high-quality texts, children are shown how a writer uses his / her craft for different effects. They are given the opportunity to develop and experiment with grammatical structures to create a particular impact upon their reader and they are guided through creating their own written ‘expert’ pieces with an intended audience and purpose.

Pupils are given time to talk through their ideas, plan their writing and to take an increasing responsibility for the editing and proofreading of their own work.

We endeavour to teach pupils to consider these points:

•How do writers make sure their writing is fit for purpose?

•How does it attempt to engage the reader?

•How is the vocabulary fit for the purpose/audience?

•How do writers use sentence construction and other grammatical features to engage their audience?

•Which tenses do they use to be consistent and accurate?

•How is the writing organised?

Then pupils practise and apply this in their own writing.

These are the purposes for the writing we teach in each year group:

•Writing to entertain could be narratives, poetry, diary entries or letters.

•Writing to inform could be recounts, news reports, non-chronological reports, explanatory texts, instructions.

•Writing to persuade could be adverts, letters, news articles, speeches, posters.

•Writing to discuss could be news articles, debates, speeches.

Early Writing in EYFS and Year 1:

In EYFS, we follow a creative approach to writing through our 'Drawing Club.' Drawing Club uses a text to hook a child's creativity and develop their ideas through drawing and writing. This is continued into Year One using a 'Curious Quest' approach. Children are given the opportunity to immerse themselves into a text and record their ideas again through drawings and writing. This transition from reception to year one enables children to become more fluent and secure with the key skills of writing a basic sentence with a capital letter, full stop and spacing between words.

Oracy:

Strong oracy skills (speaking and listening) are at the heart of successful learning in English. At Birkdale Primary School, we place great importance on developing children’s’ ability to express their ideas clearly, listen thoughtfully to others, and build confidence when communicating in a range of contexts.

Oracy is a vital foundation for writing. Before children can write effectively, they need to be able to organise their thoughts, explore vocabulary, and rehearse ideas aloud. Through structured talk, discussion, and opportunities for verbal storytelling, pupils develop a deeper understanding of language, which directly supports their writing.

In line with the new writing framework, we recognise that high-quality talk is essential at every stage of the writing process. Children are encouraged to discuss ideas, debate viewpoints, and practise sentence structures before putting pen to paper. This helps them to internalise language patterns, use ambitious vocabulary, and write with greater clarity and purpose.

We use a range of strategies to promote oracy within the classroom, including:

partner talk and group discussions
drama and role-play activities
oral rehearsal of sentences and stories
opportunities to present and perform

By embedding oracy across our English lessons, we ensure that all pupils can develop their voice, build confidence, and become effective communicators.

Ultimately, strong oracy skills not only improve writing outcomes but also prepare children for success across the curriculum and in their wider lives.

For more information, please find the relevant documents at the bottom of this webpage. These documents highlight the key phrases we aim to use within EYFS, KS1 and KS2.

Speaking and Listening:

We also aim to provide our children with a wide range of contexts for speaking and listening throughout the day. Speaking, listening and performing skills are promoted across the curriculum through storytelling, discussion groups, debates, drama and role play. Such opportunities, as well as whole school concerts and shows, provide a valuable means of building confidence and developing the ability to listen to, and appreciate the efforts of others.

Spelling:

What is Spelling Shed? https://www.spellingshed.com/en-gb/

At Birkdale Primary School, we use Spelling Shed to support children on their spelling journey and they progress through a range of games, levels and challenges. The spelling lists on Spelling Shed are grouped together, helping children to learn and apply different spelling rules effectively.

Every week, teachers set an assignment linked to the pupil’s spelling words, helping them to practise their spellings in a fun and exciting way in preparation for our weekly spelling test. Children can also choose to practise past spellings to consolidate past learning. Children, staff and parents can keep track of achievements through the points and honeypots that are awarded as the children progress.

Pupils from Year 3 (Stage 3) to Year 6 (Stage 6) can access Spelling Shed using their personal logins, which are provided by teachers at the start of the academic year.

In year 2, children will continue their journey following our phonics Little Wandle letters and sounds revised scheme, through a bridging unit. Following this unit, children will progress onto the Little Wandle spelling programme. This is designed to provide a seamless link from year 1 to year 2 and builds on children's knowledge of the alphabetic code and teaching them how to spell with confidence.

Punctuation and Grammar:

To ensure children understand the purpose and importance of grammar and punctuation, we teach this within the context of the text and their writing journey. We work together to ensure there is progression and challenge across grammar and punctuation throughout the whole school.

Meet our English Ambassador:

Websites:

We Are Writers

Oxford Owl Writer

BBC Bitesize: English