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English
Our aim at Gomeldon Primary School is to teach children key English skills which allow them to achieve and succeed in all areas of the curriculum. We use the New National Curriculum (2014 ) to ensure excellent coverage of speaking and listening, reading and writing and provide a range of interactive, cross-curricular learning experiences linked to our topic learning.
Phonics
At Gomeldon, we use the Little Wandle - Letters and Sounds phonics scheme. This scheme is a validated Systematic Synthetic Programme, designed to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. The scheme runs through KS1 and is designed to enable all children to become fluent readers and to meet the expected standard for the KS1 Phonic Screening. At the end of the year, children in Year 1 will sit the Phonic Screening Check. Those that do not meet the pass mark will resit the check at the end of Year 2.
Follow the link below to find out more about Little Wandle Phonics.
Reading
We teach early reading from Reception onwards, using the Little Wandle phonics scheme. Little Wandle books are sent home each week so pupils can share their new learning with their families. During English lessons and Guided Reading, the children are taught reading skills that enable them to read independently and to have an excellent comprehension of texts. We aim for our pupils to become confident readers who take great pleasure in reading. Our great library provides a diverse range of excellent books for readers of all abilities. Children are taught library skills from a young age, including how to access information independently using book bands for fiction and the Dewey system for non-fiction texts.
Spelling and Grammar
In KS1, children use the Little Wandle scheme to form their spelling learning. From Year 3 onwards, we use Spelling Shed spellings as our school scheme. The scheme builds on the children's prior learning in phonics, incorporating it whilst developing their knowledge of spelling patterns. Children in KS2 will receive weekly spellings as part of their learning activities. Alongside this, children at Gomeldon will also work towards spelling the words that form the National Curriculum statutory word lists. A link to these can be found below.
Follow the link below to find out more about Spelling Shed or to log in and play.
Writing
To help our pupils progress as writers, we read and analyse a wide range of excellent authors and genres. We teach key spelling rules and introduce pupils to vocabulary that allows them to write imaginative and creative texts. Our teaching of sentence structure and grammar encourages pupils to become competent and mature writers. Writing skills are applied and developed through all subjects in the curriculum.
Speaking and Listening
We encourage our pupils to become confident speakers, attentive listeners and excellent communicators. Creative and exciting drama activities, which inspire children to learn, are used in many subject areas. Speaking and listening is a priority and children have many opportunities to extend their performance skills through superb musical shows and drama productions.