English
Reading and Writing Curriculum at St. Catherine’s C.E. Primary School
At St. Catherine’s, our reading and writing curriculum is designed around high-quality texts that serve as the foundation for all learning. Each learning sequence is carefully planned to build on children’s prior knowledge and take them through their next steps in literacy development.
Curriculum Focus
A key driver of our curriculum is vocabulary development. The rich and varied texts we use not only enhance children’s understanding of the world but also help them build a strong and diverse vocabulary. These high-quality texts, which are allocated to each year group, also provide teachers with the flexibility to select additional books that best suit their class’s needs. These texts serve as models for the writing skills we aim to teach, and they become the centre of the projects we develop across the curriculum.
Writing Development
Writing sequences are tailored to the children's individual needs, using elicitation tasks and incidental writing to assess their skills and progress. Teachers work collaboratively within year groups to ensure consistent planning, so that all children receive a similar, high-quality learning experience.
Reading Instruction
Our reading curriculum is integrated with writing instruction, but it is also taught as a stand-alone subject to ensure a comprehensive approach. Reading skills are developed across the school through a variety of methods, tailored to different stages of learning:
Early Reading (Reception and Key Stage 1): Group reading forms an essential part of the daily curriculum. Each reading group is led by an adult, allowing for focused instruction and skill development.
Key Stage 2: Group reading continues for children who require targeted support, while whole-class reading is emphasised to promote collective learning without ability setting. Close reading and comprehension activities are central to whole-class reading, designed to foster deep engagement with texts, improve vocabulary, and broaden understanding of the world.
Mastery Approach and Differentiation
We use a mastery approach to ensure all pupils are challenged and supported to reach their potential. This includes providing regular feedback during lessons, engaging children in active learning, and ensuring progression for all. Differentiation is applied when necessary to offer targeted support for specific learners.
To promote collaboration and peer learning, we use learning partners, which can be assigned strategically or changed daily to encourage flexibility in group dynamics and cooperative learning.