English

Reading is taught daily through CUSP Reading, providing systematic exposure to ambitious texts, explicit vocabulary instruction and high quality comprehension teaching. Through CUSP, children encounter a broad range of high quality fiction, non fiction and poetry, supported by clear modelling, structured partner talk and carefully sequenced knowledge that builds over time.

Alongside daily CUSP Reading, several key features of our approach work together to ensure every child becomes a confident, fluent and motivated reader:

• Daily Read Write Inc. phonics for children who need early reading support, ensuring secure decoding and blending

• Accelerated Reader, which helps us monitor progress closely and match children to books within their ZPD so they experience success and appropriate challenge

• Reading across the curriculum, giving children regular opportunities to apply reading skills in subjects such as science, history and geography, strengthening comprehension and background knowledge

• A vibrant, forest themed library, designed to spark curiosity and encourage children to explore new authors, genres and topics

• Teachers modelling a love of reading, sharing their own reading habits, reading aloud regularly and recommending books to children

• Reading sessions supported by our PAT dog, who provides a calm, reassuring presence that helps children develop confidence, fluency and expression when reading aloud

• Home reading expectations, with children encouraged to read at least four times per week with family members, helping to build fluency, stamina and enjoyment

• Targeted interventions, including literacy support funded by the Tim Henman Foundation, ensuring children who need additional help receive timely, structured support

Together, these elements create a rich reading culture where children feel supported, motivated and proud to read.

Pets as Therapy Dog- Sheba

We are delighted to be registered for the Pets As Therapy READ2DOGS programme. We would like to introduce Sheba and her owners Neil and Christine. Sheba visits Cordwalles every week.

Writing at Cordwalles is taught through Grammarsaurus writing units, delivered in carefully structured three week sequences that align with the national writing framework. This approach ensures children build strong knowledge of genre, purpose and audience while developing the skills needed to write with accuracy, control and creativity.

Each writing sequence includes:

• Immersion in high quality model texts Children explore well chosen examples of the genre, analysing structure, language features, vocabulary and authorial choices. This helps them understand what successful writing looks like and provides a clear blueprint for their own work.

• Explicit teaching of purpose and audience Teachers make the purpose of writing clear from the outset—whether to entertain, inform, persuade or discuss—so children understand how to adapt tone, structure and language appropriately.

• Systematic teaching of grammar, vocabulary and sentence structure Grammar is taught in context, linked directly to the writing outcome. Children learn how specific grammatical choices shape meaning, improve clarity and enhance the impact of their writing.

• Shared and modelled writing Teachers model the writing process step by step, demonstrating how to generate ideas, structure sentences, choose vocabulary and edit for accuracy. This supports children to internalise effective writing behaviours.

• Guided practice with scaffolds Children rehearse ideas orally, use sentence stems, vocabulary banks and planning frames, and work collaboratively to build confidence before writing independently.

• Independent writing Children apply their learning to produce a complete piece of writing that reflects the taught genre. They draw on model texts, vocabulary instruction and grammar teaching to craft purposeful, coherent writing.

• Editing and improving Children are taught to edit with intention—checking for accuracy, improving vocabulary, refining sentence structure and strengthening cohesion. This stage builds independence and pride in their work.

• Publishing and sharing Where appropriate, children publish or present their writing, helping them understand the value of writing for a real audience and developing confidence in their achievements.

This structured sequence ensures that writing is knowledge-rich, explicitly taught, and carefully scaffolded, enabling all children to make strong progress. It also reflects Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction, with clear modelling, guided practice, retrieval of prior knowledge and opportunities for independent application.

Handwriting

At Cordwalles, we believe that fluent, legible handwriting is an essential skill that supports children’s confidence and success across the curriculum. When handwriting becomes automatic, children can focus more fully on the content of their writing — choosing vocabulary, structuring ideas and crafting sentences — rather than concentrating on letter formation.

We use LetterJoin to teach a consistent approach to handwriting from Years 3–6. This ensures that all children receive clear, progressive instruction and develop a joined, fluent cursive style.

What handwriting looks like at Cordwalles

Children experience:

• Explicit teaching of letter formation and joins, ensuring consistency and accuracy

• Regular practice sessions, helping children build fluency and stamina

• Modelling from teachers, demonstrating correct posture, pencil grip and letter formation

• Opportunities to apply handwriting skills across the curriculum, not just in English lessons

• High expectations for presentation, encouraging children to take pride in their work

Why handwriting matters

A fluent handwriting style supports:

• Writing stamina, enabling children to produce longer, more detailed pieces

• Accuracy, as children can focus on spelling, punctuation and grammar

• Confidence, as neat presentation helps children feel proud of their work

• Independence, reducing cognitive load so children can concentrate on composition

Supporting all children

Where needed, we provide:

• Additional practice sessions

• Fine motor support

• Adapted resources (e.g., pencil grips, handwriting books)

• Targeted intervention for children who need extra help developing fluency

Our aim is for every child to develop a handwriting style that is legible, fluent and confident, enabling them to express their ideas clearly and take pride in their written work.

At Cordwalles, we teach Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) explicitly and systematically so that children develop the accuracy, control and confidence needed to write with clarity and purpose. SPaG is not taught in isolation; it is woven throughout our writing curriculum so children understand how grammatical choices shape meaning and how spelling knowledge supports fluent, independent writing.

High quality spelling instruction

We follow the Grammarsaurus spelling curriculum, which provides a structured and cumulative approach to spelling. Children learn:

• Morphology – understanding how prefixes, suffixes and root words build meaning

• Etymology – exploring the origins of words to deepen understanding and support retention

• Spelling patterns and rules – taught explicitly and revisited regularly

• Application in context – ensuring children use taught spellings accurately in their writing

This approach helps children make meaningful connections between words, strengthening both spelling accuracy and vocabulary development. See the links on the English page for more information about Grammarsaurus spelling. 

Grammar taught with purpose

Grammar is taught explicitly and always linked to the writing outcome. Children learn how grammatical structures can:

• Add detail, precision and clarity

• Create cohesion within and across paragraphs

• Influence tone, formality and impact

• Support the purpose and audience of the text

Teachers model how to manipulate sentence structures, choose effective punctuation and apply grammar to enhance meaning.

Punctuation for clarity and effect

Children are taught to use punctuation accurately and confidently, including:

• Full stops, capital letters and commas

• Apostrophes for possession and contraction

• Speech punctuation

• Colons, semi colons and dashes (where appropriate)

• Paragraphing and organisational devices

Punctuation is introduced progressively and practised through shared writing, guided writing and independent application.

SPaG embedded across the writing sequence

SPaG is not a standalone bolt on. It is embedded throughout the writing sequence so children:

• See grammar and punctuation modelled in high quality texts

• Practise skills orally before writing

• Apply new learning in shared and guided writing

• Use SPaG knowledge to edit and improve their work

• Understand how grammatical choices shape the effectiveness of their writing

This ensures SPaG becomes a meaningful, functional part of children’s writing rather than a disconnected set of rules.

Oracy

At Cordwalles, there is a relentless drive to embed oracy across the curriculum, ensuring every child experiences a language rich education. We believe that spoken language is the foundation of reading, writing and wider learning, and we are committed to giving children the vocabulary, confidence and communication skills they need to succeed.

Oracy is a key driver within English because it strengthens every aspect of literacy. Through structured talk, purposeful discussion and explicit vocabulary teaching, children learn to articulate ideas clearly, reason effectively and engage deeply with learning.

High quality language development

The school ensures that phonics interventions are of very high quality from Years 3–6, with further targeted support timetabled throughout Key Stage 2 to address gaps in phonetic knowledge. This strengthens decoding, fluency and confidence, enabling children to participate more fully in talk‑rich activities.

Oracy across the curriculum

Within English lessons, and across all subjects, children develop oracy skills through:

• Speaking and listening tasks

• Structured partner talk

• Debate and discussion

• Questioning and reasoning

• Collaborative group work

• Opportunities to rehearse and refine ideas aloud

These experiences help children build confidence, develop academic language and strengthen their understanding of new concepts.

The Four Strands of Oracy

We teach oracy explicitly across the four strands:

• Physical – voice projection, clarity, pace, expression, posture and eye contact

• Linguistic – vocabulary choice, grammar, register and rhetorical techniques

• Cognitive – structuring ideas, summarising, questioning, reasoning and building on others’ views

• Social & Emotional – turn taking, active listening, audience awareness, confidence and collaboration

These strands are woven through daily lessons so children learn not only what to say, but how to say it.

Performance and the Arts

We do not underestimate the impact of the performing arts on oracy development. Children are encouraged to take part in:

• School productions

• Class assemblies

• Drama activities

• Shakespeare workshops

• Debate competitions

• Poetry and performance opportunities

These experiences help children develop presence, confidence, expression and audience awareness — strengthening all four strands of oracy. 

At Cordwalles, we believe that English learning extends far beyond the classroom. We provide a rich programme of personal development and enrichment opportunities that strengthen children’s reading, writing and oracy skills while building confidence, creativity and a sense of belonging within our school community.

Our offer is deliberately designed to develop all four strands of oracy — physical, linguistic, cognitive, and social & emotional — through authentic, meaningful experiences.

High quality enrichment experiences

Children take part in a wide range of opportunities that bring language and literature to life, including:

• Delight in Shakespeare (Year 5) – professional workshops that immerse children in Shakespearean language, culminating in a performance to the school community

• Delight in Dance (Year 3) – retelling stories through movement, supporting narrative structure, sequencing and expressive communication

• Debate Day at Collingwood College – developing reasoning, confidence and audience awareness while supporting transition to secondary school

• GLF Boundless Debate Competition – building persuasive language, turn taking and critical thinking

• GLF Boundless Festival Spelling Bee – celebrating spelling, morphology and etymology in a competitive, motivating environment

• GLF Boundless Festival Drama Showcase – performance opportunities that strengthen expression, projection and confidence

• Summer production – a whole school celebration of performance, and spoken language

• Class assemblies – regular opportunities for children to present, perform and speak to an audience

• Leadership opportunities such as Pupil Parliament, Head Boy and Head Girl speeches, and other roles that require children to communicate clearly and confidently

• Scholastic Book Fairs – promoting reading for pleasure and widening access to high quality texts

• Reading Club – a calm, nurturing space where children enjoy books with a teacher

• Newspaper Club – developing journalistic writing, interviewing skills and real‑world communication

• Poetry Week – celebrating language, rhythm and performance

• World Book Day – inspiring a love of reading through themed activities and shared stories

• Visits from our PAT dog, who supports children’s wellbeing and reading confidence. Many children feel more relaxed reading aloud when the PAT dog is present, helping them develop fluency, expression and a positive relationship with reading.

Why enrichment matters

These experiences:

• Strengthen children’s confidence and willingness to speak

• Provide authentic contexts for performance and presentation

• Deepen understanding of texts through drama, debate and discussion

• Build vocabulary, expression and audience awareness

• Foster a genuine love of reading and storytelling

• Ensure every child has opportunities to shine, contribute and find their voice

Enrichment is not an add on at Cordwalles — it is a core part of how we develop articulate, confident and enthusiastic communicators.

We work with a wonderful charity called Delight, who have created a partnership between Cordwalles and Guildford Shakespeare Company. With GSC, our Year 5 children are given the opportunity to work alongside trained actors to watch a show, participate in workshops and put on their own version of a Shakespearean play. 

Guildford Shakespeare Company perform to the school and then lead workshops with Year 5 to create their own version of a famous Shakespearean play. Previous plays have included: The Tempest, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream. This project develops both an appreciation for Shakespeare's written work and performance, also contributing to the development of children's oracy. 

Teaching & Learning

Teaching and learning in English at Cordwalles is underpinned by Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction, ensuring that every child receives clear, explicit teaching that builds knowledge and skills over time. Our approach is consistent across the school so children experience high quality instruction every day.

Children benefit from:

• Clear modelling – teachers demonstrate reading, writing and spoken language processes step by step

• Scaffolding – sentence stems, vocabulary banks, writing frames and structured talk routines support children to succeed

• Guided practice – children rehearse ideas orally and in writing before working independently

• Retrieval practice – key knowledge, vocabulary and grammar are revisited regularly to strengthen long term memory

• High quality questioning – teachers probe understanding, deepen thinking and encourage children to explain their reasoning

• Purposeful talk – oracy routines help children articulate ideas, build vocabulary and develop confidence

• Carefully chosen texts – high quality literature exposes children to rich language, diverse perspectives and ambitious vocabulary

This approach ensures that learning is broken down into manageable steps, practised, revisited and secured — enabling all children to make strong progress in reading, writing and spoken language.

Assessment

Assessment in English is purposeful, balanced and designed to give teachers a clear picture of each child’s progress. We use formative, summative and diagnostic assessment to identify strengths, address misconceptions and plan next steps.

Our assessment approach includes:

• Daily formative assessment – questioning, partner talk, mini whiteboards and live feedback

• Half termly reading assessments – checking comprehension, vocabulary and fluency

• STAR Reader tests – providing precise reading ages, ZPD ranges and progress data

• Ongoing teacher assessment of writing – using the national framework and internal moderation

• Regular writing moderation – within year groups and across the GLF Trust to ensure consistency

• Assessment of phonics – identifying children who need additional support in decoding and fluency

• Monitoring of Accelerated Reader data – ensuring children read books matched to their ZPD and make progress

In depth QLA to inform teaching and intervention

A key part of our assessment practice is in depth Question Level Analysis (QLA). After each reading assessment, teachers analyse:

• Which question types children performed well on

• Which strands (retrieval, inference, vocabulary, explanation, prediction, summarising) need strengthening

• Patterns across the class, groups or individuals

• Misconceptions linked to specific texts or question formats

• Gaps in background knowledge or vocabulary

This detailed analysis directly informs:

• Targeted intervention groups

• Pre teaching and re teaching of key skills

• Vocabulary instruction

• Guided reading focus areas

• Future planning, ensuring teaching responds to identified needs

• Support for individual children, including SEND and EAL learners

QLA ensures that assessment is not simply a measure of attainment, but a tool for improving learning, enabling teachers to plan with precision and provide the right support at the right time.

Supporting All Learners

We are committed to ensuring that every child can access and succeed in English. Our approach combines high quality teaching with targeted support, ensuring that barriers to learning are identified early and addressed effectively.

We support children through:

• Scaffolds and modelling – enabling children to access ambitious texts and writing tasks

• Explicit vocabulary instruction – supporting language development and comprehension

• Structured partner talk – helping children rehearse ideas and build confidence

• High quality phonics intervention – delivered from Years 3 - 6 to address gaps in decoding

• Timetabled literacy interventions – funded by the Tim Henman Foundation, providing additional support and enrichment

• Targeted small group support – for reading, writing, spelling and handwriting

• Inclusive talk practices – ensuring all children can participate meaningfully in discussion

• Carefully chosen texts – reflecting diverse experiences and supporting cultural capital

• Support for EAL learners – through vocabulary pre teaching, visual scaffolds and structured talk

• Support for SEND learners – through adapted resources, personalised targets and close collaboration with the SEND team

Our aim is to ensure that every child, regardless of starting point, develops the knowledge, skills and confidence to thrive as a reader, writer and speaker.