Literacy
At Savile Park, we recognise that language is a key building block in child development and we aim to equip each and every pupil with the literacy skills they need. This will allow them to enjoy reading for knowledge, as well as pleasure and enjoyment, and to write with a sense of purpose and audience. We also encourage our children to express themselves effectively and to listen and learn from each other.
As well as a school library, each class has an inviting book corner and the school has reading scheme for all readers. Guided reading takes place on a regular basis; for the children, these sessions include a mixture of teacher-led group work, follow up activities linked to the current group read, phonics work, independent reading and even some time to simply immerse themselves in books.
Our reading scheme in EYFS and Key Stage 1 is linked with our ‘Little Wandle’ phonics scheme – home reading is on-line. Reading in school takes part in small groups. The home reading books will match the school books.
In Reception and Key Stage 1, parents are invited to take part in workshops to learn how we teach phonics in order for them to support and help their child at home with their reading. Reading with your child every day hugely improves their reading success and this is something we actively encourage at Savile Park.
Through daily lessons, children learn the essentials of the English language such as phonics, spelling, grammar, punctuation and sentence construction, together with the skills to help shape and organise texts. Savile Park use Phonics play, Letters and sounds and Jolly phonics schemes.
However, English is not just taught as discrete lessons but as part of our creative curriculum approach. We try to make learning fun and relevant by linking activities and experiences to other areas of the curriculum such as history, geography or science. Each year group has a different topic for each term and, wherever possible, teachers are encouraged to find fiction and non-fiction work linked to their topic area. We also use paintings as a stimulus for storytelling, writing and performance which, again, we try to link to our termly topic.
At Savile Park, children are taught to listen well, speak clearly, read enthusiastically and write effectively for a wide range of purposes and audience. Children are supported and encouraged as they learn to express themselves creatively and imaginatively on their way to becoming enthusiastic and independent learners.