Welcome to the English page!

Our English Intent Statement

At St Michael with St John, language is at the heart of learning. As many of our pupils speak English as an additional language, the development of spoken language, reading and writing is given the highest priority. We believe that strong communication skills empower children to succeed academically, socially and spiritually, both now and in the future. 

Our English curriculum is carefully designed to meet the needs of all learners and reflects the rich diversity of our school community. Through high-quality texts, meaningful learning experiences and explicit teaching of language and vocabulary, we ensure that every child develops the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to become successful readers, writers and communicators.  

Our mission statement, rooted in our belief that 'With God all things are possible,' underpins every aspect of school life and is embodied in our motto: Nurture, Inspire, Achieve.

Nurture: We provide a caring, supportive and inclusive environment where every child feels valued and encouraged to succeed. We recognise that literacy is the foundation of learning and that the ability to read and write fluently opens doors to future opportunities. 

From the Early Years onwards, children develop strong foundations through the systematic teaching of phonics, early reading, handwriting and sentence construction. Vocabulary development, language acquisition and purposeful talk are prioritised to ensure that all children can access learning and express themselves with confidence.

Inspire: We inspire children to become enthusiastic readers, thoughtful writers and confident speakers. Through our English curriculum and the Literacy Counts approach, pupils engage with high-quality, vocabulary-rich texts that broaden their knowledge of the world and stimulate their imagination.

Children are immersed in carefully planned learning journeys that provide meaningful opportunities to explore language, develop ideas and write for a range of authentic purposes and audiences. We place great importance on discussion, drama and oral rehearsal, enabling pupils to articulate their thoughts and deepen their understanding before writing.

Achieve: We have high expectations for all pupils and believe that every child can achieve success in English. Through explicit teaching, modelling and carefully sequences learning, pupils develop the transcription and composition skills required to become effective writers.

Children learn to write with increasing accuracy, stamina, creativity and independence. They are taught to apply their reading, writing and communication skills across the wider curriculum, ensuring that learning is purposeful and transferable. This is particularly important for pupils who are new to English, enabling them to thrive and fully participate in school life.

Our Writing Curriculum:

Writing is taught through the Literacy Counts (Ready Steady Write) programme, which is fully aligned with the National Curriculum. The programme provides a clear progression of knowledge and skills and is built around high-quality children's literature, diverse authors and engaging experiences.  

Each writing unit follows a carefully structured sequence that enables pupils to:

• explore and respond to high-quality texts
• develop ambitious vocabulary and language structures
• learn and apply key grammar and writing techniques in context
• orally rehearse ideas before writing
• write for a clear purpose and audience
• edit and improve their work
• build stamina and confidence as writers

Pupils revisit and build upon previously taught skills, ensuring that learning is retained and applied effectively over time.

Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum:

We believe that reading and writing are essential tools for learning. Opportunities to read, write, speak and listen are embedded across the curriculum, enabling pupils to deepen their understanding and communicate their learning in a range of subjects.

A strong emphasis is placed on vocabulary development, comprehension, discussion and purposeful writing so that children can access the full curriculum and develop a lifelong love of language and learning. 

National Curriculum:

At St Michael with St John, English is taught in accordance with the National Curriculum programmes of study. Detailed curriculum plans and schemes of work are available upon request. 

For further information about Reading and Writing, please refer to the policies below.