“Reading is like breathing in, writing is like breathing out”
At HBJS we are passionate about the teaching and learning of English. We believe that developing a love of literature and language in our children is vital in achieving success at school and in later life. Reading, writing and oracy are fundamental skills which enable pupils to express themselves creatively, communicate effectively, and participate fully in the community in which they live. It is our desire that children read and write for pleasure and enjoyment both within and outside of the classroom.
“Reading is the key to every door in your future”
Reading is at the heart of the English curriculum at HBJS. We recognise that reading allows pupils the chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Reading permeates every aspect of our curriculum and children are given a variety of opportunities to develop and grow as readers.
Children are exposed to texts from a wide range of genres, specifically chosen to engage and challenge them and to foster a love for literature. Within lessons our teachers manage to blend the teaching of skills such as phonics, spelling and vocabulary. Higher order reading skills such as summarising, inference and deduction are explicitly taught and build progressively across the Key Stage. Through reading pupils also learn how to write and apply spelling, punctuation and grammar conventions.
Accelerated Reader (AR) is embedded in our school. The AR system allows us to ensure that our children are reading books at a level which are right for them. Children read a book from within their reading range and then complete an electronic quiz. Accelerated Reader helps create a culture of reading through engagement, choice, and celebration of reading achievement. When students feel successful as readers, they are motivated to read more.
“If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write”
The development of writing cannot be viewed in isolation from reading, speaking and listening, or drama and as a result we use all aspects of the English curriculum to support our teaching of writing. It is our aim that children not only enjoy writing but also understand how to become better writers.
At Herne Bay Junior School, a range of stimuli is used to inspire and ignite children’s imaginations. Our curriculum combines the teaching of grammar, spelling and composition. Throughout the key stage, our pupils experience a knowledge rich curriculum in which skills are progressively built upon. Teachers model and support children in planning, drafting and editing, with grammatical concepts woven into units of work. More complex skills are taught explicitly to enable children to develop in confidence in using these independently. We also engage our children in writing for a range of different purposes and audiences so that they learn how to adapt their style. Cursive handwriting is taught throughout the school as we recognise that being able to write legibly and fluently is an important skill that is required to communicate effectively to others.
In addition to promoting reading and writing through our English curriculum, we organise events throughout the school year. This includes our highly popular book fairs, World Book Day, author visits and regular competitions and a book swap library. We also have a well-resourced library which is available for the children to use both during lessons and lunchtimes.
If you have any further questions about our english curriculum please contact the school office.