At Oak Farm Junior School, children are taught and encouraged to think, to learn, to listen, to read, to write, to know when to speak and how to speak well. The children are taught to speak and listen, to read and to write in their English lessons as well as in a cross-curricular way, in other subjects. Most children develop these skills as part of the normal classroom learning. However, where children experience difficulties in their learning, additional support is provided in small group teaching in the class and some children receive additional one to one support outside of the classroom. Guided reading is taught twice a week. Spelling rules are taught as part of the English lesson and weekly spellings are learnt as part of homework. Those children who still need to be taught phonics skills are taught in a small intervention group by an experienced member of the support staff. Handwriting is taught as part of the English lesson, with extra intervention for pupils who require this.
Our English curriculum is taught through half termly themes which are cross curricular where appropriate. Children are taught to write in a range of different genres and the national curriculum objectives for English are taught within these units.
Children are also taught to develop their English skills in other lessons – for example in History, Geography and Science. All children choose reading books appropriate to their reading level and these are changed on a regular basis. In year 3, children choose a reading book from the collection of Oxford Reading Tree levelled books to develop their skills and this continues through the school until children are free readers and choose from the school library. Our aim is to help children to make sensible choices of their own. Children take books home every night and are expected to read alone or to their parents as part of their homework.
Our school library is very well stocked and open every lunchtime and three days before and after school as well as during the school day. All children are able to withdraw up to three books at a time from the library. At Oak Farm Junior School, we are keen for all children to become lifelong readers and promote this through a range of activities including celebrating world book day, taking part in the Hillingdon Primary Book of the Year Award and through holding assemblies to promote reading.
ABC of writing
Look Cover Write Check
Spelling Word Searches
English Fairy Tales