As our children leave EYFS, we aim to deepen their understanding of high quality texts even further thus from years 1-6 we use the Power of Reading as a basis for our reading and writing curriculum. The resource bank available to teachers is vast and reflects the ever-changing literary landscape. Children are exposed to heritage texts as well as contemporary authors. The teachers select high quality texts, which will engage their pupils and also link to our Humanities curriculum. These books are at the core of our English planning and teachers then plan stimulating lessons, using and adapting the Power of Reading’s teaching sequences, weaving in appropriate grammar skills. These texts, also support our PSHRE curriculum and allow the children to explore sensitive issues through story together with developing the children’s love of books through drama, speaking and listening and writing activities. Children have many opportunities to discuss, debate and develop their ideas. All classes build up their stamina across the curriculum through planning, drafting, proof-reading and suggesting improvements to their own and others’ writing. Children are also encouraged to speak clearly, confidently and with expression in order to communicate ideas and to listen to others and respond appropriately. By gaining such a deep and rich understanding of a chosen text, the children are able to understand the purpose of writing more clearly. We ensure children cover a wide range of writing genres and begin to understand and develop their own writer's inner monologue which can use the power of words to manipulate the mind of the reader. 

Example Books and Teaching Approaches:

Every year group select a high quality text to cover across half a term. Within this scheme of learning, many imaginative and thought-provoking teaching approaches are delivered to develop the children's understanding of a text. A variety of different writing genres can be covered in one scheme of work through the planning of 'min-writes'. These then lead to one big write at the end where children learn to draft, edit and publish a selected genre of writing. Children are also encouraged to think about the effect their writing has upon their chosen reader. 

As part of Year 1's, 'Where the Wild Things Are' scheme of work, the children had a mini write where they had to write a letter of advice to a character. Thus the children learn how to advise their reader. One teaching approach used to build them up to this point was role play and music lessons. The children re-created what they believe the wild rumpus would have sounded like and how the characters would have moved and sounded like.

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As one of the children's 'mini-writes' the children learn to write a set of instructions on how to make a bird feeder. Year 2 teachers carefully plan a discrete adverb lesson prior to this to support their instructional writing. Thus the children learn to inform the reader. The mini write was differentiated through writing templates for those that needed them. 

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As part of one of the 'mini-writes' within this scheme of work, the children are taught to write short poems based around wolves. To support the children with this, children create beautiful art pieces of the wolves and work in groups to freezeframe wolves using new vocabulary taught. Thus the children develop their ability to entertain the reader. 

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Within this scheme of learning, the children build up to a recount as their big write at the end of the unit. The children learn how to inform their audience. To support the children with this extended piece of writing, year 4 teachers deliver shared writing sessions to model the writers inner monologue. 

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As one of the year 5's 'mini-writes' the children learn to write persuasive letters to the government based around the sensitive issue of immigration. To support this type of writing the children conduct some thought-tracking in order to gain a deeper understanding of the characters within the book.  

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Year 6 focus their English writing around the story 'Goodnight Mister Tom'. As part of one of the children's mini-writes, the children learn how to write a non-chronological report. To support them with the children carry out thought tracking lessons and look at features of a report. They learn the effective grammar and vocabulary to chose in order to inform their reader.