English

At St Margaret’s Junior School, we are proud to deliver a rich and creative learning experience that enables all children to fulfil their potential. Our vision puts our children first. As a Christian School, we aim for all children to be successful, independent learners and effective decision makers. We value the individual and are committed to an inclusive education promoting respect for all, working in partnership with governors, parents and the local community.

We recognise the central importance of English, as a subject in its own right, and as the most cohesive area of learning. Gaining and using skills in language not only affects the child’s progress in school, but also has a profound influence upon the course of his or her whole life. We aim to develop pupils’ abilities within an integrated programme of Speaking & Listening, Reading & Writing. Pupils will be given opportunities to develop their use, knowledge and understanding of spoken and written English within a broad and balanced curriculum, with opportunities to consolidate and reinforce taught English skills throughout a text-based approach to planning.

At St Margaret’s we believe that a quality English curriculum should develop children’s love of reading, writing and discussion. One of our key priorities is helping children read and develop their all-important comprehension skills. But most important to us is that we promote a love of reading for pleasure. We recognise the importance of nurturing a culture where children take pride in their writing, can write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of contexts. We want to inspire children to be confident in the art of speaking and listening and who can use discussion to communicate and further their learning. We believe that children need to develop a secure knowledge-base in English, which follows a clear pathway of progression as they advance through the primary curriculum. We believe that a secure basis in literacy skills is crucial to a high-quality education and will give our children the tools they need to participate fully as a member of society. We pride ourselves on our creativity and exciting texts which inspire and engage the children.