English in Key Stage 1 and 2At William Davis Primary, in Key Stage 1 and 2 we teach Reading and Writing using Curriculum by Unity Schools Partnership (CUSP).
CUSP is an evidence informed, carefully sequenced English curriculum, which maps core content in Reading and Writing across the primary journey, ensuring that learning is taught and revisited over time so that pupils commit their understanding to the long-term memory. WritingCUSP Writing draws on taught content from CUSP History, Geography and Science and from the in-depth study of core texts from the literature spine. Expert subject knowledge is carefully woven into each writing module which gives teachers the opportunity to teach and rehearse key knowledge and skills before applying this learning to meaningful extended outcomes. The careful architecture of this curriculum ensures that pupils build on prior learning and maximise purposeful curriculum connections to become writers for life.
Click here for the Long-term writing sequence |
Punctuation and grammar is taught directly within the CUSP curriculum and pupils receive separate spelling CUSP lessons.
Handwriting is taught using the programme Nelson Handwriting. Pupils learn pre-cursive handwriting in Year 1 moving to cursive handwriting in Year 2. In Key Stage 2, pupils continue to develop their speed, fluency and presentation of handwriting.
Handwriting is taught using the programme Nelson Handwriting. Pupils learn pre-cursive handwriting in Year 1 moving to cursive handwriting in Year 2. In Key Stage 2, pupils continue to develop their speed, fluency and presentation of handwriting.
Reading
CUSP Reading is deliberately designed to be ambitious and aspirational, ensuring that every child leaves our school as a competent, confident reader. Drawing on the latest research around explicit vocabulary instruction, reading fluency and key comprehension strategies, this curriculum is a synthesis of what we know works in helping children make outstanding progress in reading and a distillation into consistent, well-structured practice.
Pupils will receive a daily diet of excellent reading teaching and this will be supplemented by regular opportunities to engage with shared reading experiences, promoting the joy of reading with the whole school community. The clear structure and principles ensure that teaching is progressive, challenging and engaging and the rich, diverse literature spine acts as both a mirror so that every child can see themselves in the core texts and as a mirror to engage pupils with experiences beyond their own field of reference.
Click here for our Literature Spine
Pupils will receive a daily diet of excellent reading teaching and this will be supplemented by regular opportunities to engage with shared reading experiences, promoting the joy of reading with the whole school community. The clear structure and principles ensure that teaching is progressive, challenging and engaging and the rich, diverse literature spine acts as both a mirror so that every child can see themselves in the core texts and as a mirror to engage pupils with experiences beyond their own field of reference.
Click here for our Literature Spine
Reading at home
From Year 2, we use Accelerated Reader as the basis for our home-school reading programme, promoting personalised reading for pleasure. This programme signposts children to literature at their reading level, assesses their reading comprehension and rewards each child’s efforts.
Find out more about Accelerated Reader here: https://renaissance.widen.net/s/8bcqzdgjzq
Find out more about Accelerated Reader here: https://renaissance.widen.net/s/8bcqzdgjzq
Click here to see our English curriculum maps